Reflection

Fake News

1. The addressees are targeted depending on circumstances and what the people spreading the fake news want to persuade. For example, in politics, fake news is intended to make people favor one side or the other. It targets people who can be persuaded easily. For example, the fake news would target somebody who is not sure about a certain product, pointing out something that is not true about it persuading people not to buy.

2. Various types of propaganda can be formed. These are; Pure propaganda, improper and sloppy news, slanted and biased, the data misuse, and 100% false news. This can be meant for cracking the ribs of the audience, but at the same time hitting the objective it is intended to.

3. The spring of fake news could be websites, TV networks, and social media among others. For the fake news to be very effective, they need to be spread through social media to reach receptive audiences. Bots help in propagating fake news and inflating the apparent popularity of fake news on social media.

4. It is mostly used as a tool of manipulating and influencing people through changing their interests or focus. Fake news is specifically aimed at creating fiction to get certain results (Allcott, & Gentzkow, 2017). It is mostly created for pecuniary gain from the increased traffic which is achieved from outrageous claims. It can also be for political gain where there is the manipulation of naïve people so that they can vote for a certain candidate.

5. One can spot fake information by trying to find the source of the news. There are click-baiting headlines that do not reflect the facts on the story (Shu, et al., 2017). Humor sites are also taken at face value especially those touching on current or political events. Fake news has lethal effects since there is no nuance and neutrality in society. This makes it hard delivering messages to the public.

References

Allcott, H., & Gentzkow, M. (2017). Social media and fake news in the 2016 election. Journal of economic perspectives, 31(2), 211-36.