Disinformation has been used in warfare and military strategy over time. But it is undeniably being intensified by the use of smart technologies and social media. This is because these communication technologies provide a relatively low-cost, low-barrier way to disseminate information basically anywhere. The million-dollar question then is: Can this technologically produced problem of scale and […] … learn more→

The following news release has been issued by the Committee to Protect Journalists: As U.S. President Donald Trump announces his “Fake Media” awards, the Committee to Protect Journalists names its global Press Oppressors—world leaders who use rhetoric, legal action, and censorship to try to silence their critics. The list features leaders from China, Egypt, Myanmar, […] … learn more→

Every time you go online, people are competing for your attention. Friends, strangers, businesses, political organisations, charities and news websites all serve up a constant stream of eye-catching pictures, videos and articles, wherever you might go looking for information – Google, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or YouTube. But in the race to catch your eye, […] … learn more→

Donald Trump appears to have a straightforward definition of fake news: Stories that are critical of him or his presidency are “fake,” while those that praise him are “real.” On the surface, the logic doesn’t hold up. But at the same time, the way Trump thinks about fake news points to a key reason why […] … learn more→

US President Donald Trump’s election and his disdain for the mainstream media has been seen by some as the triumph of post-truth politics. Post-truth politics is a culture in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief. Not only is Trump deliberately picking wars with America’s […] … learn more→

The challenge of fake news is well articulated in this quote from Abraham Lincoln. More and more, individuals get their news on societal issues via social media platforms and without the vetting process that previously characterised leading news outlets. This shift was made clear when a study by Buzzfeed found that fake news was posted […] … learn more→

Imagine, for a moment, the technology of 2017 had existed on Jan. 11, 1964 – the day Luther Terry, surgeon general of the United States, released “Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the United States.” What would be some likely scenarios? The social media noise machine explodes; conservative […] … learn more→