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If you follow American media, you could be forgiven for thinking ‘Fake News’ was a recent phenomenon which rose to prominence in the lead-up to and following the 2016 US Presidential Election has dominated headlines over the past 18 months but what does it actually mean?
To some, Fake News refers to fabricated or false stories designed to promote or disgrace presidential candidates on social media. This interpretation of Fake News has been central to allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
Others have used the term to accuse the mainstream media of misinformation. President Trump and his supporters have regularly used the term, going so far as to announce the creation of ‘Fake News Awards’.
The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018
Fake News can refer to hoaxes, propaganda, satire, and disinformation that intentionally creates ambiguity and distrust. Our project examines a range of data sources to show that Fake News is a complex term whose popularity and meaning varies across countries and time.
Our analysis showed that Fake News actually increases engagement with news stories, thereby incentivizing its publication.
This in turn may have led to the dramatic decrease in public trust and confidence in the mass media in the United States over the last twenty years.
This trend came to a head at the last US presidential election where misinformation and disinformation became a regular feature, mostly targeting Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
Finally, our analysis shows the impact of President Trump's tweets on Fake News trends.