Rescuing the truth

Fabian Sivnert looks at the misuse of the term ‘fake news’ and how it can be reclaimed

The World Today Updated 9 November 2020 3 minute READ

Fabian Sivnert

Swedish politician and researcher currently studying at the University of Oxford

When President Donald Trump disagrees with any news or commentary about himself, he uses the term ‘fake news’ to attack and discredit the source. The phrase has now become the scapegoat for modern politicians, but what does it really mean?

In a modern democracy, many voters get their news from social media rather than television, radio or newspapers. Given this shift in news consumption among voters, new battlegrounds are being explored by political parties, businesses, lobbyists and other countries to reach the electorate via social media.

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