Category Archives: Fake News

For Rohit Chandra, vice president of engineering at Yahoo, more humans in the loop would help. I see a need in the market to develop standards, he says. "We cant fact-check every story, but there must be enough eyes on the content that we know the quality bar stays high.

Google is also helping fact-checking organisations like Full Fact, which is developing new technologies that can identify and even correct false claims. Full Fact is creating an automated fact-checker that will monitor claims made on TV, in newspapers, in parliament or on the internet.

Initially it will be targeting claims that have already been fact-checked by humans and send out corrections automatically in an attempt to shut down rumours before they get started. As artificial intelligence gets smarter, the system will also do some fact-checking of its own.

For a claim like crime is rising, it is relatively easy for a computer to check, says Moy. We know where to get the crime figures and we can write an algorithm that can make a judgement about whether crime is rising. We did a demonstration project last summer to prove we can automate the checking of claims like that. The challenge is going to be writing tools that can check specific types of claims, but over time it will become more powerful.

What would Watson do?

It is an approach being attempted by a number of different groups around the world. Researchers at the University of Mississippi and Indiana University are both working on an automated fact-checking system. One of the worlds most advanced AIs has also had a crack at tackling this problem. IBM has spent several years working on ways that its Watson AI could help internet users distinguish fact from fiction. They built a fact-checker app that could sit in a browser and use Watsons language skills to scan the page and give a percentage likelihood of whether it was true. But according to Ben Fletcher, senior software engineer at IBM Watson Research who built the system, it was unsuccessful in tests - but not because it couldnt spot a lie.

We got a lot of feedback that people did not want to be told what was true or not, he says. At the heart of what they want, was actually the ability to see all sides and make the decision for themselves. A major issue most people face without knowing it is the bubble they live in. If they were shown views outside that bubble they would be much more open to talking about them.

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Lies, propaganda and fake news: A challenge for our age - BBC

This report is part of ongoing coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war.Visit our dedicated pagefor more on this topic.

In mid-March, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine crept into its third week, an unusual video started making the rounds on social media and was even broadcast on the television channel Ukraine 24 due to the efforts of hackers.

The video appeared to show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stilted with his head moving and his body largely motionless, calling on the citizens of his country to stop fighting Russian soldiers and to surrender their weapons. He had already fled Kyiv, the video claimed.

Except, those werent the words of the real Zelenskyy. The video was a deepfake, or content constructed using artificial intelligence. In a deepfake, individuals train computers to mimic real people to make what appears to be an authentic video. Shortly after the deepfake was broadcast, it was debunked by Zelenskyy himself, removed from prominent online sources like Facebook and YouTube, and ridiculed by Ukrainians for its poor quality, according to the Atlantic Council.

However, just because the video was quickly discredited doesnt mean it didnt cause harm. In a world increasingly politically polarized, in which consumers of media may believe information that reinforces their biases, regardless of the contents apparent legitimacy, deepfakes pose a significant threat, warns Northeastern University computer science and philosophy professor Don Fallis.

Left to right: Don Fallis, Northeastern University computer science and philosophy professor; and David Lazer, distinguished professor of political science and computer and information science. Courtesy photo and Photo by Adam Glanzman/Northeastern University

Its sort of interesting the respect in which it wasnt a particularly high-quality deepfake. There were all sorts of indicators that the individual consumer of information might think, This doesnt look right, Fallis says about the deepfake of Zelenskyy. That being said, with all of these sources of misinformation, no matter how credible the information looks, if you have a strong leaning toward a particular viewpoint, if you receive information confirming that pre-existing bias, the source of that informationand the plausibility of that informationmay not matter.

In his research, Falliswho studies epistemology, or the theory of knowledgetries to put modern issues, like deepfakes and fake news, into the larger philosophical context of how individuals acquire and digest true knowledge, as well as misinformation.

In 2018, he co-authored an article, titled, Fake news is counterfeit news, with Northeastern philosophy professor Kay Mathiesen. The article looked at the threat to democracy and knowledge that fake news poses and sought to define the concept. Two years later, he wrote an article about deepfakes, The Epistemic Threat of Deepfakes, in which he concluded that deepfakes can lead to false beliefs, undermine the justification for true beliefs, and prevent people from acquiring true beliefs.

Fallis argues both fake news and deepfakes have the negative effect of delegitimizing real news. He says they decrease the amount of true information available, reduce consumers trust in authentic media, and put an added burden on fact-checkers to authenticate the vast amount of content online.

In the case of fake news, youre creating this online presence thats supposed to look like a legitimate news site, Fallis says. Similarly, in the case of deepfakes, youre creating video and audio that are also supposed to look like legit media.

Additionally, in combination with tools used to collect individual users personal information en masse, deepfakes also can be used maliciously to target large audiences and manipulate them by playing on their ingrained biases, Fallis says.

It may not just be this one killer technology, he says. Its not like deepfakes are going to be the one thing that takes us over the cliff. Its a whole suite of potentially problematic technology.

Increased political division has a similar impact on the way in which people interpret fake news, where users are clearly seeking out and accepting information thats compatible with their prior biases, notes Northeastern political science and computer sciences professor David Lazer. However, its unclear just how much one drops their critical-thinking skills when encountering media that reinforces their worldview.

Certainly, weve seen an increased polarization in the publics opinions, and thats clearly one of the factors that may be at play with the spread of misinformation, Lazer says. Its quite plausible that the political polarization and spread of misinformation are going hand in hand, but thats an area of needed research.

Director of Northeasterns Lazer Lab, which conducts research on social influence and networks, Lazers studies focus primarily on the proliferation of misinformation on social media. In 2019, he co-authored a study on the prevalence of fake news on Twitter during the 2016 presidential election cycle.

Deepfake technology is also quite relevant to his studies, Lazer says, but there needs to be more research on the different types of misinformation, how they spread, and their psychological impact on consumers of media. The rise in political polarization and its impact on the consumption of media is also a high-priority area of study, he adds.

We can certainly say over the last 40 years there has been increased polarization of many kinds, and thats concerning, Lazer says.

Beyond the issue of users failing to question the deepfakes they come across if the content confirms their existing worldview, the technology poses other significant concerns.

One of the most problematic uses of the technology is when an individuals likeness, typically a womans, is manipulated and put on a sexually explicit video, making it appear as if the individual they are targeting is participating in the sexual activity, says Marc Berkman, the executive director of the Organization for Social Media Safety, a nonprofit dedicated to making social media safe through advocacy and education.

Additionally, as in the case of the deepfake of Zelenskyy, the world is witnessing the technologys political impact, Berkman says. Deepfakes can potentially interfere with democratic elections and be used as propaganda to sow division and doubt, he says.

Fallis and Berkman emphasize the importance of users cultivating critical-thinking skills when venturing online. One way for people to protect themselves against deepfakes is to engage in safe social-media use: Approach content, particularly news, with a critical eye.

The Organization for Social Media Safety is currently supporting media training in public schools, helping children understand news sources so they can take a non-partisan approach to evaluating and understanding the credibility of content.

Its incredibly important for our democracy to understand what is real and what is not, Berkman says. Limiting time on social media to healthy amounts is also important, so people can avoid deepfakes used for propaganda purposes.

However, Fallis and Berkman note, individual efforts cant replace structural change in businesses and governments aimed at combating the proliferation of this potentially dangerous technology.

Social-media giants, like Facebook, have adopted policies vowing to remove deepfakes from their platforms if they meet certain criteria, and some state governments, like Californias, have adopted laws imposing civil liability on creators of intentionally harmful deepfakes.

In California, Berkman says, his organization is working on getting a state law passed that would also impose criminal punishment on the creators of malicious pornographic deepfakes, with the hope that this kind of law expands to other states and that the federal government adopts similar legislation.

For media inquiries, please contact media@northeastern.edu.

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Deepfakes and Fake News Pose a Growing Threat to Democracy - Northeastern University

The Buccaneers are seeing that April 1st is the worst day for sports news ever.

Unfortunately, the childish game of pranking people on April 1st is not only tied to schools. Professional athletes and reporters also get in on the fun every year, and this often leads to plenty of misinformation as they report wild trades or signings are happening.

This is exactly what happened today for Buccaneers fans today with a hot name this offseason.

While the initial photo looked exciting for a team that already has a lot of former Patriots players on the roster, Julian Edelmans report from earlier today is not true. He is not joining the Buccaneers. Yet.

Edelman wouldnt be the first player to follow Tom Brady to the Bucs. Rob Gronkowski and Logan Ryan show that Bradys reach goes far beyond what rational moves look like, and this offseason has done plenty to fan the rumor flames about Edelman rejoining his former quarterback.

Workout videos of Brady and Edelman started these rumors weeks ago, and an announcement like this really makes sense against that backdrop. Still, today is April Fools Day. No announcements make sense on a day like this.

This report would have a lot more credibility if the Bucs were the ones to put the information out there. The absence of any legitimate acknowledgment from the Buccaneers or their writers tells a clear story about the lack of fire associated with this smoke.

Still, the idea that Edelman could still join the Bucs is not far-fetched. Brady could always use more hands after the lack of depth we saw at the end of last season, and even time out of the NFL and apart wont be enough to slow this duo down.

The Buccaneers and Brady would be more than happy to have this report come true, but it isnt happening today.

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Buccaneers cant buy fake news on star wide receiver target - The Pewter Plank

Dave Faries here, still chuckling over the Weeklys little April Fools jokes. No, Alvarado Street Brewery is not dropping beer in favor of wine coolers. Nor is Pebble Beach suddenly embracing the homeless community and converting the ritzy Inn at Spanish Bay into housing as part of a Homekey program.

Its April 1, when even news organizations succumb to the urge to play pranks we hope readers find amusing once they catch on. Such reporting can be obvious hoaxes. We think its clear from the beginning that no sane brewmaster would try to revive the wine cooler craze. Here at the Weekly, we dont have the resources for a stunt the BBC famously pulled, reporting with visuals on Switzerlands bumper spaghetti harvest one year.

April Fools stories can also be written in such a way they appear to be accurateat least until the outlandish details mount. Sports Illustrated once featured a baseball prospect named Sidd Finch who showed serious promise. His background was just obscure enough, commentary from baseball scouts and photos all came together so seamlessly, that many readers failed to catch obvious fabrications, such as his 168mph fastball.

Using satire or parody is a relatively harmless form of fake news. Entire publicationsThe Onion, The Journal of Irreproducible Resultshave been built around humor packed in a reserved format. Only the helplessly gullible would fall for The Onions jibes. Neil Armstrongs first words when he stepped onto the lunar surface in the publications backdated July 21, 1969 issue? Holy living fuck!

Supermarket tabloids teeter between the ridiculousWorld War Two Bomber Found On Moon (to continue the lunar theme)and damaging. The tabs have faced many lawsuits over the decades, but few are the informed readers who take them seriously. Advertising sections disguised as news also tip on this border, perhaps less dangerously so.

Much more harmful forms of fake news exist: Outright fabrication of news stories, images and video. Since the advent of internet-based news aggregations sites and social media, there has been a flood of fake news designed to exploit fears, confirm bigotry or false beliefs, support or slander political leaders and parties, stoke hatred and tear apart the societal seams that bring people together.

Fake news did not start with the communication revolution, of course. Headline shockers have always sold papers, and people with a cause have always been willing to distort the facts in their favor. Indeed, the phrase dates back to the 1890s and the height of yellow journalism, but the practice is much older. Sam Adamscousin of John Adams and a determined advocate of revolution from English rule during Americas colonial dayspenned many a published broadside. According to Eric Burns, historian and author of Infamous Scribblers: The Founding Fathers and the Rowdy Beginnings of American Journalism, Adams form of fake news might well have been the best fiction written in the English language for the entire period between Laurance Sterne and Charles Dickens.

Whether thats high or low praise, it was brutally effective at the time. A favorite target of fake news was Massachusetts Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson. Spurred on by the revolutionary press, a mob torched Hutchinsons house in 1765. An article in the Smithsonian compared the cause and effect of fabricated articles then to 2016, when ridiculous posts alleged that a D.C.-area pizza restaurant was a front for a child trafficking ring operated by Hillary Clinton.

This is a notion any sensible person would readily dismiss. By the 2016 election, however, so much misinformation had been hurled around social media, and so much distrust sown about accurate media outlets, that those who wish to cast the other side as pure evil bit on the lurid tale. Despite the fact that real news sources like New York Times and Washington Post had easily exposed the fiction, a North Carolina man steeped in fake news that he now believed armed himself with a rifle and a handgun and rushed to their rescue, his AR-15 blazing.

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His purpose may have been noble, but his mission was clearly flawed. Once he realized the entire story was false, he dropped his weapons and surrendered without incident.

The Center for Information Technology and Society at UC Santa Barbara presents an informative overview of the issue and how fake news as applied then differs from nowas well as why so many people are swayed by obvious distortion. The speed at which it is spread and the magnitude of its influence places it in a different category from its historical cousins, the CITS reports. The combination of ideological interests and technology have made foreign agentsRussians, but other nations play, tooor individuals adept at social media and at manipulating images, videos, voice and documents the jockeys of fake news volume, rather than rag newspapers. They give certain pundits with no ethical limits the fodder they require. And these individuals are willing to dive deep into distortion.

But scholars at CITS believe that how fake news is disseminated today is in part to blame for how readily some people receive it. Social media is source agnostic, the document notes. That is, they collect and present news stories from a wide variety of outlets, regardless of the quality, reliability or political leaning of the original source. In addition, fake news plucked from an unreliable site can be easily shared. Followers of Ann Coulter were dupedas she clearly waswhen she tweeted a false report that Mexico had lowered its age of sexual consent to 12.

Unfortunately, fake news can seep into mainstream outlets, if journalists are not careful. Recently it was revealed that Facebook had planted false and damning stories about its fast-growing rival TikTok. Some local and national news organizations took the bait. Some years ago I shared drinks with a Fox News reporter who was based in Tel Aviv, but vacationing in Prague where I worked at the time. He related how Palestinians were perplexed how a reporter could work for a network they recognized as distorting the news. I tell them my reporting is accurate, he said. I cant help what they do with it in the studio.

It was a disturbing cop out. But as historian Terri Halperin told the Smithsonian when discussing the pitfalls that come with an independent media, free of government control, I think [James] Madison was probably the best on that one when he basically said you have to tolerate some sedition in order to have free communication. You cant root out all.

So maybe were stuck with it. Our only defense is to lean on credible sources of information, even when politicians stung by accurate reporting or people exposed to ideas they would wish to avoid lash back and accuse the truth of being false.

Now enjoy our presentation of some hopefully harmless fake news.

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Is it fun to celebrate April Fools Day in the age of rampant fake news? - Monterey County Weekly

No, Molly-Mae isnt taking over from Lord Sugar as the host of The Apprentice

Some people say that in the year of our lord 2022 were past fooling people with fake news stories on April Fools Day, but I say lets just let people have a little bit of fun for a mere few hours on one day out of the year. The world can be a pretty grim place and we all need a pick me up from time to time.

From saying that students from Surrey were being banned from applying to one uni, to another selling university-branded flares, across The Tab its been jokes all round and weve been mugging you lot right off. If your uni isnt on this list youre boring, soz.

Here are all the headlines across The Tab this April Fools Day 2022 that we got you with, you foolish, foolish April fools:

The latest series of The Apprentice has just finished, so we decided it would be a nice opportunity to announce Lord Sugar would be stepping down from hosting the next series to be replaced by the one and only Molly-Mae Hague. The ex-Love Islander currently using her 24 hours in the day as creative director of PrettyLittleThing, but when heading up The Apprentice shed move the contestants from London to a luxury villa in Spain. Except its not happening, obvs.

Over in the world of Netflix there was another new TV show host announced! We revealed that controversial cast member of Love Is Blind season two, Abhishek Shake Chatterjee, will be shows new host. Season three has already been filmed, so Shake would be taking the reins from Nick and Vanessa Lachey for Love Is Blind season four. Shake told The Tab hes extremely excited about the new role, and cant wait to get back to the pods to film. He says hell be a guru for the newbies on the show, offering dating advice, and hes looking forward to seeing who steps into his villain shoes. Well, Shake can still see this, but it will be from the comfort of his own sofa along with everyone else.

Nothing says Edin-rah quite like flares, so The Edinburgh Tab designed its very own Edinburgh Uni branded flares for the university gift shop to sell. They even featured a small, discreet pocket at the top perfect for stashing your baccy in so you never loose it during those library smoking area revision-break cigs, it said. At a mere 30 price tag theyd be a bargain, but they do not in fact exist.

Nottingham concocted a leaked email from uni staff that said they planned to ban students from Surrey applying there, in an attempt to stop the uni being overrun with Southerners and increase the diversity of the student body. Obviously this would never happen the Surrey mummies and daddys would never allow it dahling x

It seems like every uni in the country has a specific animal its students are obsessed with Southampton has rats; Sussex has seagulls; and York has a very tall duck called Long Boi who lives on campus and has almost 50,000 followers on Instagram. Very normal behaviour, so would it be *that* far fetched for the University of York to be changing its logo to feature him as an ambassador of the university? Yes, yes it would be absolutely quackers.

Many Bristol students believe they belong in iconic TV show Skins, so Bristol revealed that Skins is being rebooted and producers are looking for Bristol students to help take part as extras. But put down your Kohl eyeliner, ripped tights and baccy sadly, Skins isnt back, huns x

Its a long-held stereotype, so London decided to say that Imperial students would now be required to take a new social skills module called Social Dexterity to help them reintegrate. It would be implemented from the start of next uni year and compulsory for all first years for years to come but alas, its all made up.

Leeds had another leaked document which said the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett were set to merge from September this year, to become The Universities at Leeds. Both current students and incoming freshers at both unis would receive lectures and seminars on both campuses from the next academic year, with libraries and halls open to all students at both unis. Dont fret Leeds students, such an unthinkable thing would never happen the fake logo does look great, though.

Warwick said the university had announced the launch of a new interdisciplinary module based on the work of Taylor Swift. Content would include the romantic relationships of T Swift (psychology and sociology), her impact on trends and consumerism (economics), and the legal issues of song ownership (law). This may be Warwick students Wildest Dreams, but its not happening soz x

Theres nothing Brum students love more than Peaky Blinders, which is set in their city, so Birmingham decided to say one of their uni buildings was being renamed Tommy Shelby Tower to pay respect to the TV show. A blue plaque would also be erected outside the tower to recognise Shelby, and there would be a grand unveiling ceremony with a Peaky Blinders chic dress code. Hold on to your caps before you go to Birmingham this wasnt real.

Newcastle said that both their uni and Northumbria had pledged to stop selling baked bean tins on campus, to combat the beaning crisis. If you didnt know, beaning is when people pour a tin of beans on someones doorstep usually people record doing this and put it on TikTok, and the craze has taken over Newcastle student areas.

More evidence that uni students really love their animals, Cambridge said the cows that live in Kings College were set to be given honorary fellowships by the college. There was going to be a ceremony in their honour next term this would even mean the cows were now allowed to walk on the grass but it was not yet clear if the cows would now have the teaching responsibilities normally required of fellows. Totally real Cambridge student April McDonald (see what they did there?) said: Im sure dodging the cow pats will become an essential part of my workout routine.

Yet another uni obsessed with animals, in Lincoln it was the turn of swans. Lincoln said the university is planning on unveiling a swan sculpture on campus to celebrate its 21st anniversary. There wont be a swan statue, but if any Lincoln students are upset and want to see a swan they wont have to look far, because swans are everywhere in the city.

If theres anything Cardiff students live for, its Varsity. Cardiff said that its annual Varsity against Swansea, which already hasnt happened for the past two years due to Covid, was cancelled as the unis took an anti-competition stance in order to foster a better relationship between them. Luckily for them, Welsh Varsity is obviously still going ahead.

Lancasters own sporting event Roses, against the University of York, is coming up this month, so Lancaster decided to say Bowland Tower, a building on campus with student accommodation in it, was being painted red in its honour. One made-up student, who Lancs said used to live there, said: Im literally in a state of shock, it just feels like a really big thing to commit to. How long is it going to be red for?

Oxford said that Collections exams, which take place at the start of every term, would now also be added on to the end of terms in an attempt to avoid lack of focus at the end of term. A fake leaked email said students are careless in the last week of term, even saying there had been a student go into a 9am tutorial in a leather bralette, straight from a night out. While this would be an iconic thing to do in a seminar, it didnt happen, and neither are the extra exams.

Over in Manchester, they said the uni was planning on awarding Matt Hancock an honorary degree for his dedication to the NHS and contribution to the British fashion industry. They were also apparently looking to give one to someone off Love Island to balance it out. Its not happening, but The Manchester Tab said the ceremony would include a cheese and wine event and all those in attendance would be given a black turtle neck. Sad I cant go x

Sheffield students love nothing more than the Arctic Monkeys, so The Tab Sheffield said that Sheffield Hallam uni was renaming their Owen Building The Alex Building, in honour of Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner. It was said to be intended to attract more students but its not happening, clearly.

Glasgow said one of their unis halls had won an award for being the UKs best student accommodation of 2022 but as if any halls could ever beat the boujee colleges of Oxbridge? Those people literally live in castles, huns. Here is a picture of the Glasgow halls which was said to have won the award, for context:

Brookes said the uni was going to give students free snake bites today at their campus bar, to make up for the lectures students have missed due to the strikes. Snake bites are a favourite drink of Brookes students, but they obvs wont be getting them for free off the uni.

Gotcha! Here are all the ridiculous ways we fooled you this April Fools Day

Heres how we mugged you off for April Fools 2020 at universities all over the UK

These are all of the ridiculous lies youve been fed this April Fools Day 2019

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April Fools' Day 2022: Fake and made-up news headlines that fooled you - The Tab

Medical workers transport a COVID-19 patient from an ambulance at Seoul Medical Center in Seoul on March 25, 2022. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, March 31 (Korea Bizwire) Countries with lower national income are more prone to believing in COVID-19-related fake news, a study showed Wednesday.

The Institute for Basic Sciences Data Science Group led by Cha Meeyoung, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), analyzed data collected from 40 countries as part of the facts before rumors campaign, which showed that only 16.7 percent of internet users from economically well-off states believed that fake news was true.

In contrast, 33.3 percent of netizens from a number of developing states believed in the fake news.

The lower the national income, the higher the damage incurred by the so-called infodemic the research team said.

In 2020, the World Health Organization warned that the COVID-19 outbreak has sparked an infodemic an overwhelming amount of information online, usually false news or rumors.

The study also showed that netizens from poorer countries were far more exposed to fake news about COVID-19.

In Sweden and Finland, both highly advanced economic powers, only 40 percent of netizens said they had seen false news about the pandemic. In Cameroon and the Philippines, developing countries, the rates were close to 60 percent.

Supposing that the rate of internet usage is constant across the world, netizens from countries with lower national income are more likely to run into lower quality, fake information online, the research team said.

In the earlier stages of the pandemic era when vaccines and medicines were lacking, infodemics triggered massive damage by spreading false methods of treatment or prevention.

Even now, the impact of the infodemic can be seen through anti-vaccine protests and severe mistrust of state medical authorities, the research team said.

H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)

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Countries with Lower National Income More Likely to Believe in Fake News About COVID-19: Study - The Korea Bizwire

The term 'fake news' has been weaponised to delegitimise media as a system of accountability for govts. But what does it mean?

Its not every day that the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) condemns a law he is sworn to defend. Yet that is exactly what happened at the Islamabad High Court earlier this month when AGP Khalid Jawed referred to the recently imposed Peca Ordinance as a draconian law if [it] comes into force in the present shape.

This is not the first time in Pakistan's history that the term draconian has been used to describe a law. But the sheer invasiveness and disingenuous nature of the recent ordinance have set off a firestorm among the journalists' community particularly, the idea that anyone may be sentenced up to six months in prison for the crime of spreading fake news against a government official or institution. As always, we put the cart before the horse by specifying the punishment without specifying the crime.

What is even more ironic is that the majority of falsehoods proliferating on social media in recent days are not coming from journalists, but rather the same political leaders fighting for these laws.

Whether its the spreading of a fabricated letter from a US-based NGO claiming to fund various news media outlets for anti-government sentiment, or the mislabeling of a picture to malign a political party for corruption and wrongdoing, disinformation campaigns are rife these days, triggered by the vote of no-confidence motion and the political wrangling and blame game.

As is usually the case, the same media groups accused of such falsehoods are quick to engage their own fact checkers to bust these myths. That of course makes them even bigger targets by party loyalists just looking for another excuse to curse the media.

The current crisis perfectly encapsulates our dichotomous conception of fake news. As self-explanatory as we may find the crime of fake news, the fact is that we do not actually understand the term at all. There was a time when fake news simply meant just that news that wasnt true.

Almost overnight, however, it became a catch-all term to refer to news that governments simply didnt agree with, didnt want to admit openly, or even didnt like. Over time, it has been effectively weaponised to delegitimise the media as a system of accountability for governments, or used as an excuse to blame poor governance and performance on an image problem because of journalistic bias.

And it worked: credibility in the mainstream media is at an all-time low, particularly because of the fake news circus.

via GIPHY

Former US president Donald Trump used it effectively to quell the US medias criticism of his policies. And governments around the world have noticed. Russia most recently used it to clamp down on any opposing media narrative to the war in Ukraine, referring to a story of the bombing of a maternity hospital as 'fake news'.

It is not surprising then that Pakistan has followed suit. However, as the world realised over time, drawing a line between 'fake' and 'real' news is rarely that simple.

In recent years, the term fake news has been far too politicised and compromised, making its use downright counterproductive. Internationally, the terms junk news or information disorder have become more acceptable as alternatives.

Based on this, three further categories have been established, taking into account two key factors the level of truth in the information, and its capacity for harm.

Misinformation news that is false, but not spread with intent to harm. This can include Whatsapp forward messages claiming that drinking garlic essence or kalonji are the cure for Covid-19.

Mal-information news that contains real information but is designed to cause harm. This includes strategic leaks, harassment, hate speech, and disclosures done to damage someones reputation or endanger their life.

Disinformation news that that is false and spread with intent to harm. This usually refers to content that is manipulated or fabricated to give the impression that it is real but is designed to damage someones character or repute. The constant references to Prime Minister Imran Khan as a Jewish agent by certain politicians can fall within this category.

However the problem doesnt really end with the categorisation. The larger issue is that people dont genuinely recognise whether a piece of information is real or not. Studies have shown that false news content is far more likely to be shared than that based on truth, and that we are more likely to share a story just on the basis of the headline, rather than the whole content.

Moreover, there has been a tendency to explain this as a problem of comprehension or intelligence that people dont have the sense to recognise false information and simply forward it without thinking. In reality, however, research suggests that highly intelligent and competent people are quite prone to believing and sharing such news too.

How else can we explain that a sitting federal minister and PhD from a globally recognised university would share a letter claiming that Benazir was seeking to stop US assistance to Pakistan? Or that a satirical piece from The Onion claiming that the CIA was apologising for having wrongly accused Al-Qaeda of the 9/11 attacks was believed to be real and tweeted by several senior police officers? Or that a ministers speech to parliament referenced The Protocols of the Elders of Zion as if it was a real book containing the actual master plan of the Jewish community?

The problem is not a lack of recognition. It is, unfortunately, with our heads. More specifically, it is the way we take mental shortcuts or readily give in to cognitive biases we are likely to see something as real if it agrees with our world view, ideology or belief systems and even more likely to reject something as false or hateful if it disagrees with those systems.

Shireen Mazaris defence of the false Benazir letter is telling. When called out on the post, she deleted it, but followed it by saying, Thanks for pointing out and I have deleted. But let's be clear the PPP leadership at that time did reach out to the US using the Nuclear issue to win their support.

This mindset shows that we arent necessarily looking for the truth Mazari was instead seeking something to validate her existing views. A person like that is very prone to being duped by misinformation.

It doesnt help that this conspiracy theory has wide acceptability in Pakistan, despite being so far stretched from the truth. And that speaks to another major reason why junk news spreads so fast in Pakistan conspiratorial thinking.

Research indicates that countries with information vacuums create an atmosphere of uncertainty and distrust among the public. All it then takes is a crisis to trigger an avalanche of conspiratorial thinking.

Countries with low levels of transparency and accountability, particularly at the top, invite this very sentiment. Its a running joke that every time you want to bury the truth, simply set up an inquiry, so that the government shows signs of action, and nothing needs to be made public.

Add to this a good dose of post-colonial anti-authoritarianism, and you have the perfect recipe for conspiracy theories ranging from the illuminati being the servants of Dajal to child-eating lizards running the world economy.

Ironically in Pakistan, conspiracies have become a currency for credibility. The recent volley of tirades from leaders across the political spectrum are a game of whos the bigger traitor, with everyone from India's Narendra Modi to US President Joe Biden supposedly involved in conspiring for the ouster of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar or neutralising our nuclear assets, depending on whos talking and whos listening.

Dr Mazaris letter did not appear in a vacuum. It appeared as part of a wide-ranging narrative supported and complemented by many that share her views, regardless of the evidence. This is referred to as the echo chamber effect.

The echo chamber essentially means that when you believe something, you are likely to be drawn to people with the same beliefs as you, segregating yourself towards an extreme, and creating an alternative reality where only your views are the correct ones, and all others are false. This phenomenon makes our views even more rigid, and creates a sense of us-vs.-them, pitting one group against the other.

It explains why we will only believe the word of one party and declare all others false. It also explains why we are likely to follow one news channel or read one newspaper and dismiss all others as fake. And it is also why our Facebook friends and Whatsapp groups tend to spread the same kind of memes and posts that celebrate us and our people and castigate all others.

Credibility is down to a show of hands. And it appears we are only looking at one set of hands.

In the age of social media, this has just been exacerbated to a new level. The testimony by Facebook whistleblower Francis Haugen explained that Facebook algorithms "take people who have mainstream interests and push them to extreme interests", by encouraging interactions that create more division and discord. More discord means more engagement, and more engagement means more users, which means more monetisation, which means Facebook gets better value on its ads.

And all this comes at a simple cost the stability of the modern world.

In Pakistan, the threat isnt just from those who dont believe you. In fact, the greater peril is from those who think journalism can be a threat to the state, particularly when it challenges or denigrates the narrative pushed forward by the government at the time. Never mind that the definition for what constitutes a violation is broad, vague and inconsistent, almost by design.

This has split journalism into a strange dichotomy. At times, people can make insane claims, backed at best by flimsy evidence, if any. At other times, information backed by irrefutable evidence can be cast aside as a threat to the state. And sometimes, a combination of both happens, with people resorting to innuendo or gossip to say the things theyre not allowed to say. Khalai Makhlooq, anyone?

What does one then do in this situation? As expected, the media has split into camps, all with different, varying, and problematic approaches. And a lot of it has to do with the way the media institutionalisation and professionalism has evolved over the last decade and a half.

First, most journalists dont receive any formal training, with the majority of media houses hardly ever investing in their personnel, thinking of it as a revolving door of hiring and firing.

It also doesn't help that the most influential news format is not one necessarily dominated by journalists alone. The rise of current affairs has meant that media savvy is more important than media literate, that screen presence is given precedence over news competence, and accuracy and responsibility take a back seat for viewership and the much-maligned TRP ratings.

This made sense to the bosses as well if anyone from a ghee manufacturer to a cigarette maker was going to be allowed to set up a TV channel, why would they change their ethos in the selection of these anchors? In the era of profit maximisation, it is not the journalist with integrity, but the one with the attention, thats allowed to lord over the airwaves.

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Hence ex-bureaucrats, hotel managers, medical doctors, television actors, and even game show hosts have become current affairs anchors. It is to our dismay that this happened, because this further blurred the distinction between anchor, host, and journalist.

With the vast majority of the audience unable to differentiate between these three very separate categories, they applied the same standard to all. The bosses have no problem with it because theyre making money, and as long as there are no major infractions, these anchors can say pretty much anything they want, with complete impunity. Almost.

A major reason for the confusion between journalists and non-journalists is the rise of experts from varying public sector institutions, who claim to have expertise and knowledge, with insights gleamed for insider info only they, the selected few, possess. This is partially attributable to the rise of private media.

Having been a Current Affairs Producer for several shows, my anchor and I were pressurised on countless occasions into calling certain analysts to shows because they gave a higher rating due to their salacious style and vitriolic statements. Initially, this was reserved for certain politicians, but eventually the tajziakar class of experts emerged.

However, this is also because non-political institutions have sought to influence the media innumerous ways, either through their current or ex-cadre writing columns, or appearing on shows. Some institutions have even gone to the extent of making an approved list of analysts, while not officially representing the views of the institution.

Hence, former diplomats, bureaucrats, law enforcement officers, and military officers are the norm on TV channels now, representing while not representing, giving their own scoop with zero verification, while also being approved to give it without any direct affiliation.

In some exceptional cases, these tajziakars become so popular that they start hosting their own shows or becoming regular columnists. Once they have their own platform, they are free to rage over whatever takes their fancy, usually accompanied by a pretty female co-host, whos only there to validate the views of the tajziakar. To make matters worse, in some cases, the female co-hosts are instructed not to ask any follow-up questions just to assuage the host's ego.

This creates a culture of crystal ball truth telling and unverified gossip masquerading as serious investigative journalism. It becomes even more confusing for the viewer, harms credible reporting, and can seriously compromise the integrity of an ongoing investigation.

We saw this firsthand in the Zainab murder case where a doctor-cum-documentary filmmaker turned soothsayer made the bombshell revelation of a global paedophilic pornography ring, without even conducting a basic check. After being harshly reprimanded by the Supreme Court, he apologised, but not before misleading the entire country and wasting the governments resources on a wild goose chase. It was disinformation of the highest order.

His defence though was even more telling, when he said that the investigation was not his responsibility and it was the job of state institutions to find the authenticity of the news I did not provide this information with any wrong intent.

Actually, it WAS his job. In fact, that was his ONLY job. An investigative piece without any investigation is just a baseless claim. It is not the job of state institutions.

This kind of mindset among media personalities lies at the root of the problem. When self-proclaimed experts who claim to know everything and everyone gets called out on their claims, they say its not their responsibility to verify the truth.

They might be a lot of things, but they are not journalists.

A major reason behind the Peca ordinance seems to be the never-ending flurry of rumours about the government and its direction, or lack thereof. A sinking ship tends to leak the most after all. The government and its echo chambers dismiss these rumors as agenda-driven lies and smears done at the behest of political opponents or anti-state elements. The naysayers on social media have a special place for this form of yellow journalism, and fake news. Even when its real.

On April 15, 2019, some news channels reported a possible shuffle in the federal cabinet and the change in portfolios of several ministers, including the removal of Asad Umar as finance minister.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry denied the news, terming the reports baseless. The next day, the Pemra slapped fines on the news channels for airing fake and unsubstantiated news, and creating chaos among the public and maligning the government functionaries.

Three days later, the fake news of the cabinet shuffle became real. Asad Umar, among others, was removed from his portfolio.

A similar situation occurred with Umar Cheemas reporting on PM Imran's third marriage, which was rebutted by the PTI initially as false and irresponsible reporting, before admitting to it weeks later. Of course, the episode turned the investigative reporter into enemy no.1, resulting in him being included in the eponymous anti-state sahafi list, and even led to a social media trend targeting his wife.

This isnt a new development in any way. Denial of news stories to avoid potentially embarrassing or incriminating disclosure is as old as journalism itself. The problem though is when the denial is accompanied by the character assassination of the journalist, followed by targeted verbal and institutional attacks against the media outlet.

These campaigns are designed to intimidate and harass, so that the media house backs off from its original story, or backs off from its support of the reporter. This is a major reason why several major anchors and journalists have been forced to resign or suspend their programmes.

In Pakistan though, we assassinate more than just someones character.

Consider the drone programme and its disclosure. Prior to November 2005, the Musharraf regime denied its existence altogether, attributing the strikes to aerial bombing by the Pakistan Air Force. It took a local reporters pictures of the Hellfire missile remnants in Miran Shah for the government to officially admit to the US-led program.

The episode was an embarrassment for Musharraf. The reporter was subsequently abducted and later found dead. His wife, who demanded justice, also mysteriously disappeared.

This is just one example of many where embarrassing the government or holding it publicly accountable is seen as a bigger crime than the actual actions of the government. Some say it speaks to our societys penchant for viewing talking about vices as a bigger crime than the vices themselves, which is why honour killings and child abuse run rampant.

Channels have faced much heat when contradicting or defying the government's narratives, whether it was the disclosure that Ajmal Kasab was a Pakistani citizen, or when reporting on killings in Balochistan.

However, the anti-media opposition has gone a step further, labelling these journalists as enemies of Pakistan, pressuring news channels to remove them, and attacking them with vitriol and abuse on social media. It is not uncommon to find some trend on Twitter referring to journalists with unflattering words of a sexual nature, or labelling them anti-state because somehow not following the states narrative is the biggest crime a journalist can do.

The question then arises: since when is following the states version the only way to cover a story? And since when is not covering that version a form of treason?

People who think this way clearly dont understand the difference between public relations and media. One is reminded of a tweet by former US President Donald Trump stating, CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly.

In response, the CNN said: Its not CNNs job to represent the US to the world Thats yours. Our job is to report the news.

This exposes our fundamental misunderstanding of what the media is supposed to do. Our insecurities belie our weakness, whereby talking about the crime is worse than the crime itself because it will harm our image in the world.

In a country gripped by paranoia, everything has fallen under the national security ambit, and hence any example of going contrary is seen as anti-state. The Pemra laws, in all their wonderous ambiguity, have made a sport out of fining and banning channels that dare to venture beyond or against the official version.

But if all official versions were true, journalism would not exist. The whole point is to investigate beyond whats told to us and find out whats really going on.

The fact is that conspiracy mongering sells well in Pakistan. Moreover, due to a lack of checks, few if any get called out on it, leaving them free to rant on about grand international illuminati-esque conspiracies against Pakistan, or targeting groups on the basis of their faith, or both. In some extreme cases, they even go to the extent of actively encouraging killings against individuals or groups.

This makes the line between news and opinion even more blurry. When you are actively engaging in discourse that creates divisions, sows hatred, and incites violence, is it really justified as journalism? Furthermore, where do we draw the line between news and hate speech?

While the former can be easily answered, the latter is not, because in Pakistan people tend to consider anything as hate speech or fake news. Just because you are offended by something, does not make it fake or hate speech.

However, Pakistans media has been known to prodigiously delve in dangerous speech, where the words of an individual or group can lead to persecution and violence. The criteria, developed by renowned researcher Susan Benesch, specifically assesses the increase of risk that the viewing audience will commit or condone violence against another individual or group, particularly on the basis of faith, gender, ethnicity, etc., promoting fear or hatred against that group, and using false assertions, or unverified claims and active disinformation to do so.

Interestingly, here the hyper sensitive and litigious Pemra seems to pay little attention, despite numerous complaints and calls for action against channels involved in dangerous speech. Instead, the regulatory authority seems far more interested in instituting bans on hugs on TV dramas than calls to behead people.

The Faizabad riots are an important case in point. The coverage by a certain private channel was particularly damning for creating a sympathetic portrayal of the rioters, creating a sentiment against the government akin to a religious pogrom, and completely denying any of the violence and damage committed by the protesters. The channels agenda-driven coverage directly contributed to the violence, as noted by the Supreme Court, yet there was little in terms of punitive action.

Former Pemra Chairman Absar Alam went a step further, saying that while he wanted action to be taken against the channel, there was active state intervention to make sure it stayed on the airwaves.

Of course, for making these assertions, Absar Alam was labelled an anti-state agent, to the point that the attempt on his life was called a staged drama by many on social media.

Interestingly, these efforts were also criticised by some in the journalist community, as a threat to the country's ideology and the sanctity of the blasphemy laws, essentially just fanning the flames further. It doesnt help that the same journalists proudly proclaimed that twisting the truth is perfectly justified in the national interest.

A new level of moral absolutism has crept into the journalist community, one that squarely supports any and all actions of the country and state as beneficial to the nation. Anyone contradicting it is seen as enemy no.1 and is subject to silence or intimidation. Those in the middle, prefer to self-censor.

This in turn sows the seeds for the legitimisation of disinformation the deliberate spread of falsehoods. This is a phenomenon called advocacy media, where talk show hosts will support a certain political side or ideology, even to the point of twisting facts, covering up others, and actively propagating falsehoods.

The United States has seen the effects of this polarisation with the Stop the Steal movement to discredit the 2020 Elections by members from Fox News, Newsmax and others.

Importantly, the architects of this crusade, such as Sean Hannity dont refer to themselves as journalists, but rather as opinion talk show hosts or advocacy journalists. This gives them a way out, as these hosts are not bound by the standards and checks that apply for media professionals, such as verifying what you say.

Sounds familiar, right?

For the viewer, it is impossible to tell the truth anymore. If you are an avid follower of an anchor or TV channel, chances are you will believe their content without questioning it. Viewers cant tell the difference between media and advocacy media, which in turn spreads disinformation even further.

Whether one agrees or not, the Peca is a necessary piece of legislation. There is indeed a need to clamp down on information disorder. However, the terminology used, and the potential intended beneficiaries or affectees, make it very clear where the law lies and where it stands to harm. If there is to be an actual law against fake news, we need to draw some clear lines.

First, we cannot pick and choose whom to target and how. The law needs to be applied indiscriminately. So the next time a federal minister tweets a fake letter implying a falsehood regarding leud practices during a protest, he or she must be held to the same treatment as someone whose home is raided by the FIA due to an implication on a TV show.

The use of the term fake news also needs to be done away with. The word has become far too politicised to be of any use, and must therefore be replaced by something more sensible. A few examples have already been applied in this piece.

Third, there is a need to draw up specific definitions of what qualifies as information disorder. Denying a news story does not make it a false story as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's now-defunct fake news buster tried to do time and time again. Nor can any story that criticises the government and its officials qualify as a form of fake news or a threat to the state. A democracy needs to accept accountability as a fundamental pillar, and journalism is a critical component of that pillar.

There is also a dire need to recognise our own biases within society. We need to hold ourselves accountable and introspect as to whether our own beliefs may be misguided too. Understanding cognitive biases and removing them from our systems are key to protecting ourselves from information disorder. And that begins with critical thinking.

We must also understand that journalists themselves need to hold themselves to account. There are far too many soothsayers and fortune tellers amidst hardworking professionals, and they need to be weeded out. We need to accept out faults where they lie. We cannot be part of the echo chambers that contribute to societal divisions.

Lastly, we need to accept that journalism is an evolving field. We wont get it right every time. But that does not mean that we are enemies of the state. What we cant do is silence ourselves out of threat of legal action or violence.

Nor can we silence the media in the name of protecting our image. We have to be more secure about who we are. The first step in getting better is admitting our flaws and a strong media institution does just that.

It is our right to be wrong sometimes. Thats the only way we will ever get it right.

Header illustration: Branko Devic/ Shutterstock

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Rise of the tajziakars: In the state's war against 'fake news', journalism is the real loser - DAWN.com

New Delhi: A new report suggests more than a third of internet users fail to read false or biased information, and a further 6 per cent, or around one in every 20 internet users, believe everything they read online.

Online regulator Ofcom came out with the report after surveying more than 13,000 people in the United Kingdom, both adults and minors, who use the internet.

The report said 30 per cent of the UK adults who go online are not sure about, or dont even consider, the truthfulness of information they consume online.While 69 per cent of the respondents (seven in 10 adults) said they were confident in identifying misinformation, only 22 per cent of them were able to correctly identify what are the signs of a genuine post, without making mistakes.

A similarly striking pattern was observed among older children aged 12-17 years 74 per cent were confident but only 11 per cent were found to be able to identify fake content.

Also, around 24 per cent adults and 27 per cent children who claimed to be confident in spotting misinformation were unable to spot a fake social media profile in practice.

Further, though the minimum age requirement is 13 years for most social media sites, the survey said, 33 per cent of parents of five to seven-year-olds and 60 per cent of parents of eight to 11-year-olds reported their children having a social media profile.

Separating fact from fiction online is vital. But our research today shows:

About a third of people fail to question misinformation Most overestimate their skills to spot false online content1 in 20 believe everything they see online

Read more https://t.co/tS9QAnPGRE

According to the report, 500 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube and 695,000 stories are shared on Instagram every minute.

Ofcom said having the right critical skills to tell fact from fiction has never been more important due to the sheer volume of information available online.

The report said four in five adult internet users, or 81 per cent, want to see tech firms take responsibility for monitoring content on their platforms. Two thirds, or 65 per cent, also want protection against offensive or inappropriate content.

In a volatile and unpredictable world, its essential that everyone has the tools and confidence to separate fact and fiction online whether its about money, health, world events or other people, Ofcom Chief Executive Melanie Dawes said, adding: ...many adults and children are struggling to spot what might be fake. So were calling on tech firms to prioritise rooting out harmful misinformation, before we take on our new role helping to tackle the problem. And were offering tips on what to consider when youre browsing or scrolling.

The Ofcom report shared three broad tips to help spot misinformation.

Check the source:The regulator said it is necessary to check where the content originated from, rather than who shared it with you.

Question the source:One must check if the source from where the content originated are established or trustworthy. Assess if they could have a reason to mislead you.

Introspect: Dont take something at face value. One must think about own motives for wanting to believe the content.

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Can You Identify Fake News? This Survey Says Only One In Three Internet Users Can - ABP Live

The spokesman questioned whether CBD had more important stories to write and then asserted the Treasurer had naturally olive skin.

Barnaby Joyce.Credit:John Shakespeare

Budget night is infamous in Canberra for being, well, a big night. After the speeches, fundraisers and private dinners, its customary for those still standing to kick on to the drinking destination of choice, which these days is Ostani at Hotel Realm (it used to be Manukas Public Bar until Four Corners burst its bubble).

And how good, as they say, to see Liberal lobbying giants Michael Photios of Premier State, Christopher Pyne from his eponymous firm and Tom Harley of Dragoman holding court long past midnight. At least some Liberals seem to get along.

CBDs spies also spotted outgoing Liberal MP Andrew Laming and the partys chief fundraiser Nicole Andrews, fresh from organising the traditional $1750-a-head budget night dinner in Parliaments Great Hall, where PM Morrison addressed the moneyed faithful.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyces 1am tweet about his religious conviction on the importance of making money raised a few eyebrows. Joyce who was earlier seen scarfing a tuna roll in Families Minister Anne Rustons office assures CBD he was in bed by midnight and his staff posted the dictated tweet.

I dont post my social media, he said. To be frank, we wanted the photo out for media use and I needed something with it. I was amazed how many others were also interested in our budget at that hour.

Of course, Connie was the name on everyones lips after NSW Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells decided to burn the (upper) house down with her farewell tirade about Morrison, after losing out on a winnable spot on the Senate ticket.

As word of Fierravanti-Wells post-budget speech flashed around the capitals watering holes on Tuesday night, a common verdict among her colleagues was that the senator was only now saying publicly what she had been expressing privately for years.

Shane Warnes state memorial service at the MCG on Wednesday evening fell short of a full complement of Australian Test captains lucky enough to lead the great spinner onto the field, but not by much.

The MCG service on Wednesday.Credit:Joe Armao

There was no helping the absence of Ricky Ponting, who missed the event due to his Indian Premier League commitments as coach of the Delhi Capitals. But it was Steve Waughs appearance, after he had initially been due merely to attend a screening of the event at the Sydney Cricket Ground, that turned most heads.

Warne and Waugh were close as young cricketers but fell out after Warne was dropped in Barbados in 1999, and the pair clashed again in Sri Lanka later that year, according to the spinners autobiography.

Waugh was not present at Warnes private funeral in Melbourne this month, which his twin brother Mark Waugh attended alongside former captains Allan Border, Mark Taylor and Michael Clarke, plus the likes of Merv Hughes, Glenn McGrath and Ian Healy.

Insiders tell CBD that Waugh ultimately decided to come to the MCG on Wednesday after a special request from the Warne family.

Tim Pallas is the latest senior state government minister to go into isolation, after a member of the Treasurers family tested positive to COVID-19.

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Premier Daniel Andrews has come down with the virus, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy is in isolation as a close contact and COVID made it a clean sweep of major party leaders on Wednesday when Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam tested positive.

Victorias Governor Linda Dessau and Employment and Tourism Minister Martin Pakula have also tested positive after attending the premiere of Hamilton last week, where the Premier is thought to have picked up the bug.

Pallas was at the show too, while the Greens assure us Ratnam was otherwise engaged that night.

Jacqueline Maley cuts through the noise of the federal election campaign with news, views and expert analysis. Sign up to our Australia Votes 2022 newsletter here.

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Fake tan or fake news? Thats the question as Frydenberg cops a budget spray from Albo - The Age

As the story goes, in the 1780s, a former lover of the Empress of Russia wanted to impress her with his efforts to build empire in what would later become part of Ukraine. Grigory Potemkin had workers build a faade showing a prosperous village along the riverbanks, visible from passing boats, disassembling and reassembling it further up the river as Catherine the Great sailed by.

A Potemkin village has become shorthand for a false veneer designed to hide the truth, but historians tell us the original story doesnt hold up to scrutiny. In a sense, its fake news, 1700s style.

The region is once again the subject of a false front. Social media platforms shield falsehoods behind the trappings of authenticity, as especially highlighted by the proliferation and dissemination of information about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And just like Potemkins villages, if we dont examine what lies behind these faades, we risk missing the truth.

Videos circulating on TikTok show people fleeing and soldiers fighting to the sounds of gunfire, but it was later revealed that over 13,000 videos use exactly the same audio with different visuals. In another example, 20 million people viewed footage of a paratrooper during the conflict, only for a reporter to find it was originally posted in 2016.

A video clip showing a Top Gun-style aerial dogfight went viral, with over two million views less than three weeks after it was posted. In it, a hotshot Ukrainian pilot nicknamed The Ghost of Kyiv in a MIG-29 shoots down a Russian SU-35. According to PolitiFact.com, a non-profit fact-checking project by the Poynter Institute, the clip was from a free online videogame called Digital Combat Simulator.

At the same time as falsehoods spread behind the faade of authenticity, social media is being used to tell stories from ground zero. This content empowers those affected by the conflict to tell stories from their perspective, without the clipped tones of a news anchor.

Ukrainians listening to bombs fall; a child singing Disney songs in a bunker; a soldier in full battle-armour moonwalking to Smooth Criminal; a teenager drying her hair in a bomb shelter.

Read more: Fake viral footage is spreading alongside the real horror in Ukraine. Here are 5 ways to spot it

There is a value placed on authenticity, and the characteristics of amateur videos posted online present like the unfiltered truth: shaky cameras, bad lighting, patchy audio. These traits, which can be the hallmark of a real dispatch from the front, also make them easy to simulate.

Media literacy programs teach all of us how to identify and combat fake news online. Responsible social media users are supposed to check sources, search for corroborations from trusted parties, check time-stamps and assess whether the content is too good or bad to be true.

But the design of social media platforms ends up discouraging these behaviours. TikTok, Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight and YouTube Shorts favour ultra-short videos. These videos dont lend themselves to deep engagement: we watch, experience a few seconds of emotional impact and keep scrolling on. These platforms are also how news circulates as people look for information about the Russian invasion, videos and information circulate online on social media.

Social media sites encourage sharing and re-posting, which means the original source of a clip is hard to track down. The platforms are designed to keep users on-site and in front of advertisers for as long as possible. Opening extra tabs to cross-check information is just not part of the experience, which helps false information spread.

This in turn leads to another danger: that we start to doubt everything we see, convinced that everything is opinion and biased, and simply someones point of view. Both situations are dangerous to the functioning of civil society.

So what can be done? We need more human-level moderators at the platforms to take down demonstrably false or harmful content fast. And as crises happen around the world, these moderators will need regional knowledge and language expertise.

While this will be more expensive than the algorithmic approaches the platforms prefer, it will need to become part of the cost of doing business. We need governments to collaborate in establishing regulations, fines and other forms of accountability at a scale that forces the platforms to change.

There have been some attempts to regulate content to protect children, but more international co-operation is needed.

Media literacy programs need to teach a healthy dose of skepticism to audiences of all ages, yet they also need to make clear that doubting everything can be just as dangerous.

Read more: From 'Vladdy daddy' to fake TikToks: how to guide your child through Ukraine news online

To help social media fulfil the promise of the early days of the internet as a pro-social communications tool that brings us together and lets us share our individual stories we need governments, companies and individuals to take responsibility.

If we want to see the truth behind the Potemkin Village, we cant keep moving past we have to slow down and look at things more closely.

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Both facts and fake news about the Russian invasion of Ukraine are spread on social media - The Conversation