Category Archives: Fake News

A couple of weeks ago, millions of Brazilians received a text from messaging application Telegram saying thatBrazil was about to pass a law that would "end freedom of expression."

The app also claimed thatthe bill would give the government "censorship powers without prior judicial oversight."

The legislation requires internet companies, search engines and social messaging services to find and report illegal material themselves, or face heavy fines.

Brazils Congress is debating the proposed law, which if passed, would be one of the worlds harshest laws against fake news. The bill has already been approved by the Senate and its now awaiting a vote in the lower house. But the Fake News Bill, as its being called, is extremely controversial.

Congressional leaders attacked the Telegram message on the floor of the lower house.

"They are spreading lies saying that the Brazilian parliament wants to approve censorship. That [it wants] to end democracy. This is scandalous, saidOrlando Silva, the sponsor of Bill 2630. "Its a scandal that a multinational corporation wants to push the national Congress onto its knees.

Silva added that lawmakers had specifically invited Telegram many times to participate in the debate over the legislation, but the company had declined.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes then threatened to take Telegram offlinefor 72 hours if it didnt delete the message.

The platform finally complied. But it was a sign of just how heated the debate over this bill has become in recent weeks.

Analyst Alan Ghani, of theconservative news outlet Jovem Pan, has called the forced removal of the Telegram message: Censorship, pure and simple.

He added: Would we punish a newspaper editorial, when many outlets have come out against the fake news bill in their editorials? Its the same thing.

But the head of the government coalition in the Senate, Randolfe Rodrigues,told the media that the platforms are very different. He said there are government regulations for TV and news outlets, and that the same is needed for social media firms.

To the heads of the big tech companies and their shareholders anywhere in the world, Brazil will not be no-mans-land, he said. You will not be permitted to do what you want here without punishment.

David Nemer, a Brazilian media studies professor at the University of Virginia, has researched social media platforms for years.

"These platforms are not neutral, he said."These platforms are not just publishers. They are part of the message. And they curate the message."

Fake news has been a major issue for Brazil in recent years.

"[Fake news] has harmed public debate, saidLuciana Santana, a political scientist at the Federal University of Alagoas. "[Its] gotten in the way of serious discussions over public policies, and influenced political races in Brazil.

Experts say it played a decisive role in the 2018 election of former President Jair Bolsonaro. During the pandemic, he told Brazilians that getting COVID-19 vaccines could turn them into crocodiles.

But, this bill isn't just about fake news.

"Its more about bringing transparency, from the big techs in terms of access to the algorithm, access to reports about the algorithm, understanding how these platforms behave, so we have a more transparent way of understanding the role of these platforms in everyday life, Nemer said.

Brazilian journalism professorRogerio Christofoletti said this bill is also about holding social media firms accountable when dangerous, hateful or misleading content is shared on their platforms.

"These digital platforms have the means to reduce the reach, to adjust their algorithms, to not promote specific content, Christofoletti said. "The platforms can do more than they have. And a law like this can force these platforms to use their technical power to combat disinformation.

Nemer added that these companies are pushing back for a reason.

This is why the big techs are playing hardball in Brazil, Nemer said. Because they know that if Brazil passes this bill, then it sets the precedent and the other countries will follow as well. So, they're trying to close the gate as much as they can so other countries will not follow suit and pass their own internet laws.

Nemer is concerned that the bill may not find the votes it needs to pass, in part, because many politicians elected to Congress ran campaigns based on disinformation, and actually benefited from an unregulated social media.

And although the bill has already been approved by the Senate, the vote in the lower house has been postponed several times in recent weeks, as the governing coalition pushes to shore up more votes.

Related:The future of Bolsonaro in Brazil remains uncertain

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Will Brazil's 'Fake News Bill' regulate disinformation or stifle free ... - The World

Security forces have been working round the clock to bring normalcy in Manipur

The Manipur government has warned people against spreading fake news and misinformation on social media amid the sensitive law and order situation in the state. In an order today, the Manipur government said "generation or spreading of wrong information will amount to sedition."

The government said no one will be "immune to prosecution under the laws of the country" if found spreading or generating fake news, lies, rumours or misinformation.

The government's warning comes as Home Minister Amit Shah reached state capital Imphal tonight to review the situation and hold peace talks with all communities.

"A number of individuals in responsible positions having many followers on social media have been observed to be directly involved in generating and/or sharing information in connection with the ongoing law and order situation in Manipur... Many such information has been found to be fake news, lies, rumours or misinformation," Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi said in an order today, allowing the government to act against those who spread misinformation.

The government said misinformation and fake news can - even as the authorities try to bring peace and normalcy - worsen the situation by "misguiding public opinion, instigating violence and rebelling against the authority of the state with or without use of arms."

"... Such generation or spreading of wrong information will amount to sedition... and is sought to be curtailed," the government said in the order. "Every person, acting individually or on behalf of any group of people, based in Manipur or outside, shall verify any information before sharing or publishing..." the government said.

A Manipur MLA's home was vandalised by a mob yesterday after they got upset for not being allowed them to meet him as they wanted to submit a memorandum over the law and order problem. The group had been submitting memorandums to every MLA they could meet. The authorities have said fake information on social media gave the incident a religious angle. They said this was one example of the kind of misinformation that has been doing the rounds on social media on the Manipur crisis.

Manipur has been without internet for nearly a month. The ethnic violence between the Meiteis, who live in and around Imphal valley, and the Kuki tribe, who are settled in the hills, over the Meiteis' demand to be included under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category has claimed over 80 lives since clashed started on May 3.

The authorities have identified several social media accounts from both the communities that have been spreading misinformation, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told NDTV, asking not to be identified.

"We are aware that many social media accounts based abroad and in India have been spreading fake news and misinformation on the Manipur crisis. Some of them are verified handles. We are not taking it lightly. If not now because of the law and order problem, action will happen sooner than anyone would expect. We are certain about that," the person told NDTV.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh told reporters yesterday they have got reports that "40 terrorists" have been shot dead.

The Chief Minister said the spurt in violent attacks on civilians on the outskirts of Imphal valley in the past two days seemed well-planned and is strongly condemnable, especially when Minister of State Nityanand Rai is in Manipur on a peace mission.

Over 25 Kuki insurgent groups have signed the tripartite "suspension of operations" (SoO) agreement with the centre and the state government. Under the SoO rules, the insurgents are to be confined in designated camps identified by the government and the weapons kept under locks, regularly monitored.

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Sedition Not Ruled Out For Spreading Fake News, Misinformation On Manipur - NDTV

KUALA LUMPUR: Journalists play a superhero-like role in combating the spread of fake news in cyberspace, which is becoming more rampant with the advancement of technology, says Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching.

She said the importance of journalists as a source of reliable information will remain unchanged despite shifts in information delivery following the digital revolution, which includes artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Journalists are on the front lines of disseminating accurate information, she said when flagging off the National Journalists Day (Hawana) 2023 Media Hunt participants at Wisma Bernama here yesterday.

According to Teo, 49 cases of fake news recorded by the Communications and Digital Ministry between January and April this year were investigated.

Bernama reported that she expressed her gratitude to journalists for their contributions to ensuring the continued progress of Malaysia Madani development plans, including through their constructive criticism, so that the government can provide the best service to the people.

On the Hawana 2023 celebration, Teo expressed her appreciation to the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), as the implementing agency, for working hard to ensure the events success with the support of local and international media organisations and sponsors.

Earlier, Teo flagged off 30 vehicles carrying 120 participants from media agencies, who will be taken to heritage sites in Perak.

The three-day Hawana 2023 celebration, with the theme Media Bebas, Tunjang Demokrasi (Free Media, Pillar of Democracy), which aims to re-emphasise the issue of media freedom for journalists, began yesterday.

Anwar is scheduled to grace the highlight of the celebration today.

The date May 29 was gazetted as National Journalists Day in conjunction with the publication of the first edition of the Malay newspaper, Utusan Melayu, on May 29, 1939.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is expected to make several important announcements regarding the direction of the countrys media industry in Ipoh today.

Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government has been discussing the direction of the media industry, which is currently facing pressures including in terms of business and the impact of technology that are driving changes.

Economic pressure and this development have affected the sustainability of the media industry, and the welfare of media practitioners, and all these aspects are being given attention by the government, he said.

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Journalists at the front lines battling fake news - The Star Online

Dele Alake, a former Lagos commissioner of information and strategy, says he has not been appointed as the spokesperson of President Bola Tinubu.

Hours after the inauguration on Monday, Femi Fani-Kayode, former minister of aviation, announced on his Twitter handle that Alake has been appointed as the presidents spokesperson.

But speaking on the issue with TheCable, the former director of strategic communication of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign, said the news of his appointment was fake.

It was fake news. Im always surprised when news people failed to recognise fake unsigned stories, Alake said.

Alake was the commissioner for information and strategy in Lagos between 1999 and 2007 when Tinubu was the governor of the state.

In 2014, he was appointed as the director of media and communication of the Buhari campaign organisation his return to national politics after a brief hiatus from public roles.

As a journalist, Alake worked with Concord Press publishers as a writer and editor. After a year, he became a columnist in the National Concord and served in that capacity until 1989.

He was appointed editor of Sunday Concord in the same year and held the position till 1995 before becoming the editor of the National Concord.

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'Fake news' -- Dele Alake debunks reports of appointment as ... - TheCable

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) says it is not currently recruiting.

In a statement on Tuesday, PenCom said its attention has been drawn to a news website claiming that the agency has commenced its recruitment exercise for the year.

The commission said the information is entirely false and intended to mislead the public.

PenCom said it would communicate to the public, through the proper channels, when it begins any such exercise.

The attention of the National Pension Commission (PenCom or Commission) has been drawn to the misleading publication on http://www.recruitmentfile.net alleging that the Commission has commenced recruitment exercise for 2023/2024, the statement reads.

The publication further states that suitable candidates are to submit their applications through a recruitment portal on the Commissions website.

The general public is kindly requested to note that the publication is entirely false and that no such exercise is underway.

The Commission invites the general public to further note that all credible information about its activities is available on its website (www.pencom.gov.ng) and its social media handles (Facebook: @PenCom.gov; and Twitter: @PenComNig).

The Commission has in the meantime reported the website to the relevant authorities for appropriate action.

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FAKE NEWS ALERT: We are not recruiting, PenCom tells jobseekers - TheCable

The Department of State Services (DSS) has urged the media and civil society organisations (CSOs) to shun fake news, false alarms, and sensationalism ahead of the May 29 inauguration.

In a statement on Thursday, Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, said the call was to guard against reports that could inflame division, tension and violence prior to and after the inauguration.

Afunanya said the service was aware of plans by subversive elements to disrupt the programme in parts of the country.

The aim is to undermine security agencies efforts at ensuring peaceful ceremonies and create panic and fear among members of the public, Afunanya said.

Based on these, citizens, the media and Civil Society Organisations are advised to adhere strictly to security and civil protocols during the events.

They are also urged to shun fake news, false alarms, skewed reportage/narratives and sensationalism that may likely inflame division, tension and violence prior to and after the exercises.

The DSS spokesperson said undesirable acts would serve no purpose other than destroying national unity and cohesion.

Additinally, all unauthorised and non accredited persons are warned to stay away from restricted and certain designated areas at the inauguration venues, he said.

He called on the public to remain calm and law abiding, adding that the DSS would continue to sustain collaboration with sister agencies to ensure successful inauguration ceremonies nationwide

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May 29: DSS warns against fake news, says there are plans to ... - TheCable

USC researchers may have found the biggest influencer in the spread of fake news:social platforms structure of rewarding users for habitually sharing information.

The teams findings, published Monday by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, upend popular misconceptions that misinformation spreads because users lack the critical thinking skills necessary for discerning truth from falsehood or because their strong political beliefs skew their judgment.

Just 15% of the most habitual news sharers in the research were responsible for spreading about 30% to 40% of the fake news.

The research team from the USC Marshall School of Business and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences wondered: What motivates these users? As it turns out, much like any video game, social media has a rewards system that encourages users to stay on their accounts and keep posting and sharing. Users who post and share frequently, especially sensational, eye-catching information, are likely to attract attention.

Due to the reward-based learning systems on social media, users form habits of sharing information that gets recognition from others, the researchers wrote. Once habits form, information sharing is automatically activated by cues on the platform without users considering critical response outcomes, such as spreading misinformation.

Posting, sharing and engaging with others on social media can, therefore, become a habit.

[Misinformation is] really a function of the structure of the social media sites themselves.

Wendy Wood, USC expert on habits

Our findings show that misinformation isnt spread through a deficit of users. Its really a function of the structure of the social media sites themselves, said Wendy Wood, an expert on habits and USC emerita Provost Professor of psychology and business.

The habits of social media users are a bigger driver of misinformation spread than individual attributes. We know from prior research that some people dont process information critically, and others form opinions based on political biases, which also affects their ability to recognize false stories online, said Gizem Ceylan, who led the study during her doctorate at USC Marshall and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Yale School of Management. However, we show that the reward structure of social media platforms plays a bigger role when it comes to misinformation spread.

In a novel approach, Ceylan and her co-authors sought to understand how the reward structure of social media sites drives users to develop habits of posting misinformation on social media.

Overall, the study involved 2,476 active Facebook users ranging in age from 18 to 89 who volunteered in response to online advertising to participate. They were compensated to complete a decision-making survey approximately seven minutes long.

Surprisingly, the researchers found that users social media habits doubled and, in some cases, tripled the amount of fake news they shared. Their habits were more influential in sharing fake news than other factors, including political beliefs and lack of critical reasoning.

Frequent, habitual users forwarded six times more fake news than occasional or new users.

This type of behavior has been rewarded in the past by algorithms that prioritize engagement when selecting which posts users see in their news feed, and by the structure and design of the sites themselves, said second author Ian A. Anderson, a behavioral scientist and doctoral candidate at USC Dornsife. Understanding the dynamics behind misinformation spread is important given its political, health and social consequences.

In the first experiment, the researchers found that habitual users of social media share both true and fake news.

In another experiment, the researchers found that habitual sharing of misinformation is part of a broader pattern of insensitivity to the information being shared. In fact, habitual users shared politically discordant news news that challenged their political beliefs as much as concordant news that they endorsed.

Lastly, the team tested whether social media reward structures could be devised to promote sharing of true over false information. They showed that incentives for accuracy rather than popularity (as is currently the case on social media sites) doubled the amount of accurate news that users share on social platforms.

The studys conclusions:

These findings suggest that social media platforms can take a more active step than moderating what information is posted and instead pursue structural changes in their reward structure to limit the spread of misinformation.

About the study:The research was supported and funded by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology, the USC Marshall School of Business and the Yale University School of Management.

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Study reveals key reason why fake news spreads on social media

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Rob Gronkowski shuts down rumors of Bill Belichick shopping Mac Jones: 'I think that was fake news' - Fox News

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Fake cop arrested after attempting traffic stop of real cop - The Mercury News

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False information is being spread: Officials on fake news over attack on Bihari migrant workers in Tamil Nadu - India Today