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Ah fake news. They were already at the root of heated debates, now a business is developing around the subject. Yes, there is indeed a fake news industry. Influencers, brands, media… paid to share false content and thus contribute to disinformation. A phenomenon that worries and raises many questions about moderation and regulation of content on social networks. Passion Media comes back with you on this thorny issue.
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The fake industry, a fast-growing sector
We also talk about “paid disinformation industry”. And the repercussions of this are sometimes colossal. Amending laws, boycotting brands, denigrating personalities, choosing political votes… Fake news and misinformation are present in all sectors. A concrete example? Amazon, the online shopping behemoth. The first element that the buyer looks at: the reviews. However, according to a recently published survey, more than 60 to 70% of the reviews left on the platform are false. This makes us suspicious of the relevance of these reviews. But then, who is behind it? What are the actions put in place? And how to regulate the subject?
Fake news and politics
Politics is one of the areas most impacted by this phenomenon. A study published by Odanga Madung and Brian Obilo has also looked into the subject. It highlights a vast industry of paid political propaganda on social networks. There were already bots, which automatically and regularly share false content. Now they are joined by real people. Yes, advertisers are offering people, often in need, contracts ranging from ten to fifteen dollars a day to tweet with hashtags and messages that are dictated to them. An offer that they can not always afford to refuse and that shows all the limits of the system.
The role of Twitter in this
Twitter is the most scrutinized social network today on the subject. It was recently criticized for having agreed to monetize ads made against certain hashtags.
Twitter Trendings, a tool that promotes fake news
Twitter is considered to be at risk, especially with its Twitter Trendings feature, which brings out the trends of hashtags. With a large smear campaign, a fake news hashtag can naturally rise to the top and slip through the cracks of the algorithm. The social network’s spokesperson recently spoke on the subject: “Using both technology and human review, we have proactively and systematically addressed attempts to manipulate the platform, mitigate them on a large scale and have taken action on millions of accounts each week due to violations of our policies.”
A new tool to report fake content
The Twitter platform is stepping up to the plate, attempting to combat misinformation on the platform. In particular, it recently launched a tool that allows users to report content that seems false. How do they do this? Via the button “this tweet is fake news”.
Two reports to see on the subject of fake news
To go further on the subject, here are two excellent documentaries:
The Factory of ignorance
A report by Arté. The concept? “How, from the ravages of tobacco to the denial of climate change, we instrumentalize science to deny… science.” In other words? When fake news invests in the field of science to convince the greatest number.
FAKE FAMOUS
A documentary shared by HBO recently made a lot of news. The concept? For the purposes of the investigation, the director Nick Bilton took the gamble of making three unknowns famous, by revealing the backstage of social networks. The result is frightening. This documentary deciphers the backstage of the industry of influence and the manufacture of these new stars.
