Misinformation and fake news

[Lencoboy]

Since around the autumn of 2016, the term 'fake news' has been bandied around en masse. Obviously it is far from being a newish phenomenon, as I am sure there was already plenty of it doing the rounds back in 2008-09 during both the Credit Crunch (global financial crisis) and the Swine Flu pandemic, which I am pretty sure exacerbated the former, and I vividly remember the likes of the Fail, Depress, Scum, etc constantly spewing out OTT sensationalist headlines about it. In fact, even The Mirror, Guardian, Independent, etc were also at it on several occasions. Does anyone else on this forum recall any significant instances of 'misinformation'/'fake news' prior to the 2010s (when the term 'fake news' entered common parlance)?

[WiredIncorrectly]

Since around the autumn of 2016, the term 'fake news' has been bandied around en masse. Obviously it is far from being a newish phenomenon, as I am sure there was already plenty of it doing the rounds back in 2008-09 during both the Credit Crunch (global financial crisis) and the Swine Flu pandemic, which I am pretty sure exacerbated the former, and I vividly remember the likes of the Fail, Depress, Scum, etc constantly spewing out OTT sensationalist headlines about it. In fact, even The Mirror, Guardian, Independent, etc were also at it on several occasions. Does anyone else on this forum recall any significant instances of 'misinformation'/'fake news' prior to the 2010s (when the term 'fake news' entered common parlance)?

The media is bias towards it's agenda and political alliances. Daily Mail were Nazi supporters during the war. But, in this instance it's not fake news, or bias news. It's clickbait.

I worked in this area of "internet marketing" for a while. I had websites that churned out clickbait. It wasn't fake news, or satire, it was just pure click bait. Usually to a video, or funny image/s.

The big media can't do this type of clickbait. They used to, but it was outlawed. They still produce it though, just in different forms. The Express is inspirational if you want to study clickbait. It's another evolution of sensationalism.

Why do they want people to click their clickbait you may ask.

For money. Their page is loaded with ads. They get paid for that. I can go into more detail if you wish. I worked this area.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Fake news is just another latest buzzword. I would say it has been going on way back beyond medieval times.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Fake news is just another latest buzzword. I would say it has been going on way back beyond medieval times.

I agree.

[Pamplemousse]

It's worth remembering that the term "fake news" was coined by a certain Donald J. Trump in an attempt to discredit any news source he didn't agree with - even if it was factually correct. Which in my opinion is as good a reason as any not to use the term. However, "fake news" is the short and snappy kind of cobblers that journalists love, rather like the lazy appending of "-gate" onto anything remotely scandalous.

Rather more accurately, we have misinformation and indeed, malicious intent. The false "Andover Hospital" Twitter account being a case in point.

[Lencoboy]

[QUOTE=MyNameIsTerry;1933638]Fake news is just another latest buzzword. I would say it has been going on way back beyond medieval times.

Likewise, the words Coronavirus and Brexit.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Likewise, the words Coronavirus and Brexit.

Mad Cow Disease and 9/11

[Lencoboy]

The media is bias towards it's agenda and political alliances. Daily Mail were Nazi supporters during the war. But, in this instance it's not fake news, or bias news. It's clickbait.

I worked in this area of "internet marketing" for a while. I had websites that churned out clickbait. It wasn't fake news, or satire, it was just pure click bait. Usually to a video, or funny image/s.


The big media can't do this type of clickbait. They used to, but it was outlawed. They still produce it though, just in different forms. The Express is inspirational if you want to study clickbait. It's another evolution of sensationalism.

Why do they want people to click their clickbait you may ask.

For money. Their page is loaded with ads. They get paid for that. I can go into more detail if you wish. I worked this area.

That rag sucks big time, sometimes even worse than the DM!!

That's why I nickname it 'The Daily Depress'!!

[WiredIncorrectly]

That rag sucks big time, sometimes even worse than the DM!!

That's why I nickname it 'The Daily Depress'!!

They all suck. All pushing one agenda or another. Where can you actually get trusted information in today's golden information age?

[Pamplemousse]

[QUOTE=Lencoboy;1933667]

Fake news is just another latest buzzword. I would say it has been going on way back beyond medieval times.

Likewise, the words Coronavirus and Brexit.

'Coronavirus' isn't a buzzword - it's a description of the form of the virus itself, 'corona' being a word for 'crown' which describes the spiky bits on the virus structure.

'Brexit' is another journalist's portmanteau word designed to stick in people's heads, which it did very well indeed.