Fake news and misinformation have played a role in several historical turning points, but the scale and impact they have achieved with the advent of the internet and social media gives the problem a new dimension. While news consumers and media companies have always been involved in the distribution of fake news and efforts to curtail it, tech companies have only recently entered the scene. A multi-stakeholder approach is needed to help people avoid being misguided by fake content–an approach that includes digital-skills education, innovative practices from news companies and journalists, and changing the incentives of internet companies.
In this policy brief, Andrea Römmele and Rafael Goldzweig look at how fake news is affecting politics and what lawmakers can do about it.
Download The Future of Facts.