Since Donald Trump’s election, there’s been a lot of talk about ‘fake news’. Facebook is in hot water about ‘fake news’. Some political leftists blame ‘fake news’ for Trump’s upset victory. But what is ‘fake news’? Do they really mean alternative media? But here is another question: Is fake news crackdown leading to censorship?
Even President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel weigh in on the issue. So, Obama participates in a press conference with Merkel. He said we’re living in a time where false information is on TV and Facebook. Facebook, Google and other tech sites are under the gun. That’s because many argue their websites are hotbeds for false news stories.
Earlier this year, Obama campaigned for Hilary Clinton in Michigan. But the President warned people not to believe something because they read it on Facebook. Online news site BuzzFeed did quite a study. They studied the last three months of an election. Their study showed the top 20 ‘fake news’ websites got more views than the top 20 mainstream news stories. President Obama hinted if people kept reading and believing ‘fake news’, the more people read it. One day I’m going to find which top 20 real news and top 20 fake news they’re talking about. But here is top 10 list of fake news websites, from 2014. ?
However, this isn’t the fake news they’re after. I agree. There are hoaxes on Facebook. How many celebrity death hoaxes do we read every year? There are other really fake news stories as well. But are they going after the really fake news? Or are they going after alternative news? Fewer people trust mainstream media than ever before. Between you and me, I saw a lot of fake on mainstream news. And don’t even get me started on these celebrity news shows that’s passed as news. I trust alternative news way more than I trust mainstream news. Apparently, many Americans do. I don’t think mainstream news sources like that. So maybe they’re asking political leaders and tech leaders to declare war on alternative media, calling it ‘fake news’. So who are the ‘fake news’ witch hunts after?