Faking It
The dust has settled on the US presidential election, pundits and public alike are scratching their heads, trying to figure out how the outcome no one thought possible is suddenly our new reality. But maybe that’s not entirely true — there are definitely some people who saw this coming. People who believed in the anti-establishment, far-right sentiments of Donald Trump because the world was going to hell and he was the only one who could save them.
After all, that was what Facebook said.
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One of the many things we’re analyzing in a post-election world is the role that fake news played, and how that might have swayed the electorate. Studies show that towards the end of the election, there was more fake news on Facebook than real, and with very few people on the internet willing to fact check what they read, it’s possible that the fear mongering of fake news has potentially shaped the direction of the free world.
As someone going into the world of journalism, I have to ask: Is this what I have to contend with? Outright lies are one thing, but there’s a large amount of legitimate news sources that rely on click-bait headlines to draw in readers. Facts are important and necessary, but they don’t keep the lights on. If I want to tell the truth, will I have to stretch the truth if it means keeping my content at the forefront of everyone’s minds?
I’m a long way off working for any of these news sites, and I doubt the people who work there are money-grabbing journalists who have lost their senses of ethics. Most, I suspect, are good people. In a world of lies and click-bait, there may be a shrinking space for hard truth, but if Facebook comments sections have taught me anything, it’s that people want that. They want to be told the facts. There will always be those that choose to believe whatever conspiracy fits their narratives, but the majority will go towards objectivity with an open mind.
At least, I hope so. I read that on Facebook.
