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Join the fight against FAKE NEWS

Everyone needs to be aware of misinformation, disinformation and fake news. Regardless of where you find your information, there is a?big?possibility that you will come across unethical journalism, fake news and lies that pose as facts.

It is vital to know what fake news, mis- and disinformation are, what influence it has, and how to spot them. This is because what you read in the media significantly affects how you look at the world around you. If you are being fed false information that you believe to be true, it can cause much damage.

Defining Fake News

Disinformation is information that is false, and the person who is disseminating it knows it is false. It is a deliberate, intentional lie shared with harmful intent by deceiving and manipulating the public for the person's own agenda.

Misinformation is false information, but the person disseminating it believes that it is true and there is no harmful intent. It includes information that is true, but used out of context.

Mal-information is information that is based on reality, but it is used to inflict harm on a person, organisation or country.

So, where does fake news fit in?

Since misinformation and disinformation are?essentially?false facts, you might wonder if it isn't just fake news. And the answer is no.?

When it comes to fake news, the intention is all about pushing an agenda and purposefully crafted, sensational, emotionally charged, misleading or fabricated information that mimics the form of mainstream news.

Fake news is also referred to as false information by industry professionals, and its main focus is to damage a person's reputation or evoke a specific emotion within the reader.

Social Media

Social media has opened every single user to the world, and each other, allowing us to feel instantly connected, heard and better understood. But with all its positive aspects, social media has also brought about several risks, thus forcing us to be more responsible, educated and logical.

One of these risks relates to the?reputation of individuals and companies. Although most of us use social media for personal use and many others for PR and Marketing purposes, the fact remains that social media is no different to other forms of publishing in terms of defamation and saying the wrong thing could land us in very hot (and expensive!) water.

This means that when the publishing of negative comments and/or complaints causes direct harm to the targeted party, the publisher of such (and anyone who shares it) can be held liable for defamation. A scary thought, given that with the rise of social media, ordinary citizens who use online platforms are technically all publishers. This signifies that they are subjected to the same laws as newspapers and other news outlets and platforms, i.e. media laws.

In the simplest of terms, defamation is when a person (or people/group) intentionally spreads information about another person, group or company in the public domain, which damages the affected party's reputation or makes others think less of them. Furthermore, defamation comes in two forms – libel and slander.

Defamation relates to defamatory comments made in the written form (this includes articles, comments, photos, and signs published in print, online and social media). In contrast, slander relates to spoken communication to a third party – through a public medium such as radio or between two or more people.

Social media defamation refers to a defamatory statement made on a social media site or a website that enables the creation and sharing of information, interests, photographs, ideas, and other types of expression. These include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as WhatsApp or an online site which encourages users to offer personal views and comments.

Victims of social media defamation can act against perpetrators. Over the last few years, the law has come down hard on transgressors, and more people are getting rapped over the knuckles for their online behaviour.

When it comes to avoiding defamation, accusations and/or charges, the rule of thumb is easy! Think before you speak! Think twice before you write! Think thrice before posting anything on social or online media!