Fake news or false news represent a threat to contemporary society. Knowing how to detect them is essential to avoid being victims of manipulation.
Although the phenomenon is closely associated with the internet and digital social networks, in reality fake news, its objectives and its consequences do not belong exclusively to current times. The history of human civilization accounts for the use of dissimilar disinformation strategies.
It is enough to remember the sadly famous work of Joseph Goebbels at the head of the propaganda and communication of German fascism; as a result of which a large part of the German population was persuaded in favor of the Nazi regime.
In Cuba, shortly after the triumph of the Revolution, the spread of false news about the political process that was beginning had concrete repercussions. Such was the case of the rumor about the loss of parental authority over minors, intentionally instilled by reactionary elements of the Catholic Church and dependencies of the US government. As a result, thousands of children were separated from their families and brought to the United States.
For what purpose are fake news launched? As they are false publications that intentionally seem true, their purpose may be related to economic or political-ideological interests. In other words, fake news can be aimed at generating traffic on the web for commercial purposes, or at adopting or reinforcing certain positions regarding events in the field of politics.
Fake news pursues the legitimization of a previously defined discourse. Its spread is more likely in social conjunctures where opinions are highly polarized. In this direction, Communication theorists have concluded that they can direct citizens towards extreme forms of thought.
In turn, an investigation into fake news and disinformation, carried out by the European Commission, ruled that “two thirds of online news consumers prefer to access them through platforms that work with algorithms (…) as well as through social media”. In April 2018, after this study, the European Commission classified them as a danger to the development of democratic life and proposed a Code of Good Practice for the entire Union.
Indeed, digital social networks can act as catalysts for the impact of fake news, especially among passive users who refrain from verifying, carrying out intentional searches and who only submit to sources of information aimed at reinforcing their beliefs.
To contain the danger posed by fake news, it is not enough to clarify each one in a timely manner. Several scholars of the subject agree that literacy in the info-communication field is essential, as well as training more critical readers and consumers of diverse sources.
