Fake news is news, hoaxes, stories, or other information created to deceive or misinform the readers (Hand 2). It is designed and distributed to manipulate and influence a specific course or thought. Some websites have names similar to more reputable organizations and try to mislead people so that their information is given higher credence (Czarnecki). Fake news is classified into different types such as clickbait, satire or parody, propaganda, misleading headlines, and sloppy journalism (Czarnecki). Research suggests 38 percent of Americans get their news online, mainly from social media outlets. Given their wide influence, the debatable questions about how social apps and websites take responsibility to thwart fake news become more and more heated nowadays.

Fake news has significant effects on society. It can affect society in two main ways: believing in something that is false or failing to believe something that is true. The objective of fake news is to deceive the audience and hide the reality or the truth. For example, during the 2016 presidential election, a great deal of misleading information was released to influence the public’s perception of the candidates (Hand 64). The voters were made to believe in something that did not exist and proceeded to vote based on the misleading information. Another example that demonstrates the second manner that fake news can affect society is that of Boko Haram and the kidnapped schoolgirls. Some people, including Nigerians, believed that the kidnapping was a hoax and failed to accept something that was real. This hindered the efforts to recover the girls or initiate negotiations with the kidnappers. Neither type of fake news has a positive effect on society.

Fake news is not considered free speech. In many countries, free speech is a right or freedom under the constitution that allows individuals or communities to articulate their views and ideas without intimidation or fear of retaliation. Free speech ensures that activists, political analysts, or other individuals can address issues affecting the community and challenge the government or the authority to make necessary reforms. Conversely, fake news is misleading information that affects the community adversely rather than helping solve social, economic, and political issues. Therefore, fake news violates the people’s right to true information. People have a right to true information but not the right to be misinformed. Free speech is enshrined in the constitution of democratic states whereas fake news is not, and can even be classified as illegal.

         Social apps and websites have a critical role in the fight against fake news. It is their responsibility to identify proprietors of fake news and bring down their accounts. It is understandable that social media apps and websites, with their billions of subscribers, find it is challenging to identify accounts that spread fake news. However, they have a responsibility to lead by implementing measures and policies that bring together all stakeholders and thwart fake news as a team. One such initiative is to create public awareness campaigns and strategize how the public can identify and report misleading information. When an individual signs up to a social media account, the respective companies collect personal information for privacy and security purposes. Therefore, it is their responsibility to trace and monitor users that create fake accounts and mislead the public. They have a significant role to play because neither the government nor individuals can determine whether account holders are genuine.

 It is the job of websites such as Facebook and Google to “police” the information shared on their sites. They own these sites and should bear full liability for what happens on them. Several websites are doing enough to address the problem while others are still lagging. Facebook and Twitter are two of the sites that have taken significant measures to prevent the spread of fake news. Facebook and Twitter have developed a feature that allows any user to report offensive and misleading posts in their news feed (Hand 96). The complaints are reviewed immediately, and the post is taken down if it is considered misleading or offensive. By contrast, other websites such as WhatsApp facilitate fake news through end-to-end encryption. Most social media companies have chosen this course because the problem affects their reputation and public image.

 In the contemporary world, fake news or misinformation is a serious issue affecting societies. Information is power, and when the community is misinformed, this power is not used in the right way. Fake news deceives people into believing something that is not true or rejecting something that is real. The goal of the people who create false stories is to influence and shape the opinions and ideas of the public. The change in views and ideas can be used as an advantage, especially in a political race. Social media companies should safeguard the public against hoaxes and stories created to deceive them. Even though these websites bear the liability, it is the role of every stakeholder, including individuals, to thwart fake news.



Works Cited
Czarnecki, Sean. “A Guide to the 7 Types of Fake News from Storyful’s New Editor.” PR Week, 2018r. Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.

Hand, C. (2018). Everything you need to know about fake news and propaganda. ​New York: Rosen Publishing Group.