Fake News

4% of people questioned could identify

fake news
48% of people questioned could
identify one
57% of U25’s are worried about fake
news
48% of the general public are concerned

Key words – Fake news, clickbait, post truth.

Fake news is misleading content which is a stretch from the truth.

Clickbait – exaggeration to engage and intrigue people.

Populism = support =
power

Where do I get my news from?

 Snapchat news
 YouTube for football highlights
 Radio 1 in the morning.
 Cultivation theory – audience theory
George Gertner – theory came around the 1970’s

 Hypodermic needle theory – mass media effects opinions to decide

what to like and dislike.
 The constant engagement to bad news makes people anxious
 Theory criticized for being simplistic
 People watch and read media that backs and develops their own
opinions.
 Mean world syndrome
 Hyper-reality
1st order effects: alter peoples beliefs in their own life about the world
2nd order effects: specific attitudes and judgements
-This divides viewers into 2 levels: light viewers, heavy viewers.

Heavy viewer demographics

 Young people
 Low socio-economic groups
 4+ hours per day
 Affected by mean world syndrome

Mean world syndrome

 Heavy viewers think the world is more violent than what it is.
 Heavy viewers believe crime rates are increasing when they are not.
Also, they believe that they will be a victim or witness of crime; more
than a light viewer.
 People reading the newspapers about violence may develop mean world
syndrome and develop their own opinions to strengthen their views over
time.
Press regulation
PCC – independent body what used to deal with complaints amongst the
newspaper. It shut down in 2012

News Of The World

 News of the World tapped into many peoples
phones which is illegal. They tapped into a missing
girl’s phone and deleted voice mails from family so
they could send more, it was later discovered that
she was killed and the paper was giving the family
false hope from her phone activity.
 The paper even tapped into the royal families
phones

The leveson inquiry

Public judge lead inquiry to examine the practice and ethics of the press.
He made broad and complex recommendations relating to how the press is
regulated:

 Newspapers should continue to be self-regulated - and the government

should have no power over what they publish.

 There had to be a new press standards body created by the industry, with a
new code of conduct

 That body should be backed by legislation, which would create a means to

ensure the regulation was independent and effective

 The arrangement would provide the public with confidence that their
complaints would be seriously dealt with - and ensure the press are
protected from interference.
ISPO – press regulator:

BOTH are current press

regulators used to
solve problems and
complains acting as
governing bodies.

IMPRES - Press
regulator.
What does it mean to have a free press?
A body of book publishers, news media, etc., not controlled or restricted by
government censorship in political or ideological matters.