Fake News
Deliberate dissemination of false news: disinformation, rumours, conspiracy theories
of French people believe they have already encountered fake news, either on the internet or on social media. And while 50% of them believe they were not misled, 23% admit to having been deceived. (BVA Observatory, 2019)
Fake news: what is it?
One «false news knowingly released in the media». This is the definition given by Pascal Froissart, lecturer and researcher in Communication, who specialises in this field.
Fake news can be created for ideological reasons (disinformation campaign), policies (to destabilise an opponent during an election) or even financial (e.g. online scams to steal personal data).
The’media literacy and critical thinking is essential in combating fake news and its consequences: the risk of recruitment, manipulation and conspiracy theories, radicalisation, etc. Digital technology is not the source of fake news, but the virality of social media greatly contributes to its spread.
What does the law say?
To combat this phenomenon, French legislation has enacted a anti-fake news law«. Nevertheless, its scope remains limited as it is only applicable during the pre-election period. to focus tools on the real danger, namely attempts to influence election results.
If a candidate notices the publication of fake news, they can refer the matter to the judge in summary proceedings. The judge then has 48 hours to make a decision, which may consist of having the publication in question removed from all platforms.
For its part, the CSA (Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel) may also take action against media outlets «controlled by a foreign state, or under the influence of that state” if they deliberately broadcast “false information likely to alter the sincerity of the election”.
Furthermore, platforms are required to disclose the identity of individuals who pay to promote information content relating to a debate of general interest. When the amount paid for dissemination exceeds €100 excluding VAT, platforms are also required to disclose this amount.
Outside of these specific election periods, the issue of fake news remains unresolved.
How can you recognise fake news and protect yourself from it?
Fake news has an unfortunate tendency to look exactly like authentic information. Some clues However, they can be identified.
Here are some questions to ask yourself when evaluating the quality and relevance of information:
- Who is the author? Is the article signed? Verify the author's actual existence, legitimacy, and other writings.
- What is the author's objective? Is he stating facts or expressing an opinion?
- What is the nature of the site? News sites, entertainment sites, parody sites... if this information is found on a site whose purpose is to create hoaxes (such as Le Gorafi), the information will be false. The URL can also be an indicator: a .gov domain identifies an official site (but beware of «false friends»; a reversed letter in the URL can reveal a fake).
- What does the site look like? The look, the language, the type of advertisements... the presentation of a website can sometimes reveal the credibility of the information found there.
- Where does the information come from? The sources of information enable its veracity to be determined. It is essential to cross-check them.
- When is the publication date? It is important to know when the events described took place. Information taken out of context can mislead the reader.
- Is there any inconsistency in the information? Details that do not match, an image that does not correspond to the caption, or irrelevant comments may arouse suspicion.
Finally, you can cross-reference sources and check whether the information in question is reported in newspapers or on authoritative websites, for example.
What should you do if your child mentions fake news?
Your child may spontaneously bring up the subject of fake news, or present you with information that they believe to be credible, when in fact it is fake news.
Here are some solutions to help you:
- Explain the phenomenon to him. in order to raise awareness. The internet is a fantastic source of information... but not everything you find there is true!
- Analyse together fake news so that he can decipher how it works.
- Guide him to secure and reliable websites.
- Encourage him to take a step back and develop your critical thinking skills.
- Engage in dialogue and communicate! Discussing ideas and exchanging views on current affairs is the best way to combat fake news as a family!
Need assistance?
Bullying, cyberbullying, revenge porn, webcam blackmail, identity theft, gender-based and sexual violence, exposure to violent and pornographic content, etc., and all issues related to usage (video games, parental controls, account settings, overexposure to screens).
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