Demystifying "fake news"

The favourite bogey of "journalists" and "truth seekers" is not as straightforward a topic as we are led to believe.

A serious effort to understand the true causes behind the purported proliferation of “fake news” in the Philippines begins with an examination of what motivates the average social media user to click the “Like”, “Retweet”, or “Forward” buttons on their devices. Those who decry the “ignorance” of the average social media user who mindlessly contributes to propagating content of dubious quality are, of course, right. There is an element of ignorance involved in consuming and spreading fake news.