Point 1 - What is fake news? Why should the government take action?
Fake News can also be called disinformation or misinformation. It isn't new and false or misleading information has always been around, the problem now is that more people can see and share these stories.
Debating Matters has a good resource including more on key terms, background and essential reading. (Some of this is useful generally).
BBC Define fake news as:
"False information distributed deliberately, usually for political or commercial purposes"
For more details see this short video
The government should do something about fake news because:
UN Convention on Rights of the Child
Article 17 (access to information from the media)
"Every child has the right to reliable information from a variety of sources, and governments should encourage the media to provide information that children can understand. Governments must help protect children from materials that could harm them."
Point 2 - Examples of Fake News
The BBC class this into three types:
- Completely false information, photos or videos purposefully created and spread to confuse or misinform (Fake Claims made about Brexit and Fake News from Donald Trump)
- Information, photos or videos manipulated to deceive - or old photographs shared as new (Examples of fake news from 2017 from the BBC)
- Satire or parody which means no harm but can fool people (thedailymash.co.uk)
Point 3 - Government should make laws stopping fake news because:
Unreliable information can impact on politics and change how people vote in elections Fake news is a problem for elections.
Angela Merkel arguing that governments need to take action on Fake News
Buzzfeed article on how fake news was more popular than correct news.
This this article on how fake news helped Donald Trump win.
Point 4 - Government should make laws stopping fake news because:
Misinformation can cause violence - two men burned to death in Mexico because of fake news
and Facebook accused of fueling violence in Sri Lanka
Point 5 - Government should make laws stopping fake news because:
Quick Statistics on why is fake news harmful to you as a person.
Plus Fake News can actually give you physical and mental health problems - Article on Fake News being bad for your health.
Point 6 - Some governments have or have tried to pass laws.
Singapore's Government is one who have made moves and this article shows both sides of that
discussion.
You can also see what other countries are doing or trying to do by scrolling through this list.
Point 7 - Government making laws stopping fake news could be a problem because:
The UN Declaration of Human Rights says in article 19:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers".
Stopping false and misleading news could stop free speech which criticises or mocks governments, companies or people in positions of power.
The big concern is that those who disagree with those in power are stopped from having a voice. For example if it is illegal, anyone who the government decides is creating fake news could be arrested even if they are telling the truth.
Campaigners concern over laws and examples of some laws already employed
Article on Fake News threatening free speech
Russian clamp down on what people are saying on social media
Point 7 - Governments don't need to make laws because social media companies and others who host this fake news should take action to stop it.
Facebook take action to fact check stories.
Point 8 - Governments don't need to make laws we need to take responsibility
Article on why we need to take responsibility
Conclusion - what do you think? should the Government do more to make sure information is reliable?
Taking it further
Also studies suggest that it's the over 65's who are worst for sharing and spreading fake news not young people who have had to be more tech savvy from the start.
