While a variety of very significant problems have plagued America since its establishment as an independent nation in 1776, one issue that traces back to the country’s beginning, yet also remains relevant in current times, is the creation and spread of inaccurate information. Though today’s culture typically characterizes this issue as fake news, it is first important to understand that the enduring existence of this falsity derives from a concept called yellow journalism. Yellow journalism, or “a style of newspaper reporting emphasizing sensationalism over facts,” was prevalent throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The origin of yellow journalism became prevalent with newspaper owners Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, who, competing for readers and sales, began sensationalizing the news by using “big flashy headlines and stories with little truth” (Dalton State College, 2018). They wagered this sensationalism to promote agendas that aligned with their individual interests rather than those that reflected authentic reporting.
While this corrupt conduct occurred over one century ago, fake news has only grown to become an even greater challenge in the context of the twenty-first century. This issue has augmented due to the developing presence of online platforms that facilitate the process of procuring false stories about a series of trending subjects.
Although the issue of fake news extends well beyond American borders, its impact within the United States in particular is arguably one of the most fruitful places to study its immense influence.
The 2016 US Presidential Election demonstrates a critical event that initially contributed to the increased popularity of fake news.
When studying this phenomenon, it is important to understand that congressional and FBI investigations reveal the undeniable existence of fake news throughout the election process. This fake news intended to influence the outcome of the election. Therefore, the question is not whether it was a factor, but rather how fake news helped the campaign of one candidate over another.
CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg offers one of the most staggering statistics, acknowledging that through his platform alone, “126 million Americans were shown Russian-backed, politically-oriented fake news stories.”. It is alarming to learn that leading up to Election Day, the twenty most popular fake news stories received more online reactions and overall engagement than the top twenty that were true.
The Internet therefore has become a breeding ground for the spread of false information and gave rise to great doubt regarding sources’ credibility.
While these fake news stories skewed both ways, it seems as though the majority of disinformation favored Republican candidate Donald Trump. The false, yet commonly cited claim that Hillary Clinton approved weapon sales to ISIS as well as the true assertion that the Trump campaign received more ads on Facebook for a cheaper cost than Clinton’s reflects the partisanship of this fake news. This is “because Donald Trump used provocative content and flashy titles to stoke social media buzz” and consequently gained the ability to generate greater support for his election efforts and secure votes.
Although it is up to personal opinion whether Trump’s win in the 2016 US Presidential Election was a fair victory or one unjustly aided by an ample amount of fake news, all can agree that such bias poses a significant problem.
Media literacy tells us that honesty should be held paramount.
Despite the threat of this issue, citizens can take a stand for truth by cross-checking sources and studying all sides of a situation both inside and outside of an election context.
