Fake news

Fake news is false or misleading information that looks like real news. It can include made-up stories, old news shared as new, or reports that are changed to trick people. People share fake news for many reasons, such as to hurt someone or to make money from ads.

Reporters with various forms of "fake news" from an 1894 illustration by Frederick Burr Opper

The term “fake news” began in the 1890s when some newspapers wrote stories that weren’t true. Today, fake news spreads quickly, especially on social media like the Facebook News Feed. This happens because of strong beliefs and how social media shows content.

Fake news can make it hard to know what’s really happening. Sometimes, made-up stories get more attention than real news, which can make people trust reporting less. Learning how to spot fake news and being careful about sharing information can help stop its spread. One idea is to teach people how to recognize fake news before they see it, called prebunking.

Definition

Fake news is false or misleading information that looks like real news. The word became well-known in 2017. People sometimes use it to call real news they don't like "fake."

Fake news stories can show up with real news on websites or social media. They are sometimes made to make money or change what people think. Some websites only share fake stories, pretending they are true. Funny news sites might also call their stories fake or jokes.

Fake news can confuse people about what is really true. It is often shared fast on social media, where lots of people read news. This can cause people to misunderstand things and not trust real news sources.

The roots of "fake news" from UNESCO's World Trends Report

Types

Claire Wardle of First Draft News talks about seven kinds of false news stories:

Satire or parody – jokes that might accidentally fool people.
False connection – headlines or pictures that don’t match the story.
Misleading content – using facts in a tricky way to change how people see something or someone.
False context – sharing true information but with the wrong explanation.
Impostor content – pretending to be a real source but sharing made-up stories.
Manipulated content – changing real pictures or facts to trick people, like editing a photo.
Fabricated content – making up a whole story to hurt or deceive someone.

Another type is called scientific denialism. This happens when people create false information to support beliefs they already have, even if the facts say something different.

Criticism of the term

In 2017, an expert named Wardle said the term "fake news" was not good enough. She suggested using the terms "information disorder" and "information pollution" instead. She explained three main types of problems with information:

Misinformation: False information shared without meaning to harm.
Disinformation: False information created and shared to cause harm.
Malinformation: True information shared to cause harm.

Because former President Donald Trump used the term "fake news" in a confusing way, some journalists and media experts said it should no longer be used. By late 2018, the term was considered unsuitable, and some companies were asked to stop using it.

In October 2018, the British government decided to stop using the term "fake news" in official documents because it was too vague.

Some researchers believe the term "fake news" makes the media seem like part of the problem. They suggest using clearer terms like "misinformation" to help people understand the many types of information online.

However, some studies still find the term "fake news" useful as a general idea, similar to "made-up news." Because of this, some groups, like the Aspen Institute in 2021, prefer the term Information Disorder as it is more neutral and informative.

Identification

To spot fake news, look for certain signs. These might include things like clickbait, propaganda, jokes or satire, messy journalism, tricky headlines, misleading information, and stories that spread quickly without clear sources.

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions offers tips to help recognize fake news. They suggest asking questions like: Who made this? Are they trustworthy? What do other sources say? Is this story recent? Could this just be a joke? It’s also important to think about your own feelings and maybe ask someone knowledgeable for help.

Fake news can be hard to spot, especially online. Often, these stories come from websites that make up stories to get more clicks or to share incorrect information. Some tools and websites, like Snopes, work to check facts and help people know what to trust.

Tackling and suppression strategies

Researchers are finding ways to fight false information, especially when people share it on purpose to change politics or upset communities. Different methods work better for different kinds of false news, whether it is made on purpose or by accident.

There are many tools to help stop false information. Websites and groups share updates and ideas to help people learn how to spot and handle false news. Some important groups include the First Draft Archive, the Information Futures Lab, and the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.

One way to fight false information is by focusing on facts instead of feelings. When people repeat untrue stories, especially through famous leaders or media, it can make followers feel strongly about one side and distrust others. Sharing true facts widely, especially on social media, can help counter this. Teaching critical thinking in schools helps people judge information better. Critical thinking means learning to check if what you read is true and fair before you believe it or share it.

Another method is technique rebuttal. Instead of just giving true facts to fight false ones, this method shows how false claims use wrong reasoning, like picking only data that fits the story or trusting fake experts. Building trust by listening carefully and asking questions can help change some people’s minds.

Individuals can help by speaking up when they see false information online, even if just for a moment. This can teach others who read the response. However, it’s important not to give too much attention to false news on small websites, because talking about it in big places can make more people believe it.

When people who strongly believe something are given true facts to change their minds, sometimes it makes them believe even more strongly in what they already think. This is called the backfire effect. But later studies show this does not always happen. It often depends on what leaders and popular media say.

Social media companies have tried to limit false news. They sometimes show users content they like, which can make people more likely to believe false information. To fight this, companies like Facebook and Twitter, as well as search engines like Google, work on better ways to show true information and warn users about false posts.

During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, false news grew a lot. Fact-checking websites like Snopes.com and FactCheck.org help people learn to spot false news. Facebook and Google have taken steps to stop false news, but some think they need to do more.

After the 2016 election and before the German election, Facebook started labeling and warning about inaccurate news. They work with fact-checkers to review posts and stop them from being used in ads. In 2017, Facebook targeted accounts spreading false information about the French presidential election. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Facebook banned publishers using content from troll farms in North Macedonia and the Philippines.

In March 2018, Google started the Google News Initiative to fight false news. This includes supporting quality journalism, changing business models, and using technology to help news organizations. Google created tools to show more trustworthy content during big news events and to help people subscribe to news. In November 2020, YouTube suspended a news outlet for spreading false information about the coronavirus.

Many countries have made laws to go after people who spread harmful false news, especially about health issues like the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

Ancient

Long ago, leaders sometimes told false stories to look better. For example, in the 13th century BC, a ruler named Ramesses the Great claimed he won a big battle called the Battle of Kadesh, even though the battle ended in a stalemate.

Roman politician and general Mark Antony killed himself because of misinformation.

During the first century BC, a leader named Octavian spread lies about his rival Mark Antony. He called Mark Antony a drunkard and said a queen named Cleopatra controlled him. Octavian even shared a document he said was Mark Antony’s will, though it might have been fake. These lies upset many people.

Medieval

In 1475, a story in Trent claimed that a Jewish community had hurt a young Christian child. This story led to many Jewish people being arrested and hurt. The Pope tried to stop the story, but it had already spread too far.

Early modern

A "lunar animal" said to have been discovered by John Herschel on the Moon

After the printing press was invented in 1439, many books and papers started appearing. There were no rules about what could be printed, so sometimes false stories were shared.

In the 1700s, some publishers in the Netherlands were fined for sharing fake news, and one man had to move cities four times to keep printing his stories. In America, Benjamin Franklin wrote fake news about Native Americans to support the American Revolution.

19th century

From 1800 to 1810, a man named James Cheetham used made-up stories to argue against a leader named Aaron Burr.

In 1835, a newspaper in New York published articles saying that an astronomer had found strange life on the Moon. Many people believed it until the newspaper later admitted it wasn’t true.

During the late 1800s, some newspapers used very exciting but misleading stories to sell more papers. This kind of reporting helped lead the United States into a war with Spain.

20th century

Fake news became more common in the 1900s as more people read newspapers and magazines. During World War II, leaders on both sides shared misleading information to influence people. After the war, some people still believed these false stories.

21st century

In the 21st century, the Internet made it easier for fake news to spread quickly. Many websites and social media platforms share stories fast, sometimes without checking if they are true. Some people create fake news to make money from ads, while others share it to make people laugh through satire.

Some leaders have also used fake news to influence public opinion. For example, in 2016, many fake news stories appeared during an important U.S. election.

Researchers continue to study how fake news spreads and how to help people recognize it.

Special topics

Deepfakes and shallowfakes

Bots on social media

In the 1990s, people thought news would become very personal. Today, computers called bots help spread news on social media. These bots can share fake news quickly because they don’t check if the news is true. This makes fake news spread faster online.

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have been places where fake news spreads a lot. Many people get their news from these sites, even though they are not real news sources. Fake news was especially talked about during the 2016 American Presidential Election because many people shared it without knowing it wasn’t true.

Internet trolls

Fake news hoaxes

Paul Horner created several fake news stories that many people believed. For example, he made up stories saying a famous artist was arrested or that he changed the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. These stories appeared near the top of Google searches and were shared widely on social media. Horner said he did this to make people think carefully about what they believe online.

By country

Europe

Austria

Politicians in Austria faced false information during the 2016 presidential campaign. In December 2016, a court ordered Facebook Europe to block harmful posts about Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek, the Austrian Green Party Chairwoman. These posts came from a fake profile. The same profile also attacked Alexander van der Bellen, who won the election for President of Austria.

Belgium

In 2006, a broadcaster showed a fake news report saying Belgium’s Flemish Region had declared independence. The report used staged footage, but a “Fiction” sign appeared after 30 minutes. The journalist said this was to show how serious such a split could be.

Czech Republic

Fake news outlets in the Czech Republic share stories from Russian sources. Czech president Miloš Zeman supported some media outlets accused of spreading false information. The Centre Against Terrorism and Hybrid Threats, part of the Ministry of the Interior, works to fight false information and propaganda. It started in 2017 but faced criticism.

European Union

In 2018, the European Commission introduced a plan to fight false information. In 2022, this became a stronger shared responsibility between regulators and companies. It supports the Digital Services Act, which has steps to fight false information.

Finland

In November 2016, officials from 11 countries met in Helsinki to plan a center to fight false information spread through cyber-warfare, including fake news on social media. The center would be in Helsinki and involve countries like Sweden, Germany, Finland, and the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Jori Arvonen said cyber-warfare was a growing problem in 2016.

France

Before 2016, France saw more far-right alternative news sources. In September 2016, France tried to ban websites giving false information about abortion. During the 2017 presidential election, there was a lot of false information, especially around election time. Facebook removed 30,000 accounts in France linked to fake political information. In April 2017, Emmanuel Macron’s campaign was attacked by fake news articles. His emails and documents were posted online with fake information.

Germany

In November 2016, German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke about the problem of fake news. She said such sites harm political discussions and called for government action. Germany’s intelligence chief Bruno Kahl warned of possible cyberattacks by Russia during the 2017 election. Later, German officials said there was no Russian interference in the 2017 election.

Hungary

Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán has accused George Soros of planning to undermine the country. This creates fear and presents himself as the nation’s protector.

Italy

Journalists in Italy must follow rules to ensure correct and truthful information. Under some conditions, spreading fake news can be a crime. Since 2018, people can report fake news on the Polizia di Stato website. The issue is monitored by the DIS, supported by AISE and AISI.

Malta

Malta introduced laws to fight the spread of false information. The law says anyone who spreads false information that could alarm the public can be imprisoned. If the false news causes disturbance, the punishment can be up to six months and a fine. In early 2024, the Times of Malta published articles claiming a company was involved in illegal activities, but later investigations showed the claims were false.

Netherlands

In March 2018, the European Union’s East StratCom Task Force listed articles they thought were attempts by Russia to influence politics. However, three Dutch media outlets said they were wrongly included. This raised questions about what counts as fake news.

Poland

Polish historian Jerzy Targalski noted fake news websites in Poland that copied content from Russia Today. Poland’s government has been accused of spreading misleading information. Some mainstream outlets have also been accused of sharing false or partly true information.

Romania

In March 2020, the Romanian President signed a decree allowing authorities to remove, report, or close websites spreading false information about the COVID-19 pandemic, with no chance to appeal.

Serbia

In 2018, reports described Serbian media as highly polarized, with a rise in fake news and pressure on journalists. Over 700 fake news articles were published by pro-government newspapers in 2018, often targeting the president.

Spain

Fake news has been a problem in Spain for a long time, but it wasn’t taken seriously until recently. A newspaper started a blog called ‘Hechos’ meaning ‘facts’ to focus on truthful news.

Sweden

In 2015, Sweden’s security service reported that Russia was spreading propaganda. In 2016, Sweden’s Civil Contingencies Agency found fake news from Russia targeting Sweden. As a result, they planned to hire more staff to fight this fake information.

Ukraine

Since 2014, Ukrainian media have shared fake news and misleading images, often blaming Russia for the war. In 2015, a report criticized Russian disinformation campaigns against Ukraine. A group called StopFake was created in 2014 to correct fake news in Ukraine.

United Kingdom

In 1702, Queen Anne issued a proclamation against spreading false news. In December 2016, the head of MI6 spoke about the danger of fake news to democracy. However, the term ‘fake news’ has been hard to define.

Asia

China

During the 2016 U.S. election, fake news spread to China. The Chinese government used this to justify more internet control. In March 2017, the People’s Daily denied reports about the torture of a lawyer, calling them fake news.

Hong Kong

During the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, the Chinese government was accused of spreading fake news. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube found misinformation spread by state-backed media and fake accounts.

India

Fake news in India has caused violent incidents between groups. It often spreads through WhatsApp, which had 200 million users in the country by February 2017.

Indonesia

Indonesia has seen more fake news and hoaxes on social media, especially around elections in 2014 and 2019. During the 2014 election, false claims spread. In 2019, both candidates faced fake news.

Malaysia

In April 2018, Malaysia passed a law against fake news, making it a crime to spread misleading information. The law was controversial, especially since it was used by the then-prime minister, Najib Razak.

Myanmar (Burma)

In 2015, fake news about the Rohingya people led to violence against Muslims in Myanmar. As internet use grew, fake news spread quickly, especially from Facebook.

Pakistan

A minister threatened to attack Israel with nuclear weapons after a false story.

Philippines

Fake news is common in the Philippines, especially on social media. Politicians have introduced laws to fight it, and the Catholic Church has spoken out against it.

Singapore

Singapore has laws against spreading fake news. In 2015, a fake report about the death of a leader went viral. In 2019, the government passed a law to fight fake news.

South Korea

South Korean media experts criticize how political tensions with North Korea affect news coverage. In 2018, prosecutors investigated a governor for allegedly spreading fake news.

Taiwan

Taiwan’s leaders accused China of spreading fake news on social media to influence elections. In 2015, a fake video about a reservoir led to unnecessary visits. Taiwan plans to teach students media literacy.

Americas

Brazil

After the 2014 re-election and impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff, Brazil saw more fake news. In 2016, three of the most-shared articles on Facebook during one impeachment vote were fake. In 2020, Brazil’s Supreme Court investigated a disinformation campaign by supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro. Facebook removed fake accounts linked to Bolsonaro’s offices.

Canada

In November 2016, Canadian politicians discussed fake news. In 2017, a Conservative leadership campaign admitted to spreading fake news, including false claims about Justin Trudeau.

Colombia

In 2016, fake news spread on WhatsApp affected votes in Colombia. The “no” campaign used social media to influence the vote, and fake news prolonged the debate.

Mexico

Mexicans rely on social media for news. By 2012, online disinformation campaigns grew, with politicians using digital strategies. During the 2018 election, fake news and bots spread misinformation. Since 2018, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has often targeted journalists in his speeches.

United States

Middle East and Africa

Armenia

In 2020, an Armenian website was reported to spread disinformation about the coronavirus. The site was led by a doctor critical of the government’s health policies.

Israel and Palestinian territories

In 1996, fake news led to deaths during the Western Wall Tunnel riots. In 2018, an Israeli prime minister accused news outlets of spreading fake news. Some fake news in Israel includes conspiracy theories.

Saudi Arabia

In 2018, Saudi state television was reported to have spread fake news about Canada. In 2018, Twitter suspended bot accounts spreading pro-Saudi messages about Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance. In 2019, Facebook removed accounts linked to Saudi Arabia for spreading fake news.

Syria

In 2017, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad called a report of mass hangings in a prison “fake news.” Russia ran a disinformation campaign during the Syrian Civil War to discredit rescue groups.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE has funded organizations and journalists to spread fake information against countries like Qatar. In 2020, an FDD researcher contributed to a Fox News article promoting a negative image of Qatar.

Egypt

In 2010, an Egyptian official suggested Israel might be behind a shark attack. In 2017, it was estimated that 53,000 false rumors spread in 60 days mainly through social media.

South Africa

South African media have reported fake news as a problem. Media owned by the Gupta family have targeted others, including Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

Oceania

Australia

The Australian Parliament investigated fake news during the 2016 U.S. election. In February 2021, a code of practice on disinformation and misinformation started. Despite support, the bill to enforce it failed to pass and was withdrawn in November 2024.

A known case of fake news in Australia happened in 2009 when a report by a “Levitt Institute” claimed Sydney was the most naive city, but the report was completely made up.

Misuse of term

The term fake news has sometimes been used to make people doubt true but bad stories. In some countries, laws called "fake news" laws have been used to stop bad news from being shared.

In the United States, former President Donald Trump often used the term fake news to describe any news he did not like, even if it was true. He said that news reports he did not like were "fake" or "hoax" news. This made it hard to know what news to trust.

In Russia, laws were passed to stop websites from sharing information the government thought was false. These laws also punished anyone who said things that insulted the government or its leaders. During the conflict in Ukraine, Russia made stricter laws to control what news could be shared about the military. This led many news organizations to stop working in Russia.