View source for Fake news website

{{Short description|Website that deliberately publishes hoaxes and disinformation}}
'''Fake news websites''' (also referred to as '''hoax news websites''')<ref>{{citation|url=http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/12/09/hillary-clinton-warns-about-hoax-news-on-social-media/|access-date=11 December 2016|work=WJZ-TV|title=Hillary Clinton Warns About Hoax News On Social Media|date=9 December 2016|first= Devin |last=Bartolotta}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2016/12/08/facebooks-sheryl-sandberg-says-people-dont-want-hoax-news-really/|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|date=8 December 2016|access-date=11 December 2016|title=Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg says people don't want 'hoax' news. Really?|first=Erik|last=Wemple}}</ref> are websites on the [[Internet]] that deliberately publish fake news—hoaxes, [[Social:Propaganda|propaganda]], and [[Social:Disinformation|disinformation]] purporting to be [[Engineering:News|real news]]—often using [[Social:Social media|social media]] to drive [[Web traffic|web traffic]] and amplify their effect.<ref name="russiadominates">{{citation|title=Trolls for Trump - How Russia Dominates Your Twitter Feed to Promote Lies (And, Trump, Too)|date=6 August 2016 |url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/06/how-russia-dominates-your-twitter-feed-to-promote-lies-and-trump-too.html|author1=Weisburd, Andrew |author2=Watts, Clint |newspaper=The Daily Beast|access-date=24 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="snopesfieldguide" /><ref name="divideeurope">{{citation|title='Divide Europe': European lawmakers warn of Russian propaganda|date=11 October 2016 |url=http://www.dw.com/en/divide-europe-european-lawmakers-warn-of-russian-propaganda/a-36016836|author=Lewis Sanders IV|work=Deutsche Welle|access-date=24 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Neudert |first1=Lisa-Maria |last2=Howard |first2=Philip |last3=Kollanyi |first3=Bence |title=Sourcing and Automation of Political News and Information During Three European Elections |journal=Social Media + Society |date=16 July 2019 |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=205630511986314 |doi=10.1177/2056305119863147 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Unlike news satire, fake news websites deliberately seek to be perceived as legitimate and taken at face value, often for financial or political gain.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Leyva |first1=Rodolfo |title=Testing and unpacking the effects of digital fake news: on presidential candidate evaluations and voter support |journal=AI & Society |date=2020 |volume=35 |issue=4 |page=970 |doi=10.1007/s00146-020-00980-6 |s2cid=218592685 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/07/magazine/the-agency.html |title=The Agency |last=Chen |first=Adrian |date=2 June 2015 |newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=25 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="snopesfieldguide" /> Such sites have promoted political falsehoods in India,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=27 May 2020|title=India's anti-Muslim fake news factories are following the anti-Semitic playbook|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/india-anti-muslim-fake-news-factories-anti-semitic-playbook/430332/|access-date=3 June 2020|website=ThePrint|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sahoo|first=Niranjan|title=How fake news is complicating India's war against COVID-19 |url=https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/how-fake-news-complicating-india-war-against-covid19-66052/|access-date=3 June 2020|website=ORF|language=en-US}}</ref> Germany,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/dec/02/fake-news-facebook-us-election-around-the-world|title=Fake news: an insidious trend that's fast becoming a global problem |last1=Connolly |first1=Kate |date=2 December 2016 |last2=Chrisafis|first2=Angelique|newspaper=The Guardian|issn=0261-3077 |last3=McPherson |first3=Poppy |last4=Kirchgaessner |first4=Stephanie |last5=Haas |first5=Benjamin |last6=Phillips |first6=Dominic |last7=Hunt |first7=Elle |last8=Safi|first8=Michael|access-date=25 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="merkelwarns" /> Indonesia and the Philippines,<ref name="MozurScott" /> Sweden, Mexico,<ref name="concernoverbarrage" /><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kragh |first1=Martin |last2=Åsberg |first2=Sebastian |title=Russia's strategy for influence through public diplomacy and active measures: the Swedish case |journal=Journal of Strategic Studies |date=5 January 2017 |volume=40 |issue=6 |pages=773–816 |doi=10.1080/01402390.2016.1273830 |s2cid=157114426 }}</ref> Myanmar,<ref name="sheerafrenkel" /> and the United States.<ref name=pbsrussianpropaganda /><ref name=afprussianpropaganda /> Many sites originate in, or are promoted by, Russia,<ref name="russiadominates" /><ref name="thenewyorkeradrianchen" /> North Macedonia,<ref name=tynan /><ref name=bengilbert/> and Romania, among others. Some media analysts have seen them as a threat to democracy.<ref name=merkelwarns /> In 2016, the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a resolution warning that the Russian government was using "pseudo-news agencies" and [[Internet troll]]s as disinformation propaganda to weaken confidence in democratic values.<ref name=divideeurope />

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:70news fake news headline.png|thumb|upright=1.35|Screenshot of a fake news story, falsely stating Donald Trump won the popular vote in the 2016 U.S. election<ref name=wapo14november2016 /><ref name=politifact14november2016 />|alt=A screenshot of a fake news story, falsely claiming Donald Trump won the popular vote in the 2016 United States presidential election]] -->
In 2015, the Swedish Security Service, Sweden's national security agency, issued a report concluding Russia was using fake news to inflame "splits in society" through the proliferation of propaganda.<ref name=concernoverbarrage /> Sweden's Ministry of Defence tasked its Civil Contingencies Agency with combating fake news from Russia.<ref name=concernoverbarrage /> Fraudulent news affected politics in Indonesia and the Philippines, where there was simultaneously widespread usage of social media and limited resources to check the veracity of political claims.<ref name="MozurScott"/> German Chancellor [[Biography:Angela Merkel|Angela Merkel]] warned of the societal impact of "fake sites, bots, trolls".<ref name=merkelwarns />

Fraudulent articles spread through social media during the 2016 U.S. presidential election,<ref name=pbsrussianpropaganda/><ref name=afprussianpropaganda/> and several officials within the U.S. Intelligence Community said that Russia was engaged in spreading fake news.<ref name=watkins /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Frederick|first=Kara|date=2019|title=The New War of Ideas: Counterterrorism Lessons for the Digital Disinformation Fight|publisher=Center for a New American Security|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep20399}}</ref> [[Computer security]] company [[Company:FireEye|FireEye]] concluded that Russia used social media to spread fake news stories<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.univision.com/noticias/america-latina/el-millonario-negocio-detras-de-los-sitios-de-fake-news-en-mexico |title=Millonario negocio FAKE NEWS |first=Carlos |last=Merlo |journal=Univision Noticias |year=2017}}</ref>  as part of a [[Cyberwarfare|cyberwarfare]] campaign.<ref name=strohm /> Google and [[Company:Facebook|Facebook]] banned fake sites from using [[Finance:Online advertising|online advertising]].<ref name=belfast /><ref name=shanika /> Facebook launched a partnership with fact-checking websites to flag fraudulent news and hoaxes; debunking organizations that joined the initiative included: [[Philosophy:Snopes.com|Snopes.com]], FactCheck.org, and PolitiFact.<ref name=facebookisturning /> U.S. President [[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]] said a disregard for facts created a "dust cloud of nonsense".<ref name=zuckerbergsays /> Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) Alex Younger called fake news propaganda online dangerous for democratic nations.<ref name=mi6 />

== Definition ==
{{Multiple image
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| header            = Examples of fake news websites
| image1            = ABCnewscomco.png
| alt1              = ABCnews.com.co
| caption1          = ABCnews.com.co - fake site creating hoaxes by using [[Website spoofing|website spoofing]]
| image2            = Denver Guardian logo.png
| alt2              = Denver Guardian
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| image3            = Everything on RealTrueNews Was A LIE.jpg
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''{{wipe|The New York Times}}'' has defined "fake news" on the internet as fictitious articles deliberately fabricated to deceive readers, generally with the goal of profiting through [[Clickbait|clickbait]].<ref name=tavernise /> PolitiFact has described fake news as fabricated content designed to fool readers and subsequently made viral through the Internet to crowds that increase its dissemination.<ref name=kertscher /> Others have taken as constitutive the "systemic features inherent in the design of the sources and channels through which fake news proliferates", for example by playing to the audience's cognitive biases, heuristics, and partisan affiliation.<ref name=gelfert>{{citation|work=Informal Logic Vol. 38, No. 1|first=Axel |last=Gelfert |page=109|title=Fake News: A Definition|volume = 38|doi = 10.22329/il.v38i1.5068|year = 2018|doi-access=free}}</ref> Some fake news websites use [[Website spoofing|website spoofing]], structured to make visitors believe they are visiting trusted sources like ABC News <!--www.abcnews.com.co-->or MSNBC.<ref name=bengilbert />

Fake news maintained a presence on the internet and in [[Social:Tabloid journalism|tabloid journalism]] in the years prior to the 2016 U.S. presidential election.<ref name=tavernise>{{citation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/06/us/fake-news-partisan-republican-democrat.html|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|access-date=9 December 2016|date=7 December 2016 |first=Sabrina |last=Tavernise |page=A1|quote=Narrowly defined, 'fake news' means a made-up story with an intention to deceive, often geared toward getting clicks. |title=As Fake News Spreads Lies, More Readers Shrug at the Truth}}</ref> Before the election campaign involving Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, fake news had not impacted the election process and subsequent events to such a high degree.<ref name=tavernise /> Subsequent to the 2016 election, the issue of fake news turned into a political weapon, with supporters of [[Social:Left-wing politics|left-wing politics]] saying that supporters of [[Social:Right-wing politics|right-wing politics]] spread false news, while the latter claimed that they were being "censored".<ref name=tavernise /> Due to these back-and-forth complaints, the definition of fake news as used for such polemics has become more vague.<ref name=tavernise />

==Pre-Internet history==
Unethical journalistic practices existed in printed media for hundreds of years before the advent of the [[Internet]].<ref name=prihistory>{{cite news|url=http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-12-08/long-and-tawdry-history-yellow-journalism-america|title=Back in the 1890s, fake news helped start a war|publisher=Public Radio International|date=8 December 2017|first=Christopher|last=Woolf}}</ref><ref name=politicohistory>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/fake-news-history-long-violent-214535|title=The Long and Brutal History of Fake News|work=Politico|date=18 December 2016|first=Jacob|last=Soll}}</ref><ref name=scmphistory>{{cite news|url=http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/2049318/how-google-and-facebook-era-drove-news-back-yellow-press-excesses|title=How the Google and Facebook era drove news back to yellow press excesses|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=26 November 2016|first=Chow|last=Chung-Yan}}</ref> [[Social:Yellow journalism|Yellow journalism]], reporting from a standard which is devoid of integrity and professional ethics, was pervasive during the time period in history known as the [[Finance:Gilded Age|Gilded Age]], and unethical journalists would engage in [[Finance:Fraud|fraud]] by fabricating stories, interviews, and made-up names for scholars.<ref name=politicohistory /><ref name=prihistory /> During the 1890s, the spread of this unethical news sparked violence and conflicts.<ref name=prihistory /> Both Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst fomented yellow journalism in order to increase profits, which helped lead to misunderstandings which became partially responsible for the outset of the Spanish–American War in 1898.<ref name=usatodayhistory /> J.B. Montgomery-M'Govern wrote a column harshly critical of "fake news" in 1898, saying that what characterized "fake news" was sensationalism and "the publication of articles absolutely false, which tend to mislead an ignorant or unsuspecting public."<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Fake News as Discursive Integration: An Analysis of Sites That Publish False, Misleading, Hyperpartisan and Sensational Information|journal=Journalism Studies|volume=20|issue=14|pages=2077–2095|date=2019 |doi=10.1080/1461670x.2019.1566871|last1 = Mourão|first1 = Rachel R.|last2=Robertson|first2=Craig T.|s2cid=149808827}}</ref>

A radio broadcast from Gleiwitz by German soldier Karl Hornack, pretending to be a Polish invader who had captured the station, was taken at face value by other stations, in Germany and abroad, fueling Adolf Hitler's declaration of war on Poland the next day.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/6106566/World-War-IIs-first-victim.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314190818/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/6106566/World-War-IIs-first-victim.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 March 2012|title=World War II's first victim |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=29 August 2009 |first=Bob |last=Graham}}</ref>
According to ''[[Software:USA Today|USA Today]]'', newspapers which have a history of commonly publishing fake news have included ''Globe'', ''Weekly World News'', and ''The National Enquirer''.<ref name="usatodayhistory">{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2016/12/01/fake-economy-has-users-engaged-enraged-and-confused/94552980/|title=The Fake web: why we're so apt to believe fake news, apps and reviews|newspaper=[[Software:USA Today|USA Today]]|date=2 December 2016 |first1=Jon |last1=Swartz |first2=Marco |last2=della Cava}}</ref>

==Prominent sources==
Prominent among fraudulent news sites include false [[Social:Propaganda|propaganda]] created by individuals in the countries of Russia,<ref name=russiadominates /><ref name="divideeurope"/> North Macedonia,<ref name=tynan /><ref name=bengilbert>{{citation|work=Business Insider|access-date=16 November 2016|date=15 November 2016|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-users-crowdsource-fake-news-document-2016-11|title=Fed up with fake news, Facebook users are solving the problem with a simple list|first=Ben|last=Gilbert|quote=Some of these sites are intended to look like real publications (there are false versions of major outlets like ABC and MSNBC) but share only fake news; others are straight-up propaganda created by foreign nations (Russia and Macedonia, among others).}}</ref> Romania,<ref name=romanian /> and the United States.<ref name=laurasydell>{{citation |last=Sydell |first=Laura |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/11/23/503146770/npr-finds-the-head-of-a-covert-fake-news-operation-in-the-suburbs |title=We Tracked Down A Fake-News Creator In The Suburbs. Here's What We Learned |date=23 November 2016 |work=All Things Considered|agency=National Public Radio|access-date=26 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=thehollywoodreporter>{{citation|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/facebook-fake-news-writer-president-donald-trump-win-948218|access-date=18 November 2016|date=17 November 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|title=Facebook Fake News Writer Reveals How He Tricked Trump Supporters and Possibly Influenced Election|author=THR Staff}}</ref>

===North Macedonia===
[[File:Veles panoram.JPG|thumb|Fraudulent news stories during the 2016 U.S. election were traced to teenagers in Veles, North Macedonia.|alt=The town of Veles in North Macedonia]]
Much of the fake news during the 2016 U.S. presidential election season was traced to adolescents in North Macedonia,<ref name=tynan /><ref name=condliffe /> specifically Veles. It is a town of 50,000 in the middle of the country, with high unemployment, where the average wage is $4,800.<ref name=smithbanic /> The income from fake news was characterized by ''NBC News'' as a gold rush.<ref name=smithbanic /> Adults supported this income, saying they were happy the youths were working.<ref name=apmacedonia /> The mayor of Veles, Slavcho Chadiev, said he was not bothered by their actions, as they were not against Macedonian law and their finances were taxable.<ref name=smithbanic /> Chadiev said he was happy if deception from Veles influenced the results of the 2016 U.S. election in favor of Trump.<ref name=smithbanic />

''BuzzFeed News'' and ''{{wipe|The Guardian}}'' separately investigated and found teenagers in Veles created over 100 sites spreading fake news stories supportive of Donald Trump.<ref name=tynan /><ref name=howteens>{{citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/how-macedonia-became-a-global-hub-for-pro-trump-misinfo|access-date=16 November 2016|work=BuzzFeed News|title=How Teens In The Balkans Are Duping Trump Supporters With Fake News|first1=Craig  |last1=Silverman  |first2=Lawrence|last2=Alexander|date=3 November 2016|author1-link=Craig Silverman}}</ref><ref name=daro>{{citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/ishmaeldaro/fake-news-sites-adsense|access-date=16 November 2016|work=BuzzFeed|date=15 November 2016|title=Fake News Sites Are Not Terribly Worried About Google Kicking Them Off AdSense|first1=Ishmael N.  |last1=Daro  |first2=Craig|last2=Silverman}}</ref> The teenagers experimented with [[Social:Left-wing politics|left slanted]] fake stories about Bernie Sanders, but found that pro-Trump fictions were more popular.<ref name=howteens /> Prior to the 2016 election the teenagers gained revenues from fake [[Medicine:Medical advice|medical advice]] sites.<ref name=pri /> One youth named Alex stated, in an August 2016 interview with ''The Guardian'', that this fraud would remain profitable regardless of who won the election.<ref name=tynan /> Alex explained he plagiarized material for articles by [[Cut, copy, and paste|copying and pasting]] from other websites.<ref name=tynan>{{citation|work={{wipe|The Guardian}}|access-date=18 November 2016|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/24/facebook-clickbait-political-news-sites-us-election-trump|title=How Facebook powers money machines for obscure political 'news' sites - From Macedonia to the San Francisco Bay, clickbait political sites are cashing in on Trumpmania – and they're getting a big boost from Facebook|date=24 August 2016|first=Dan|last=Tynan}}</ref> This could net them thousands of dollars daily, but they averaged only a few thousand per month.<ref name=pri>{{citation|publisher=Public Radio International|access-date=18 November 2016|url=http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-11-16/kids-macedonia-made-and-circulated-many-false-news-stories-us-election|title=Kids in Macedonia made up and circulated many false news stories in the US election|date=16 November 2016|first=Christopher|last=Woolf}}</ref>

The Associated Press (AP) interviewed an 18-year-old in Veles about his tactics.<ref name=apmacedonia>{{citation|title=In Macedonia's fake news hub, this teen shows how it's done|agency=Associated Press|work=CBS News|access-date=3 December 2016|date=2 December 2016|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fake-news-macedonia-teen-shows-how-its-done/}}</ref> A [[Software:Google Analytics|Google Analytics]] analysis of his traffic showed more than 650,000 views in one week.<ref name=apmacedonia /> He plagiarized pro-Trump stories from a [[Social:Right-wing politics|right-wing]] site called ''The Political Insider''.<ref name=apmacedonia /> He said he did not care about politics, and published fake news to gain money and experience.<ref name=apmacedonia /> The AP used DomainTools to confirm the teenager was behind fake sites, and determined there were about 200 websites tracked to Veles focused on U.S. news, many of which mostly contained plagiarized legitimate news to create an appearance of credibility.<ref name=apmacedonia />

''NBC News'' also interviewed an 18-year-old there.<ref name=smithbanic /> Dmitri (a pseudonym) was one of the most profitable fake news operators in town, and said about 300 people in Veles wrote for fake sites.<ref name=smithbanic>{{citation|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fake-news-how-partying-macedonian-teen-earns-thousands-publishing-lies-n692451|access-date=9 December 2016|date=9 December 2016|title=Fake News: How a Partying Macedonian Teen Earns Thousands Publishing Lies|first1=Alexander  |last1=Smith  |first2=Vladimir|last2=Banic|work=NBC News}}</ref> Dmitri said he gained over $60,000 during the six months prior through doing this, more than both his parents' earnings.<ref name=smithbanic /> Dmitri said his main dupes were supporters of Trump.<ref name=smithbanic /> He said after the 2016 U.S. election he continued to earn significant amounts.<ref name=smithbanic />

The 2020 U.S. election is their next project.<ref name="Y2020">{{cite news|title=Fake news machine gears up for 2020|url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/cnnmoney/2017/09/12/the-macedonia-story-full-clean-lon-orig.cnn-money|access-date=25 May 2018|work=CNN|date=12 September 2017}}</ref>

===Romania===
"Ending the Fed", a popular purveyor of fraudulent reports, was run by a 24-year-old named Ovidiu Drobota out of Oradea, Romania, who boasted to ''Inc. magazine'' about being more popular than [[Social:Mainstream media|mainstream media]].<ref name=romanian>{{citation|access-date=23 November 2016|url=http://www.inc.com/tess-townsend/ending-fed-trump-facebook.html|title= Meet the Romanian Trump Fan Behind a Major Fake News Site|first=Tess |last=Townsend|date=21 November 2016|work=Inc. magazine|issn=0162-8968}}</ref> Established in March 2016, "Ending the Fed" was responsible for a false story in August 2016 that incorrectly stated Fox News had fired journalist Megyn Kelly—the story was briefly prominent on Facebook on its "Trending News" section.<ref name=romanian /> "Ending the Fed" held four out of the 10 most popular fake articles on Facebook related to the 2016 U.S. election in the prior three months before the election itself.<ref name=romanian /> The Facebook page for the website, called "End the Feed", had 350,000 "likes" in November 2016.<ref name=romanian /> After being contacted by ''Inc. magazine'', Drobota stated he was proud of the impact he had on the 2016 U.S. election in favor of his preferred candidate Donald Trump.<ref name=romanian /> According to [[Company:Alexa Internet|Alexa Internet]], "Ending the Fed" garnered approximately 3.4 million views over a 30-day-period in November 2016.<ref name=romanian /> Drobota stated the majority of incoming traffic is from Facebook.<ref name=romanian /> He said his normal line of work before starting "Ending the Fed" included [[Web development|web development]] and [[Search engine optimization|search engine optimization]].<ref name=romanian />

===Russia===

====Internet Research Agency====
{{Location map many | Europe
| caption = A Russian propaganda "[[Social:Troll farm|troll farm]]" was traced back to Saint Petersburg.
| alt = An aerial view of the Smolny Convent in Saint Petersburg
| width = 200
| label1 = Saint Petersburg
| lat1_deg = 60
| lon1_deg = 30.3
}}
Beginning in fall 2014, ''The New Yorker'' writer Adrian Chen performed a six-month investigation into Russian propaganda dissemination online by  the [[Organization:Internet Research Agency|Internet Research Agency]] (IRA).<ref name=thenewyorkeradrianchen>{{citation|url=http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-real-paranoia-inducing-purpose-of-russian-hacks|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=26 November 2016|date=27 July 2016|title=The Real Paranoia-Inducing Purpose of Russian Hacks|first=Adrian|last=Chen|author-link=Adrian Chen}}</ref> Yevgeny Prigozhin (Evgeny Prigozhin), a close associate of Vladimir Putin, was behind the operation which hired hundreds of individuals to work in Saint Petersburg.<ref name=thenewyorkeradrianchen /> The organization became regarded as a "[[Internet troll|troll farm]]", a term used to refer to propaganda efforts controlling many accounts online with the aim of artificially providing a semblance of a [[Social:Grassroots|grassroots]] organization.<ref name=thenewyorkeradrianchen /> Chen reported that Internet trolling was used by the Russian government as a tactic largely after observing the social media organization of the 2011 protests against Putin.<ref name=thenewyorkeradrianchen />

====European Union response====
[[File:EP-Brussels-103.jpg|thumb|left|European Union parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a resolution in November 2016, condemning Russian "pseudo-news agencies" and [[Internet troll|Internet troll]]s.|alt=Building of the European Union's Committee on Foreign Affairs]]

In 2015, the [[Organization:Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] released an analysis critical of disinformation campaigns by Russia masked as news.<ref name="dwfakenews">{{citation|title=Fake news: Media's post-truth problem|date=17 November 2016|url=http://www.dw.com/en/fake-news-medias-post-truth-problem/a-36428321|author=Lewis Sanders IV|work=Deutsche Welle|access-date=24 November 2016}}</ref> This was intended to interfere with Ukraine relations with Europe after the removal of former Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych.<ref name="dwfakenews" /> According to ''Deutsche Welle'', similar tactics were used in the 2016 U.S. elections.<ref name="dwfakenews" /> The [[Social:European Union|European Union]] created a taskforce to deal with Russian disinformation.<ref name="divideeurope" /><ref name="dwfakenews" /><ref>{{citation|title=MEPs sound alarm on anti-EU propaganda from Russia and Islamist terrorist groups |url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdfs/news/expert/infopress/20161118IPR51718/20161118IPR51718_en.pdf |author=European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs|work=European Parliament |date=23 November 2016|access-date=26 November 2016|author-link=European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs}}</ref> The taskforce, [[Social:East StratCom Team|East StratCom Team]], had 11 people including [[Social:Russian language|Russian speakers]].<ref name=eumovestocounter>{{citation |work=Foreign Policy |issn=0015-7228 |title=The EU Moves to Counter Russian Disinformation Campaign |date=23 November 2016 |first=Kavitha |last=Surana |access-date=24 November 2016 |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/11/23/the-eu-moves-to-counter-russian-disinformation-campaign-populism/ }}</ref> In November 2016, the EU voted to increase the group's funding.<ref name=eumovestocounter /> In November 2016, the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a resolution warning of the use by Russia of tools including: "pseudo-news agencies ... social media and internet trolls" as disinformation to weaken democratic values.<ref name="divideeurope" /> The resolution requested EU analysts investigate, explaining member nations needed to be wary of disinformation.<ref name="divideeurope" /> The resolution condemned Russian sources for publicizing "absolutely fake" news reports.<ref name="russiasfakenews" /> The tally on 23 November 2016 passed by a margin of 304 votes to 179.<ref name="russiasfakenews">{{citation|title=EU Parliament Urges Fight Against Russia's 'Fake News'|date=23 November 2016|url=http://www.rferl.org/a/eu-fight-russia-fake-news-rt-sputnik/28135752.html|work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|access-date=24 November 2016|agency=Agence France-Presse and {{wipe|Reuters}}}}</ref>

===United States===

The U.S. State Department planned to use a unit called the Counter-Disinformation Team, formed with the intention of combating [[Social:Disinformation|disinformation]] from the Russian government, and that it was disbanded in September 2015 after department heads missed the scope of propaganda before the 2016 U.S. election.<ref name=tomporter>{{citation |url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/how-us-eu-failings-allowed-kremlin-propaganda-fake-news-spread-through-west-1593071|access-date=29 November 2016|work=International Business Times|title=How US and EU failings allowed Kremlin propaganda and fake news to spread through the West|first=Tom|last=Porter|date=28 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=propagandamachine /> The U.S. State Department put eight months into developing the unit before scrapping it.<ref name=tomporter /> It would have been a reboot of the [[Social:Active Measures Working Group|Active Measures Working Group]] set up by Reagan Administration.<ref name=propagandamachine>{{citation |url=http://observer.com/2015/11/obama-fails-to-fight-putins-propaganda-machine/|access-date=28 November 2016|work=The New York Observer|title=Obama Fails to Fight Putin's Propaganda Machine|first=John R.|last=Schindler |date=5 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=kremlinsink>{{citation|first=John R.|last=Schindler|work=The New York Observer|access-date=28 November 2016|date=26 November 2016|url=http://observer.com/2016/11/the-kremlin-didnt-sink-hillary-obama-did/|title=The Kremlin Didn't Sink Hillary—Obama Did}}</ref> The Counter-Disinformation Team was set up under the Bureau of International Information Programs.<ref name=propagandamachine /><ref name=kremlinsink /> Work began in 2014, with the intention to combat propaganda from Russian sources such as the RT network (formerly known as Russia Today).<ref name=propagandamachine /><ref name=kremlinsink /> U.S. Intelligence officials explained to former [[Organization:National Security Agency|National Security Agency]] analyst and counterintelligence officer John R. Schindler that the Obama Administration decided to cancel the unit as they were afraid of antagonizing Russia.<ref name=propagandamachine /><ref name=kremlinsink /> U.S. Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Richard Stengel was point person for the unit before it was canceled.<ref name=propagandamachine /><ref name=kremlinsink /> Stengel previously wrote about disinformation by RT.<ref name=logiurato>{{citation|title=Russia's Propaganda Channel Just Got A Journalism Lesson From The US State Department|first=Brett|last=LoGiurato |date=29 April 2014 |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/state-department-responds-rt-russia-today-john-kerry-2014-4|work=Business Insider|access-date=29 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=johnkerryrt>{{citation |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/john-kerry-rt-propaganda-bullhorn-russia-today-2014-4|access-date=29 November 2016|work=Business Insider|title=RT Is Very Upset With John Kerry For Blasting Them As Putin's 'Propaganda Bullhorn'|date=25 April 2014 |first=Brett|last=LoGiurato}}</ref><ref name=stengel>{{citation|first=Richard|last=Stengel|url=http://blogs.state.gov/stories/2014/04/29/russia-today-s-disinformation-campaign|date=29 April 2014|access-date=28 November 2016|title=Russia Today's Disinformation Campaign|work=Dipnote|agency=United States Department of State|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502031846/http://blogs.state.gov/stories/2014/04/29/russia-today-s-disinformation-campaign|archive-date=2 May 2014}}</ref>

====Internet trolls shift focus to Trump====
[[File:Adrian Chen at IRL Club 2016.JPG|thumb|upright|In December 2015 Adrian Chen noticed pro-Russia accounts suddenly became supportive of Trump.]]
Adrian Chen observed a pattern in December 2015 where pro-Russian accounts became supportive of 2016 U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump.<ref name="russiadominates"/> Andrew Weisburd and Foreign Policy Research Institute fellow and senior fellow at the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University, [[Biography:Clint Watts|Clint Watts]],<ref name=behindrussias /> wrote for ''The Daily Beast'' in August 2016 that Russian propaganda fabricated articles were popularized by social media.<ref name="russiadominates" /> Weisburd and Watts documented how disinformation spread from Russia Today and Sputnik News, "the two biggest Russian state-controlled media organizations publishing in English", to pro-Russian accounts on [[Company:Twitter|Twitter]].<ref name="russiadominates" /> Citing research by Chen, Weisburd and Watts compared Russian tactics during the 2016 U.S. election to Soviet Union [[History:Cold War|Cold War]] strategies.<ref name="russiadominates" /> They referenced the 1992 United States Information Agency report to Congress, which warned about Russian propaganda called [[Social:Active measures|active measures]].<ref name="russiadominates" /> They concluded social media made active measures easier.<ref name="russiadominates" /> Institute of International Relations Prague senior fellow and scholar on Russian intelligence, Mark Galeotti, agreed the Kremlin operations were a form of active measures.<ref name=watkins /> The most strident Internet promoters of Trump were not U.S. citizens but paid Russian propagandists. ''{{wipe|The Guardian}}'' estimated  their number to be in the "low thousands" in November 2016.<ref name=invasionofthetroll>{{citation|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/nov/06/troll-armies-social-media-trump-russian|access-date=2 December 2016|date=6 November 2016|work={{wipe|The Guardian}}|title=Invasion of the troll armies: from Russian Trump supporters to Turkish state stooges|first=Leo |last=Benedictus}}</ref>

Weisburd and Watts collaborated with colleague J. M. Berger and published a follow-up to their ''Daily Beast'' article in online magazine ''War on the Rocks'', titled: "Trolling for Trump: How Russia is Trying to Destroy Our Democracy".<ref name=behindrussias>{{citation|access-date=2 December 2016|publisher=CNN|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/02/politics/russia-fake-news-reality/|title=The reality behind Russia's fake news|date=2 December 2016|first=Jill|last=Dougherty}}</ref><ref name=witn>{{citation|url=http://www.witn.com/content/news/-US-officials-defend-integrity-of-vote-despite-hacking-fears--403109766.html|access-date=2 December 2016|work=WITN-TV |title=U.S. officials defend integrity of vote, despite hacking fears|date=26 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=trollingfortrump>{{citation|access-date=6 December 2016|work=War on the Rocks |url=http://warontherocks.com/2016/11/trolling-for-trump-how-russia-is-trying-to-destroy-our-democracy/|title=Trolling for Trump: How Russia is Trying to Destroy Our Democracy|first1=Andrew |last1=Weisburd |first2=Clint |last2=Watts|first3=JM|last3=Berger|date=6 November 2016}}</ref> They researched 7,000 pro-Trump accounts over a {{frac|2|1|2}}-year period.<ref name=witn /> Their research detailed [[Internet troll|trolling techniques]] to denigrate critics of Russian activities in Syria, and proliferate lies about Clinton's health.<ref name=witn /> Watts said the propaganda targeted the [[Religion:Alt-right|alt-right]], the [[Social:Right-wing politics|right wing]], and [[Social:Fascism|fascist groups]].<ref name=behindrussias /> After each presidential debate, thousands of Twitter bots used hashtag #Trumpwon to change perceptions.<ref name=moreworriedaboutmedia />

In November 2016 the Foreign Policy Research Institute{{efn|''Fortune magazine'' described the Foreign Policy Research Institute as: "a conservative think tank known for its generally hawkish stance on relations between the U.S. and Russia"<ref>{{citation|access-date=8 December 2017|work=Fortune|title=No, Russian Agents Are Not Behind Every Piece of Fake News You See |url=http://fortune.com/2016/11/25/russian-fake-news/|first=Mathew|last=Ingram}}</ref>}} stated Russian propaganda exacerbated criticism of Clinton and support for Trump.<ref name=pbsrussianpropaganda>{{citation |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/russian-propaganda-effort-behind-flood-fake-news-preceded-election/|work=PBS NewsHour|access-date=26 November 2016|date=25 November 2016|title=Russian propaganda effort likely behind flood of fake news that preceded election|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name=afprussianpropaganda>{{citation|url=http://www.9news.com.au/world/2016/11/26/08/45/russian-propaganda-campaign-reportedly-spread-fake-news-during-us-election|work=Nine News|agency=Agence France-Presse|access-date=26 November 2016|date=26 November 2016|title=Russian propaganda campaign reportedly spread 'fake news' during US election}}</ref> The strategy involved social media, paid [[Internet troll]]s, [[Botnet|botnet]]s, and websites in order to denigrate Clinton.<ref name="pbsrussianpropaganda"/><ref name="afprussianpropaganda"/>

====U.S. intelligence analysis====
[[File:Dave DeWalt, CEO and Chairman of the Board from acrofan.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=David DeWalt, the chairman of computer security company FireEye|FireEye chairman David DeWalt concluded the Russian operation during the 2016 election was a new development in cyberwarfare by Russia.]]

[[Computer security|Computer security company]] [[Company:FireEye|FireEye]] concluded Russia used social media as a weapon to influence the U.S. election.<ref name=strohm>{{citation|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-01/russia-weaponized-social-media-in-u-s-election-fireeye-says|first=Chris|last=Strohm|work={{wipe|Bloomberg News}}|access-date=1 December 2016|date=1 December 2016|title=Russia Weaponized Social Media in U.S. Election, FireEye Says}}</ref> FireEye Chairman David DeWalt said the 2016 operation was a new development in [[Social:Cyberwarfare by Russia|cyberwarfare by Russia]].<ref name=strohm /> FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia stated Russian cyberwarfare changed after fall 2014, from covert to overt tactics with decreased operational security.<ref name=strohm /> Bellingcat analyst Aric Toler explained fact-checking only drew further attention to the fake news problem.<ref name=propagandatactics />

U.S. Intelligence agencies debated why Putin chose summer 2016 to escalate [[Social:Active measures|active measures]].<ref name=putinwinstheelection>{{citation|access-date=2 December 2016|newspaper=The Daily Beast|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/11/04/vladimir-putin-wins-the-election-no-matter-who-the-next-president-is.html|title=Vladimir Putin Wins the Election No Matter Who The Next President Is|date=4 November 2016|last1=Harris|first1=Shane}}</ref> Prior to the election, U.S. national security officials said they were anxious about Russia tampering with U.S. news.<ref name=moreworriedaboutmedia>{{citation|access-date=2 December 2016|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/sheerafrenkel/us-officials-are-more-worried-about-the-media-being-hacked-t|work=BuzzFeed News|first=Sheera|last=Frenkel|title=US Officials Are More Worried About The Media Being Hacked Than The Ballot Box|date=4 November 2016}}</ref> Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper said after the 2011–13 Russian protests, Putin lost [[Philosophy:Self-confidence|self-confidence]], and responded with the propaganda operation.<ref name=putinwinstheelection /> Former CIA officer Patrick Skinner said the goal was to spread uncertainty.<ref name=propagandatactics>{{citation|access-date=2 December 2016|work=Mother Jones|url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/11/trump-russia-kremlin-propaganda-tactics|title=The Kremlin Would Be Proud of Trump's Propaganda Playbook |first=Bryan |last=Schatz}}</ref> House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff commented on Putin's aims, and said U.S. intelligence were concerned with Russian propaganda.<ref name=putinwinstheelection /> Speaking about disinformation that appeared in Hungary, Slovakia, the [[Place:Czech Republic|Czech Republic]], and Poland, Schiff said there was an increase of the same behavior in the U.S.<ref name=putinwinstheelection />

U.S. intelligence officials stated in November 2016 they believed Russia engaged in spreading fake news,<ref name=watkins>{{citation|first1=Ali  |last1=Watkins  |first2=Sheera|last2=Frenkel|work=BuzzFeed News|access-date=1 December 2016|date=30 November 2016|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/alimwatkins/intel-officials-believe-russia-spreads-fake-news|title=Intel Officials Believe Russia Spreads Fake News}}</ref> and the FBI released a statement saying they were investigating.<ref name=watkins /><ref name=moreworriedaboutmedia /> Two U.S. intelligence officials each told ''BuzzFeed News'' they "believe Russia helped disseminate fake and propagandized news as part of a broader effort to influence and undermine the presidential election".<ref name=watkins /> The U.S. intelligence sources stated this involved "dissemination of completely fake news stories".<ref name=watkins /> They told ''BuzzFeed'' the FBI investigation specifically focused on why "Russia had engaged in spreading false or misleading information".<ref name=watkins />

==By country==
Fake news has influenced political discourse in multiple countries, including Germany,<ref name="merkelwarns" /> Indonesia,<ref name="MozurScott" /> {{wipe|Philippines}},<ref name="MozurScott" /> Sweden,<ref name="concernoverbarrage" /> China,<ref name="chinaonusfake" /><ref name="cadell" /> Myanmar,<ref name="maybetheinternet" /><ref name="sheerafrenkel" /> and the United States.<ref name=russiadominates />

===Austria===
Politicians in Austria dealt with the impact of fake news and its spread on social media after the 2016 presidential campaign in the country.<ref name=austriaandgermany>{{citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/12/14/menace-of-fake-news-is-rattling-politicians-in-austria-and-germany|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=14 December 2016|date=14 December 2016 |title=Menace of fake news is rattling politicians in Austria and Germany|first=Stephanie |last=Kirchner}}</ref> In December 2016, a court in Austria issued an injunction on Facebook Europe, mandating it block negative postings related to Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek, Austrian Green Party Chairwoman.<ref name=austriaandgermany /> According to ''The Washington Post'' the postings to Facebook about her "appeared to have been spread via a fake profile" and directed derogatory epithets towards the Austrian politician.<ref name=austriaandgermany /> The derogatory postings were likely created by the identical fake profile that had previously been utilized to attack Alexander van der Bellen, who won the election for President of Austria.<ref name=austriaandgermany />

===Brazil===

Brazil faced increasing influence from fake news after the 2014 re-election of President Dilma Rousseff and Rousseff's subsequent impeachment in August 2016.<ref name=insidioustrend /> In the week surrounding one of the impeachment votes, 3 out of the 5 most-shared articles on Facebook in Brazil were fake.<ref name=insidioustrend /> In 2015, reporter Tai Nalon resigned from her position at Brazilian newspaper ''Folha de S.Paulo'' in order to start the first fact-checking website in Brazil, called Aos Fatos (To The Facts).<ref name=insidioustrend /> Nalon told ''{{wipe|The Guardian}}'' there was a great deal of fake news, and hesitated to compare the problem to that experienced in the U.S.<ref name=insidioustrend />

===Canada===
Fake news online was brought to the attention of Canadian politicians in November 2016, as they debated helping assist local newspapers.<ref name=asfakenewsspreads /> Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre Hedy Fry specifically discussed fake news as an example of ways in which publishers on the Internet are less accountable than print media.<ref name=asfakenewsspreads>{{citation |url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/as-fake-news-spreads-mps-consider-importance-of-canada-s-local-papers-1.3165962|publisher=CTV News|access-date=11 December 2016|title=As fake news spreads, MPs consider importance of Canada's local papers|agency=The Canadian Press|first=Bruce|last=Cheadle|date=17 November 2016}}</ref> Discussion in parliament contrasted increase of fake news online with downsizing of Canadian newspapers and the impact for democracy in Canada.<ref name=asfakenewsspreads /> Representatives from Facebook Canada attended the meeting and told members of Parliament they felt it was their duty to assist individuals gather data online.<ref name=asfakenewsspreads />

===China===
Fake news during the 2016 U.S. election spread to China.<ref name=insidioustrend /> Articles popularized within the United States were translated into Chinese and spread within China.<ref name=insidioustrend /> The government of China used the growing problem of fake news as a rationale for increasing Internet censorship in China in November 2016.<ref name=orlowski>{{citation |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/11/21/china_cites_trump_to_justify_fake_news_clampdown_surprised/|access-date=28 November 2016|date=21 November 2016|work=The Register|title=China cites Trump to justify 'fake news' media clampdown. Surprised?|first=Andrew|last=Orlowski}}</ref> China then published an editorial in its Communist Party newspaper ''The Global Times'' called: "Western Media's Crusade Against Facebook", and criticized "unpredictable" political problems posed by freedoms enjoyed by users of [[Company:Twitter|Twitter]], [[Company:Google|Google]], and [[Company:Facebook|Facebook]].<ref name=chinaonusfake>{{citation|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/22/china-on-us-fake-news-debate-we-told-you-so.html|access-date=28 November 2016|date=22 November 2016|work={{wipe|CNBC}}|title=China on US fake news debate: We told you so|first1=Eunice  |last1=Yoon  |first2=Barry|last2=Huang}}</ref> China government leaders meeting in Wuzhen at the third [[Social:World Internet Conference|World Internet Conference]] in November 2016 said fake news in the U.S. election justified adding more curbs to free and open use of the Internet.<ref name=cadell>{{citation |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-internet-idUSKBN13F01K|agency={{wipe|Reuters}}|first=Catherine|last=Cadell|access-date=28 November 2016|date=19 November 2016|title=China says terrorism, fake news impel greater global internet curbs|work=Reuters}}</ref> China Deputy Minister Ren Xianliang, official at the [[Organization:Cyberspace Administration of China|Cyberspace Administration of China]], said increasing online participation led to "harmful information" and fraud.<ref name=pascaline>{{citation|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/facebook-fake-news-stories-china-calls-more-censorship-internet-following-social-2448774|access-date=28 November 2016|work=International Business Times|date=20 November 2016 |title=Facebook Fake News Stories: China Calls For More Censorship On Internet Following Social Media's Alleged Role In US Election|first=Mary|last=Pascaline}}</ref> Kam Chow Wong, a former [[Place:Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] law enforcement official and criminal justice professor at Xavier University, praised attempts in the U.S. to patrol social media.<ref name=sodoeschina>{{citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/11/17/after-trump-americans-want-facebook-and-google-to-vet-news-china-likes-that-plan/|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|date=17 November 2016|access-date=28 November 2016|title=After Trump, Americans want Facebook and Google to vet news. So does China.|first=Emily|last=Rauhala}}</ref> ''{{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}}'' noted China's themes of [[Social:Internet censorship|Internet censorship]] became more relevant at the World Internet Conference due to the outgrowth of fake news.<ref name=chinapresses>{{citation|work={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}}|access-date=28 November 2016|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-presses-tech-firms-to-police-the-internet-1479467851|title=China Presses Tech Firms to Police the Internet - Third-annual World Internet Conference aimed at proselytizing China's view to global audience|date=18 November 2016|first=Eva|last=Dou}}</ref>

===Finland===
Officials from 11 countries held a meeting in [[Place:Helsinki|Helsinki]] in November 2016, in order to plan the formation of a center to combat disinformation cyber-warfare including spread of fake news on social media.<ref name=helsinkitohost /> The center is planned to be located in Helsinki and include efforts from 10 countries with participation from Sweden, Germany, Finland, and the U.S.<ref name=helsinkitohost /> Prime Minister of Finland Juha Sipilä planned to deal with the center in spring 2017 with a motion before the Parliament of Finland.<ref name=helsinkitohost /> Jori Arvonen, Deputy Secretary of State for EU Affairs, said cyberwarfare became an increased problem in 2016, and included hybrid cyber-warfare intrusions into Finland from Russia and [[Religion:Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]].<ref name=helsinkitohost /> Arvonen cited examples including fake news online, disinformation, and the "little green men" of the Russo-Ukrainian War.<ref name=helsinkitohost>{{citation |url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/helsinki_to_host_hub_aimed_at_curbing_cyber_warfare_threats/9307244|title=Helsinki to host hub aimed at curbing cyber warfare threats|date=21 November 2016|access-date=11 December 2016 |work=Yle}}</ref>

===France===
France saw an uptick in amounts of disinformation and propaganda, primarily in the midst of election cycles.<ref name=insidioustrend /> ''Le Monde'' fact-checking division "Les décodeurs" was headed by Samuel Laurent, who told ''{{wipe|The Guardian}}'' in December 2016 the upcoming French presidential election campaign in spring 2017 would face problems from fake news.<ref name=insidioustrend /> The country faced controversy regarding fake websites providing false information about [[Medicine:Abortion|abortion]].<ref name=insidioustrend /> The government's lower parliamentary body moved forward with intentions to ban such fake sites.<ref name=insidioustrend /> Laurence Rossignol, women's minister for France, informed parliament though the fake sites look neutral, in actuality their intentions were specifically targeted to give women fake information.<ref name=insidioustrend /> During the 10-year period preceding 2016, France was witness to an increase in popularity of far-right alternative news sources called the ''fachosphere'' ("facho" referring to fascist); known as the {{interlanguage link|extreme right on the Internet|lt=extreme right on the Internet|fr|Extrême droite sur Internet}}.<ref name=insidioustrend /> According to sociologist Antoine Bevort, citing data from [[Company:Alexa Internet|Alexa Internet]] rankings, the most consulted political websites in France included ''Égalité et Réconciliation'', ''{{interlanguage link|François Desouche|lt=François Desouche|fr|François Desouche}}'', and ''Les Moutons Enragés''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bivort|first1=Antoine|title=Les trente sites politiques français ayant le plus d'audience sur le Web|url=https://blogs.mediapart.fr/antoine-bevort/blog/211016/les-trente-sites-politiques-francais-ayant-le-plus-d-audience-sur-le-web-0|website=Mediapart|access-date=11 December 2016|date=21 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Bivort|first1=Antoine|title=" Fake Traffic " ? Quelle fiabilité pour le classement des sites socio-politiques ?|url=https://blogs.mediapart.fr/antoine-bevort/blog/011216/fake-traffic-quelle-fiabilite-pour-le-classement-des-sites-socio-politiques|website=Mediapart|access-date=11 December 2016|date=1 December 2016}}</ref> These sites increased skepticism towards [[Social:Mainstream media|mainstream media]] from both left and right perspectives.<ref name=insidioustrend />

===Germany===
German Chancellor [[Biography:Angela Merkel|Angela Merkel]] lamented the problem of fraudulent news reports in a November 2016 speech, days after announcing her campaign for a fourth term as leader of her country.<ref name=merkelwarns>{{citation|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/merkel-warns-against-fake-news-driving-populist-gains-110054526.html|access-date=23 November 2016|date=23 November 2016|title=Merkel warns against fake news driving populist gains|work=[[Software:Yahoo! News|Yahoo! News]]|agency=Agence France-Presse|archive-date=5 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205141901/https://www.yahoo.com/news/merkel-warns-against-fake-news-driving-populist-gains-110054526.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In a speech to the German parliament, Merkel was critical of such fake sites, saying they harmed political discussion.<ref name=merkelwarns /> Merkel called attention to the need of government to deal with [[Internet troll]]s, bots, and fake news websites.<ref name=merkelwarns /> She warned that such fraudulent news websites were a force increasing the power of [[Social:Populism|populist]] extremism.<ref name=merkelwarns /> Merkel called fraudulent news a growing phenomenon that might need to be regulated in the future.<ref name=merkelwarns /> Germany's foreign intelligence agency Federal Intelligence Service Chief, {{interlanguage link|Bruno Kahl (BND President)|lt=Bruno Kahl|de|Bruno Kahl}}, warned of the potential for cyberattacks by Russia in the 2017 German election.<ref name=fisspychief>{{citation|access-date=1 December 2016|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/russian-hackers-may-disrupt-germanys-2017-election-warns-spy-chief-1594221|work=International Business Times UK edition|date=30 November 2016|title=Russian hackers may disrupt Germany's 2017 election warns spy chief|first=Jason|last=Murdock}}</ref> He said the cyberattacks would take the form of the intentional spread of disinformation.<ref name=fisspychief /> Kahl said the goal is to increase chaos in political debates.<ref name=fisspychief /> Germany's domestic intelligence agency Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Chief, Hans-Georg Maassen, said sabotage by Russian intelligence was a present threat to German [[Information security|information security]].<ref name=fisspychief />

===India===

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, director at Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, thinks that "the problems of disinformation in a society like India might be more sophisticated and more challenging than they are in the West".<ref>{{Cite web|date=6 October 2018|title=India's Disinformation War More Complex Than in West: Oxford Prof|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/media-coverage-disinformation-in-india-interview-rasmus-nielsen |access-date=27 August 2019|website=The Quint}}</ref> The damage caused due to fake news on social media has increased due to the growth of the internet penetration in India, which has risen from 137 million internet users in 2012 to over 600&nbsp;million in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Mohan|first1=Shriya|date=26 April 2019|title=Everybody needs a good lie|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/cover/everybody-needs-a-good-lie/article26952244.ece|access-date=28 August 2019|website=Business Line}}</ref> India is the largest market for [[Software:WhatsApp|WhatsApp]], with over 230 million users, and as a result one of the main platforms on which fake news is spread.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Perrigo |first1=Billy |title=How Whatsapp Is Fueling Fake News Ahead of India's Elections |url=https://time.com/5512032/whatsapp-india-election-2019/ |magazine=Time |date=25 January 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=5 September 2018|title=Disinformation Is Spreading on WhatsApp in India—And It's Getting Dangerous|url=http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/disinformation-spreading-whatsapp-india-and-its-getting-dangerous|access-date=28 August 2019|website=Pulitzer Center}}</ref> One of the main problems is of receivers believing anything sent to them over social media due to lack of awareness.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Jain |first1=Rishabh R.|date=9 April 2019|title=In India's Election, Voters Feed on False Information|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-09/in-india-s-election-voters-feed-on-false-information|access-date=29 August 2019|newspaper=Bloomberg.com}}</ref> Various initiatives and practices have been started and adopted to curb the spread and impact of fake news.<ref>{{Cite web|title=WhatsApp FAQ – Contributing to the safety of elections in India|url=https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/26000233/|access-date=28 August 2019|website=WhatsApp}}</ref> Fake news is also spread through [[Company:Facebook|Facebook]], [[Software:WhatsApp|WhatsApp]]<ref name="Quint">{{Cite news|date=27 September 2018 |title=We Can Make Any Message We Want Go Viral, Real or Fake: Amit Shah|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/politics/amit-shah-real-fake-can-make-messages-viral|access-date=8 October 2020|website=TheQuint|language=en}}</ref> and [[Company:Twitter|Twitter]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=WhatsApp in India: Scourge of violence-inciting fake news tough to tackle|url=https://www.dw.com/en/whatsapp-in-india-scourge-of-violence-inciting-fake-news-tough-to-tackle/a-52709823 |access-date=4 June 2020|website=Deutsche Welle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=6 April 2019|title=WhatsApp: The 'black hole' of fake news in India's election|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-47797151|access-date=4 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=21 May 2019|title=Alarming lessons from Facebook's push to stop fake news in India|work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/alarming-lessons-from-facebooks-push-to-stop-fake-news-in-india/articleshow/69421474.cms|access-date=4 June 2020}}</ref>

According to a report by ''{{wipe|The Guardian}}'', the Indian media research agency CMS stated that the cause of spread of fake news was that India "lacked (a) media policy for verification". Additionally, law enforcement officers have arrested reporters and journalists for "creating fictitious articles", especially when the articles were controversial.<ref name="Handbook2019">{{Cite book|last1=E|first1=Chiluwa, Innocent|last2=A. |first2=Samoilenko, Sergei|date=28 June 2019|title=Handbook of Research on Deception, Fake News, and Misinformation Online|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LJGbDwAAQBAJ|publisher=IGI Global|page=236 |isbn=9781522585374|via=Google Books}}</ref>

In India, fake news has been spread primarily by the right-wing political outfits. A study published in ''ThePrint'' claimed that on Twitter, there were at least 17,000 accounts spreading fake news to favour the BJP, while around 147 accounts were spreading fake news to favour the [[Social:Indian National Congress|Indian National Congress]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mihindukulasuriya|first=Regina|date=31 January 2020|title=Nearly 1,000 Twitter accounts spread 'fake news' for BJP, 147 do it for Congress: Study|url=https://theprint.in/politics/nearly-1000-twitter-accounts-spread-fake-news-for-bjp-14007-do-it-for-congress-study/356876/|access-date=4 June 2020|website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref> Similarly, the IT Cell of the BJP has been accused of spreading fake news against the party's political opponents, religious minorities, and any campaigns against the party.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Service |first=Tribune News|title=BJP on backfoot on migrants issue and 'fake' news targeting minorities|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/bjp-on-back-foot-on-migrants-issue-and-fake-news-targeting-minorities-83777|access-date=4 June 2020|website=Tribune India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=From spreading fake news on JNU to garnering support for CAA through dubious claims, netizens are calling out BJP's IT Cell |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/from-fake-news-on-jnu-attack-to-luring-people-to-back-caa-through-false-promises-bjps-gargantuan-it-cell-is-being-called-out-by-netizens-7876491.html|access-date=4 June 2020 |website=Firstpost|date=8 January 2020}}</ref><ref name="Quint"/> The IT Cells of the BJP, Congress and other political parties have been accused of spreading fake news against the party's political opponents and any campaigns against the party.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/elections/massive-crackdown-on-fake-news-facebook-removes-687-pages-linked-to-congress-it-cell/1534375/|title=Massive crackdown on fake news! Facebook removes 687 pages linked to Congress IT cell|date=1 April 2019|publisher= Financial Express}}</ref> The RSS mouthpiece Organizer  has also been accused of misleading reports.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sify.com/news/the-many-lies-about-kerala-by-the-rss-organiser-news-columns-plslpvhadcbff.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118202647/http://www.sify.com/news/the-many-lies-about-kerala-by-the-rss-organiser-news-columns-plslpvhadcbff.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 18, 2015|title=The many lies about Kerala by the RSS' Organiser|website=Sify }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/902530/claims-that-shehla-rashid-siphoned-off-funds-collected-for-kathua-rape-victim-is-fake-news|title=Claim that Shehla Rashid siphoned off funds collected for Kathua rape victim is fake news|date=17 November 2018 }}</ref>

Prominent fake news-spreading websites and online resources include OpIndia{{refn|name=OpIndia|<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kumar|first=Basant|title=Fake news, lies, Muslim bashing, and Ravish Kumar: Inside OpIndia's harrowing world|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/01/03/fake-news-lies-muslim-bashing-and-ravish-kumar-inside-opindias-harrowing-world|access-date=4 June 2020|website=Newslaundry|date=3 January 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Vij|first=Shivam|date=27 May 2020|title=India's anti-Muslim fake news factories are following the anti-Semitic playbook|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/india-anti-muslim-fake-news-factories-anti-semitic-playbook/430332/|access-date=4 June 2020 |website=ThePrint}}</ref><ref name="Z3blO">{{Cite web|url=https://www.altnews.in/search/OpIndia|title=Search results for OpIndia|website=Alt News|language=en-GB|access-date=16 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200316032246/https://www.altnews.in/search/OpIndia|archive-date=16 March 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="W194m">{{Cite web|url=https://www.boomlive.in/search?search=OpIndia |title=Search results for OpIndia|website=Boom|access-date=16 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200316032306/https://www.boomlive.in/search?search=OpIndia|archive-date=16 March 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BBC">{{cite web|url=http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/duty-identity-credibility.pdf|title=Duty, Identity, Credibility: 'Fake News' and the ordinary citizen in India|first1=Santanu|last1=Chakrabarti |first2=Lucile|last2=Stengel|first3=Sapna|last3=Solanki|date=20 November 2018|publisher=BBC|access-date=10 November 2019|pages=87–88}}</ref><ref name="bT3C1">{{cite web |last1=Singh |first1=Prabhjit |title=Farmers at Kundli upset over media misrepresentation, accusations; confront "godi media" |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/news/farmers-at-kundli-upset-over-media-misrepresentation-accusations-confront-godi-media |website=The Caravan |access-date=19 January 2021 |language=en |date=29 November 2020}}</ref><ref name="ITRmV">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1418915|title=Digital death|last=Khuhro|first=Zarrar|date=9 July 2018|website=Dawn|language=en|access-date=10 November 2019}}</ref><ref name="Newslaundry January 2020">{{cite news|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/01/03/fake-news-lies-muslim-bashing-and-ravish-kumar-inside-opindias-harrowing-world|title=Fake news, lies, Muslim bashing, and Ravish Kumar: Inside OpIndia's harrowing world|last=Kumar|first=Basant|date=3 January 2020|work=Newslaundry|access-date=3 January 2020|language=en-UK}}</ref><ref name="Newslaundry June 2020">{{cite web|first1=Ayush|last1=Tiwari|access-date=27 June 2020|title=OpIndia: Hate speech, vanishing advertisers, and an undisclosed BJP connection |url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2020/06/23/opindia-hate-speech-vanishing-advertisers-and-an-undisclosed-bjp-connection|website=Newslaundry|date=23 June 2020}}</ref><ref name="Wire sacrifice">{{cite web|access-date=20 May 2020|title=Bihar: Case Against Rightwing Sites For Fake Claims of Communal Angle in Minor's Murder|url=https://thewire.in/communalism/bihar-opindia-khabartak-minor-murder-muslims|website=The Wire|date=15 May 2020|first=Mahtab|last=Alam}}</ref>}}, TFIPost (previously, The Frustrated Indian) and Postcard News.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Surendran|first=Vivek|date=30 March 2018|title=Postcard News editor arrested for spreading fake news, BJP leaders call for release|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/fyi/story/postcard-news-editor-mahesh-hegde-booked-for-spreading-fake-news-arrested-in-bengaluru-1201009-2018-03-30|access-date=4 June 2020|website=India Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Dutta|first=Amrita Nayak|date=2 May 2019|title=Postcard, Indiatimes in Poynter list of 513 'fake news' websites|url=https://theprint.in/india/postcard-indiatimes-in-poynter-list-of-513-fake-news-websites/230016/|access-date=4 June 2020|website=ThePrint}}</ref>

=== Indonesia and Philippines ===
Fraudulent news has been particularly problematic in Indonesia and the {{wipe|Philippines}}, where social media has an outsized political influence.<ref name="MozurScott">{{citation|first1=Paul |last1=Mozur |first2=Mark |last2=Scott|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/technology/fake-news-on-facebook-in-foreign-elections-thats-not-new.html |title=Fake News on Facebook? In Foreign Elections, That's Not New|work={{wipe|The New York Times}} |access-date=18 November 2016|date=17 November 2016}}</ref> According to media analysts, [[Finance:Developing country|developing countries]] with new access to social media and democracy felt the fake news problem to a larger extent.<ref name="MozurScott"/> In some developing countries, Facebook gives away smartphone data free of charge for Facebook and media sources, but at the same time does not provide the user with Internet access to fact-checking websites.<ref name="MozurScott"/>

=== Iran ===
On 8 October 2020, Bloomberg reported that 92 websites used by Iran to spread misinformation were seized by the United States government.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-08/u-s-seizes-92-websites-used-by-iran-to-spread-disinformation U.S. Seizes 92 Websites Used by Iran to Spread Disinformation]</ref><ref>[https://www.arabnews.com/node/1746156/middle-east US government shuts down 92 Iranian-run 'fake news'] websites</ref>

===Italy===
[[File:Laura Boldrini crop.jpg|thumb|upright|President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Laura Boldrini, stated: "Fake news is a critical issue and we can't ignore it. We have to act now."<ref name=anxietyinitaly />]]
Between 1 October and 30 November 2016, ahead of the Italian constitutional referendum, five out of ten referendum-related stories with most social media participation were hoaxes or inaccurate.<ref name=kottasova>{{citation|url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/12/05/media/fake-news-italy-referendum/|publisher=CNN Money|access-date=6 December 2016|date=5 December 2016|title=Did fake news influence Italy's referendum?|first1=Ivana|last1=Kottasova|first2=Nina dos|last2=Santos|first3=James|last3=Frater}}</ref><ref name=notizia>{{Citation|url=https://pagellapolitica.it/blog/show/148/la-notizia-pi%C3%B9-condivisa-sul-referendum-%C3%A8-una-bufala|title=La notizia più condivisa sul referendum? È una bufala|access-date=2 December 2016|language=it|work=Pagella Politica|publisher=pagellapolitica.it}}</ref> Of the three stories with the most social media attention, two were fake.<ref name=notizia /> Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi met with U.S. President Obama and leaders of Europe at a meeting in [[Place:Berlin|Berlin]], Germany in November 2016, and spoke about the fake news problem.<ref name=anxietyinitaly>{{citation|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|access-date=3 December 2016|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/02/world/europe/italy-fake-news.html|title=Spread of Fake News Provokes Anxiety in Italy|date=2 December 2016|first=Jason|last=Horowitz}}</ref> Renzi hosted discussions on Facebook Live in an effort to rebut falsities online.<ref name=kottasova /> The influence became so heavy that a senior adviser to Renzi began a defamation complaint on an anonymous Twitter user who had used the screenname "Beatrice di Maio".<ref name=insidioustrend />

The Five Star Movement (M5S), an Italian political party founded by [[Biography:Beppe Grillo|Beppe Grillo]], managed fake news sites amplifying support for Russian news, propaganda, and inflamed conspiracy theories.<ref name=anxietyinitaly /><ref name=aristonandersonitaly>{{citation|access-date=3 December 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|first=Ariston|last=Anderson|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/italys-populist-party-found-be-leader-europe-fake-news-951689|title=Italy's Populist Party Found to Be Leader in Europe for Fake News|date=30 November 2016}}</ref> The party's site ''TzeTze'' had 1.2 million Facebook fans and shared fake news and pieces supportive of Putin cited to Russia-owned sources including ''Sputnik News''.<ref name=aristonandersonitaly /> ''TzeTze'' [[Social:Plagiarism|plagiarized]] the Russian sources, and copied article titles and content from ''Sputnik''.<ref name=leadingeuropeinfake /> TzeTze, another site critical of Renzi called ''La Cosa'', and a blog by Grillo—were managed by the company Casaleggio Associati which was started by Five Star Movement co-founder Gianroberto Casaleggio.<ref name=aristonandersonitaly /> Casaleggio's son Davide Casaleggio owns and manages ''TzeTze'' and ''La Cosa'', and medical advice website ''La Fucina'' which markets [[Medicine:Vaccine controversies|anti-vaccine conspiracy theories]] and [[Medicine:Panacea|medical cure-all methods]].<ref name=leadingeuropeinfake /> Grillo's blog, Five Star Movement fake sites use the same [[IP address]]es, [[Software:Google Analytics|Google Analytics]] and Google AdSense.<ref name=leadingeuropeinfake />

Cyberwarfare against Renzi increased, and Italian newspaper ''La Stampa'' brought attention to false stories by ''Russia Today'' which wrongly asserted a pro-Renzi rally in [[Place:Rome|Rome]] was actually an anti-Renzi rally.<ref name=insidioustrend>{{citation|access-date=2 December 2016|work={{wipe|The Guardian}}|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/dec/02/fake-news-facebook-us-election-around-the-world|title=Fake news: an insidious trend that's fast becoming a global problem - With fake online news dominating discussions after the US election, Guardian correspondents explain how it is distorting politics around the world|first1=Kate |last1=Connolly |first2=Angelique |last2=Chrisafis |first3=Poppy |last3=McPherson |first4=Stephanie |last4=Kirchgaessner |first5=Benjamin |last5=Haas |first6=Dominic |last6=Phillips |first7=Elle |last7=Hunt |date=2 December 2016}}</ref> In October 2016, the Five Star Movement disseminated a video from Kremlin-aligned ''Russia Today'' which falsely reported displaying thousands of individuals protesting the 4 December 2016 scheduled referendum in Italy—when in fact the video that went on to 1.5 million views showed supporters of the referendum.<ref name=aristonandersonitaly /><ref name=leadingeuropeinfake>{{citation|access-date=3 December 2016|work=BuzzFeed News |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/albertonardelli/italys-most-popular-political-party-is-leading-europe-in-fak|title=Italy's Most Popular Political Party Is Leading Europe In Fake News And Kremlin Propaganda|date=29 November 2016|first1=Alberto |last1=Nardelli |first2=Craig|last2=Silverman}}</ref> President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Laura Boldrini, stated: "Fake news is a critical issue and we can't ignore it. We have to act now."<ref name=anxietyinitaly /> Boldrini met on 30 November 2016 with vice president of public policy in Europe for Facebook Richard Allan to voice concerns about fake news.<ref name=anxietyinitaly /> She said Facebook needed to admit they were a media company.<ref name=anxietyinitaly />

In 2022 the renowned Italian magazine Panorama brought attention to fake news published by the website "Open di Enrico Mentana" which repeatedly reported a number of false stories with regard to the Russo-Ukrainian war.<ref name=panorama>{{citation|url=https://www.panorama.it/news/cronaca/open-fact-checker-facebook|access-date= April 10, 2022|date= April 9, 2022|work= Panorama|title= Open, il fact-checker di Facebook, pubblica quattro fake news in tre giorni|first=Burba|last= Elisabetta }}</ref>
These fake news were eventually rejected by Alina Dubovksa, journalist of the Ukrainian newspaper ''Public'', also due to the lack of evidences, by Catalina Marchant de Abreu, journalist of France 24, due to unfoundedness of the stories, as well as by Oleksiy Mykolaiovych Arestovych, an Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.<ref name=panorama/>

=== Mexico ===
Elections in Mexico are always rigged by the misinformation that is let out in the public. This is true for any political party, whether they are democratic or authoritarian. Due to the false information that easily influences voters in Mexico, it can threaten that state of the country because actions that are taken by misinformed citizens. In Mexico, fake exit polls have been moving within digital media outlets. What this means is that citizens are not receiving real data on what is happening in their elections.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fake Polls as Fake News: The Challenge for Mexico's Elections |url=https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/fake-polls-fake-news-the-challenge-for-mexicos-elections |website=Wilson Center }}</ref>

===Moldova ===
Amid the 2018 local elections in Moldova a doctored video with mistranslated subtitles purported to show that the a pro-Europe party candidate for mayor of Chișinău (pop. 685,900), the capital of Moldova had proposed to lease the city of Chișinău to the UAE for 50 years.<ref name=dfrlab>{{cite news |title=Doctored Video Goes Viral Ahead of Elections in Moldova |url=https://medium.com/dfrlab/electionwatch-doctored-video-goes-viral-ahead-of-elections-in-moldova-5d52b49f679d |work=Medium |date=13 May 2018 }}</ref> The video was watched more than 300,000 times on Facebook and almost 250,000 times on the Russian social network site OK.ru, which is popular among Moldova's Russian-speaking population.<ref name=dfrlab/>

===Myanmar===
In 2015, fake stories using unrelated photographs and fraudulent captions were shared online in support of the Rohingya.<ref>{{citation|title=The fake pictures of the Rohingya crisis|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-32979147|access-date=8 December 2016|work=BBC News|date=6 June 2015}}</ref> Fake news negatively affected individuals in Myanmar, leading to a rise in violence against Muslims in the country.<ref name=maybetheinternet>{{citation|url=http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/11/maybe-the-internet-isnt-a-tool-for-democracy-after-all.html|access-date=28 November 2016|work=New York|title=Maybe the Internet Isn't a Fantastic Tool for Democracy After All|first=Max|last=Read|date=27 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=sheerafrenkel /> Online participation surged from one percent to 20 percent of Myanmar's total populace from 2014 to 2016.<ref name=maybetheinternet /><ref name=sheerafrenkel /> Fake stories from Facebook were reprinted in paper periodicals called ''Facebook'' and ''The Internet''.<ref name=sheerafrenkel /> False reporting related to practitioners of Islam in the country was directly correlated with increased attacks on people of the religion in Myanmar.<ref name=maybetheinternet /><ref name=sheerafrenkel>{{citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/sheerafrenkel/fake-news-spreads-trump-around-the-world|access-date=28 November 2016|work=BuzzFeed News|first=Sheera|last=Frenkel|title=This Is What Happens When Millions Of People Suddenly Get The Internet|date=20 November 2016}}</ref> Fake news fictitiously stated believers in Islam acted out in violence at Buddhist locations.<ref name=maybetheinternet /><ref name=sheerafrenkel /> ''BuzzFeed News'' documented a direct relationship between the fake news and violence against Muslim people.<ref name=maybetheinternet /><ref name=sheerafrenkel /> It noted countries that were relatively newer to Internet exposure were more vulnerable to the problems of fake news and fraud.<ref name=sheerafrenkel />

===Pakistan===
Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the Minister of Defence of Pakistan, threatened to nuke Israel on [[Company:Twitter|Twitter]] after a false story claiming that Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, said "If Pakistan send ground troops into Syria on any pretext, we will destroy this country with a nuclear attack."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goldman|first1=Russell|title=Reading Fake News, Pakistani Minister Directs Nuclear Threat at Israel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/24/world/asia/pakistan-israel-khawaja-asif-fake-news-nuclear.html|access-date=29 December 2016|work=The New York Times |date=24 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Politi|first1=Daniel|title=A Fake News Story Leads Pakistani Minister to Issue Nuclear Threat Against Israel |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/12/26/fake_news_story_leads_pakistani_minister_to_issue_nuclear_threat_against.html|access-date=29 December 2016|work=Slate|date=26 December 2016}}</ref>

===Poland===
In 2016 Polish historian {{interlanguage link|Jerzy Targalski|lt=Jerzy Targalski|pl|Jerzy Targalski}} noted fake news websites had infiltrated Poland through [[Social:Anti-establishment|anti-establishment]] and right-wing focused sources that copied content from ''Russia Today''.<ref name=disinformationexperts>{{citation|url=http://www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/280476,Russian-propaganda-entering-mainstream-news-disinformation-experts|work=Radio Poland|title=Russian propaganda entering mainstream news: disinformation experts|date=18 November 2016|access-date=11 December 2016}}</ref> Targalski observed there existed about 20 specific fake news websites in Poland which spread Russian disinformation in the form of fake news.<ref name=disinformationexperts /> One example cited was the false claim that Ukraine had claimed that the Polish city of Przemyśl was occupied by Poland.<ref name=disinformationexperts /> In 2020 fake news websites related to the COVID-19 pandemic have been identified and officially labelled as such by the Polish Ministry of Health.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ministerstwo: Nie wchodźcie na tę stronę, to fake news|url=http://www.tvp.info/47132892/ministerstwo-nie-wchodzcie-na-te-strone-to-fake-news|access-date=27 July 2020|website=www.tvp.info|date=15 March 2020|language=pl}}</ref>

===Sweden===
The Swedish Security Service issued a report in 2015 identifying propaganda from Russia infiltrating Sweden with the objective to amplify pro-Russian propaganda and inflame societal conflicts.<ref name=concernoverbarrage /> The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), part of the Ministry of Defence of Sweden, identified fake news reports targeting Sweden in 2016 which originated from Russia.<ref name=concernoverbarrage>{{citation|url=http://www.thelocal.se/20160727/concern-over-barrage-of-fake-russian-news-in-sweden|access-date=25 November 2016|work=The Local|title=Concern over barrage of fake Russian news in Sweden|date=27 July 2016}}</ref> Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency official Mikael Tofvesson stated a pattern emerged where views critical of Sweden were constantly repeated.<ref name=concernoverbarrage /> The MSB identified ''Russia Today'' and ''Sputnik News'' as significant fake news purveyors.<ref name=concernoverbarrage /> As a result of growth in this propaganda in Sweden, the MSB planned to hire six additional security officials to fight back against the campaign of fraudulent information.<ref name=concernoverbarrage />

===Taiwan===
In a report in December 2015 by ''The China Post'', a fake video shared online showed people a light show purportedly made at the Shihmen Reservoir.<ref name=lightshow>{{citation|title=Fake light show in video lures thousands to Shihmen Reservoir|url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2015/12/17/453731/Fake-light.htm|access-date=12 December 2016|work=The China Post|date=17 December 2015}}</ref> The Northern Region Water Resources Office confirmed there was no light show at the reservoir and the event had been fabricated.<ref name=lightshow /> The fraud led to an increase in tourist visits to the actual attraction.<ref name=lightshow />

===Ukraine===
''Deutsche Welle'' interviewed the founder of Stopfake.org in 2014 about the website's efforts to debunk fake news in Ukraine, including media portrayal of the Ukrainian crisis.<ref name=chimbelu>{{citation|date=5 June 2014|first=Chiponda|last=Chimbelu|url=http://www.dw.com/en/fake-news-can-ruin-lives-says-stopfakeorg-founder/a-17684358|work=Deutsche Welle|title=Fake news can ruin lives, says Stopfake.org founder}}</ref> Co-founder Margot Gontar began the site in March 2014, and it was aided by volunteers.<ref name=chimbelu /> In 2014, ''Deutsche Welle'' awarded the fact-checker website with the People's Choice Award for Russian in its ceremony The BOBs, recognizing excellence in advocacy on the Internet.<ref name=chimbelu /> Gontar highlighted an example debunked by the website, where a fictitious "Doctor Rozovskii" supposedly told ''The Guardian'' pro-Ukraine individuals refused to allow him to tend to injured in fighting with Russian supporters in 2014.<ref name=chimbelu /> Stopfake.org exposed the event was fabricated—there actually was no individual named "Doctor Rozovskii", and found the Facebook photo distributed with the incident was of a different individual from Russia with a separate identity.<ref name=chimbelu /> Former Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych's ouster from power created instability, and in 2015 the [[Organization:Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] concluded Russian disinformation campaigns used fake news to disrupt relations between Europe and Ukraine.<ref name="dwfakenews" /> Russian-financed news spread disinformation after the conflict in Ukraine motivated the European Union to found the European External Action Service specialist task force to counter the propaganda.<ref name="dwfakenews"/>

===United Kingdom===
Labour MP Michael Dugher was assigned by Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson in November 2016 to investigate the impact of fake news spread through social media.<ref name=labourispromising /> Watson said they would work with Twitter and Facebook to root out clear-cut circumstances of "downright lies".<ref name=labourispromising>{{citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/labour-is-promising-a-long-campaign-against-fake-news|access-date=11 December 2016|date=22 November 2016|work=BuzzFeed News|title=Labour Is Promising A Long Campaign Against Fake News|first=Jim|last=Waterson}}</ref> Watson wrote an article for ''The Independent'' where he suggested methods to respond to fake news, including Internet-based societies which fact-check in a manner modeled after [[Wikipedia]].<ref name=thomaswatson>{{citation|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/fake-news-facebook-twitter-social-media-sharing-changing-way-see-world-face-up-to-it-labour-tom-a7431466.html|work=The Independent |access-date=11 December 2016|first=Tom|last=Watson|title='Fake news' is changing the way we see the world. We have to face up to what that means|date=22 November 2016}}</ref> Minister for Culture, Matthew Hancock, stated the British government would investigate the impact of fake news and its pervasiveness on social media websites.<ref name=thegovernmentsays>{{citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/marieleconte/the-government-says-its-looking-into-fake-news|work=BuzzFeed News|access-date=11 December 2016|title=The Government Says It's Looking Into Fake News|first=Marie|last= Le Conte|date=29 November 2016}}</ref> Watson stated he welcomed the investigation into fake news by the government.<ref name=thegovernmentsays /> On 8 December 2016, Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) Alex Younger delivered a speech to journalists at the MI6 headquarters where he called fake news and propaganda damaging to democracy.<ref name=mi6>{{citation |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/jimwaterson/mi6-chief-says-fake-news-and-online-propaganda-is-a-threat-t|work=BuzzFeed News|access-date=11 December 2016|title=MI6 Chief Says Fake News And Online Propaganda Are A Threat To Democracy|date=8 December 2016|first=Jim|last=Waterson}}</ref> Younger said the mission of MI6 was to combat propaganda and fake news in order to deliver to his government a strategic advantage in the [[Information warfare|information warfare]] arena, and assist other nations including European countries.<ref name=mi6 /> He called such methods of fake news propaganda online as a "fundamental threat to our sovereignty".<ref name=mi6 /> Younger said all nations that hold democratic values should feel the same worry over fake news.<ref name=mi6 />

===United States===

====2016 election cycle====
[[File:Barack Obama in October 2016.jpg|thumb|upright|U.S. President Barack Obama said, "If we can't discriminate between serious arguments and propaganda, then we have problems."<ref name=jaketapper /><ref name="HarrisEddy" />|alt=U.S. President Barack Obama]]
Fraudulent stories during the 2016 U.S. presidential election popularized on Facebook included a [[Viral phenomenon|viral post]] that Pope Francis had endorsed Donald Trump, and another that actor Denzel Washington "backs Trump in the most epic way possible".<ref name=alyssanewcomb>{{citation|work=NBC News|access-date=16 November 2016|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/facebook-google-crack-down-fake-news-advertising-n684101|title=Facebook, Google Crack Down on Fake News Advertising|first=Alyssa|last=Newcomb|publisher=NBC News|date=15 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=didthepope /> Donald Trump's son and campaign surrogate Eric Trump, top national security adviser Michael T. Flynn, and then-campaign managers Kellyanne Conway and Corey Lewandowski shared fake news stories during the campaign.<ref name=jaketapper>{{citation|first=Jake|last=Tapper|publisher=CNN|date=17 November 2016|title=Fake news stories thriving on social media - Phony news stories are thriving on social media, so much so President Obama addressed it. CNN's Jake Tapper reports.|access-date=18 November 2016|url=http://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2016/11/17/fake-news-social-media-tapper-dnt-lead.cnn}}</ref><ref name=fakenewswriter>{{Citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/17/facebook-fake-news-writer-i-think-donald-trump-is-in-the-white-house-because-of-me/|title=Facebook fake-news writer: 'I think Donald Trump is in the White House because of me'|last=Dewey|first=Caitlin|date=17 November 2016|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|issn=0190-8286|access-date=17 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=mostgullible>{{citation |url=https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/11/meet-ret-general-michael-flynn-most-gullible-guy-army|work=Mother Jones|access-date=18 November 2016|title=Meet Ret. General Michael Flynn, the Most Gullible Guy in the Army|date=17 November 2016|first=Kevin|last=Drum}}</ref><ref name=bothtweetobviously>{{Citation|url=https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20161013/23470435795/donald-trumps-son-campaign-manager-both-tweet-obviously-fake-story.shtml|title=Donald Trump's Son & Campaign Manager Both Tweet Obviously Fake Story|work=Techdirt|access-date=18 November 2016|first=Mike|last=Masnick|author-link=Mike Masnick|date=14 October 2016}}</ref>

==== Misuse of the term ====
After the 2016 election, Republican politicians and conservative media began to [[Social:Reappropriation|appropriate]] the term by using it to describe any news they see as hostile to their agenda, according to ''{{wipe|The New York Times}}'', which cited Breitbart News, [[Biography:Rush Limbaugh|Rush Limbaugh]] and supporters of Donald Trump as dismissing true mainstream news reports, and any news they do not like as "fake news".<ref name="NYT 25 December 2016">{{cite news|last1=Peters|first1=Jeremy W.|title=Wielding Claims of 'Fake News,' Conservatives Take Aim at Mainstream Media|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/25/us/politics/fake-news-claims-conservatives-mainstream-media-.html |access-date=26 December 2016|work=The New York Times|date=25 December 2016}}</ref>

====U.S. response to Russia in Syria====
The Russian state-operated newswire RIA Novosti, known as Sputnik International, reported fake news and fabricated statements by White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest.<ref name=fakenewsinrussia>{{citation |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2016/12/07/obama-russia-trump-sanctions-syria-aleppo|work=Forbes|date=7 December 2016|access-date=10 December 2016|title=Fake News In Russia: 'Obama Threatens Sanctions Due To Russia's Role In Syria'|first=Kenneth|last=Rapoza}}</ref> RIA Novosti falsely reported on 7 December 2016 that Earnest stated sanctions for Russia were on the table related to Syria.<ref name=fakenewsinrussia /> RIA Novosti falsely quoted Earnest as saying: "There are a number of things that are to be considered, including some of the financial sanctions that the United States can administer in coordination with our allies. I would definitely not rule that out."<ref name=fakenewsinrussia /> However, the word "sanctions" was never used by the Press Secretary.<ref name=fakenewsinrussia /> Russia was discussed in eight instances during the press conference, but never about sanctions.<ref name=fakenewsinrussia /> The press conference focused solely on Russian air raids in Syria towards rebels fighting President of Syria Bashar al-Assad in Aleppo.<ref name=fakenewsinrussia />

====Legislative and executive responses====
Members of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee traveled to Ukraine and Poland in March 2016 and heard about Russian operations to influence internal Ukrainian matters.<ref name=angusking>{{citation|access-date=2 December 2016|url=http://www.pressherald.com/2016/12/01/sen-king-russian-involvement-in-u-s-election-an-arrow-aimed-at-the-heart-of-democracy/|title=Angus King: Russian involvement in U.S. election 'an arrow aimed at the heart of democracy'|work=Portland Press Herald|date=1 December 2016|first=Kevin|last=Miller}}</ref> Senator Angus King recalled they were informed about Russia "planting fake news stories" during elections.<ref name=angusking /> On 30 November 2016 seven members of the Senate Intelligence Committee asked President Obama to publicize information on Russia's role in spreading disinformation in the U.S. election.<ref name=angusking /><ref name=afpobamaorders>{{citation|url=http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0003399080|agency=Agence France-Presse|work=The Japan Times|title=Obama orders full review of 2016 election cyber-attacks|date=11 December 2016|access-date=11 December 2016}}</ref><ref name=kingamong>{{citation|access-date=2 December 2016|work=Portland Press Herald|date=30 November 2016|title=Angus King among senators asking president to declassify information about Russia and election|url=http://www.pressherald.com/2016/11/30/angus-king-among-senators-asking-president-to-declassify-information-about-russia-and-election/|author=Staff report}}</ref> On 30 November 2016, legislators approved a measure within the National Defense Authorization Act to finance the U.S. State Department to act against foreign propaganda.<ref name=combatpropaganda>{{citation|access-date=1 December 2016|first=Craig|last=Timberg|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/effort-to-combat-foreign-propaganda-advances-in-congress/2016/11/30/9147e1ac-e221-47be-ab92-9f2f7e69d452_story.html|title=Effort to combat foreign propaganda advances in Congress|date=30 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=representativesbacks>{{citation|work=International Business Times UK edition|access-date=1 December 2016|title=US House of representatives backs proposal to counter global Russian subversion |url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/us-house-representatives-backs-proposal-counter-global-russian-subversion-1594342|date=1 December 2016|first=Tom|last=Porter}}</ref> The initiative was developed through a bipartisan bill, the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, written by U.S. Senators Republican Rob Portman and Democrat Chris Murphy.<ref name=combatpropaganda /> Republican U.S. Senators stated they planned to hold hearings and investigate Russian influence on the 2016 U.S. elections.<ref name=republicansready>{{citation|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-senate-probe-russia-trump-20161208-story.html|access-date=10 December 2016|date=8 December 2016|work=Chicago Tribune|title=Republicans ready to launch wide-ranging probe of Russia, despite Trump's stance|first=Karoun |last=Demirjian|agency={{wipe|The Washington Post}}}}</ref> By doing so they went against the preference of incoming Republican President-elect Donald Trump, who downplayed any potential Russian meddling in the election.<ref name=republicansready /> Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, and Senator Lindsey Graham all planned investigations in the 115th U.S. Congress session.<ref name=republicansready />

U.S. President [[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]] commented on fake news online in a speech the day before Election Day in 2016, saying social media spread lies and created a "dust cloud of nonsense".<ref name=zuckerbergsays>{{citation|access-date=16 November 2016|url=http://www.computerworld.com/article/3140723/internet/zuckerberg-says-fake-news-on-facebook-didn-t-tilt-the-elections.html|work=Computerworld |title=Zuckerberg says fake news on Facebook didn't tilt the elections|date=14 November 2016|first=John|last=Ribeiro}}</ref><ref>{{citation|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/11/07/remarks-president-hillary-america-rally-ann-arbor-michigan|date=7 November 2016|access-date=16 November 2016|author=President [[Biography:Barack Obama|Barack Obama]]|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|title=Remarks by the President at Hillary for America Rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan}}</ref> Obama commented again on the problem after the election: "if we can't discriminate between serious arguments and propaganda, then we have problems."<ref name=jaketapper /><ref name="HarrisEddy">{{citation|first1=Gardiner  |last1=Harris  |first2=Melissa|last2=Eddy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/world/europe/obama-angela-merkel-donald-trump.html |title=Obama, With Angela Merkel in Berlin, Assails Spread of Fake News|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|date=17 November 2016|access-date=18 November 2016}}</ref> On 9 December 2016, President Obama ordered U.S. Intelligence Community to conduct a complete review of the Russian propaganda operation.<ref name=ciareportrussiatrump>{{citation|work=Business Insider|date=9 December 2016|access-date=10 December 2016 |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/cia-russia-helped-trump-win-us-election-2016-12|title=The CIA says it has evidence that Russia tried to help Trump win the US election|first1=Chris |last1=Sanchez |first2=Bryan |last2=Logan|quote=In addition to the release of hacked emails, a flood of disinformation and conspiracy theories was widely circulated on the internet in the form of false stories that were peddled as news. Much of that fake news—which almost exclusively targeted Hillary Clinton—gained tremendous popularity on social networks like Facebook for months leading up to November 8. News of the CIA's findings came as President Barack Obama ordered a complete review of the matter Friday.}}</ref> In his year-end press conference on 16 December 2016, President Obama criticized a hyper-partisan atmosphere for enabling the proliferation of fake news.<ref name=americascore>{{citation|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/obama-trump-america-future-232771|access-date=17 December 2016|date=16 December 2016|work=Politico|title=Obama: Trump's victory threatens America's core|first=Edward-Isaac|last=Dovere|quote=If fake news that's being released by some foreign government is almost identical to reports that are being issued through partisan news venues, then it's not surprising that that foreign propaganda will have a greater effect.}}</ref>

====Conspiracy theories and 2016 pizzeria attack====
In November 2016, fake news sites and Internet forums falsely implicated the restaurant Comet Ping Pong and Democratic Party figures as part of a fictitious child trafficking ring, which was dubbed "[[Social:Pizzagate conspiracy theory|Pizzagate]]".<ref name="bbc-pizzagate"/> The rumor was widely debunked by sources such as the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, fact-checking website [[Philosophy:Snopes.com|Snopes.com]], ''{{wipe|The New York Times}}'', and Fox News.<ref>{{citation |last=LaCapria |first=Kim |title=FALSE: Comet Ping Pong Pizzeria Home to Child Abuse Ring Led by Hillary Clinton |website=[[Philosophy:Snopes.com|Snopes.com]] |date=21 November 2016|url=http://www.snopes.com/pizzagate-conspiracy/ |access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-11-23/a-fake-pizzagate-conspiracy-for-our-fevered-age|title=A Fake Conspiracy for Our Fevered Age|last=Carlson|first=Margaret|date=23 November 2016|newspaper=Bloomberg View|access-date=29 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=DCGunman/><ref name="Fox">{{cite news|title=Man with rifle arrested at DC restaurant targeted by fake news conspiracy theories|url=http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/12/05/man-with-rifle-arrested-at-dc-restaurant-targeted-by-fake-news-conspiracy-theories.html|access-date=9 December 2016|work=Fox News|date=5 December 2016}}</ref> The restaurant's owners were harassed and threatened, and increased their security.<ref name="bbc-pizzagate">{{Citation|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-38156985 |title=The saga of 'Pizzagate': The fake story that shows how conspiracy theories spread|last=Wendling|first=Mike|date=2 December 2016|newspaper=BBC News|access-date=2 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Kang |first=Cecilia |title=This Pizzeria Is Not a Child-Trafficking Site |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/21/technology/fact-check-this-pizzeria-is-not-a-child-trafficking-site.html |newspaper={{wipe|The New York Times}} |date=21 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Kurzius |first=Rachel |url=http://dcist.com/2016/12/comet_ping_pong_ups_security_as_bri.php |title=Comet Ping Pong Increases Concert Security In Response To Pizzagate |work=DCist |date=2 December 2016 |access-date=3 December 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204131843/http://dcist.com/2016/12/comet_ping_pong_ups_security_as_bri.php |archive-date=4 December 2016 }}</ref> On 4 December 2016, an individual from Salisbury, North Carolina, walked into the restaurant to "self-investigate" this conspiracy theory. He brought a semi-automatic rifle, and fired shots before being arrested; no one was injured.<ref name=DCGunman>{{citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2016/12/04/d-c-police-respond-to-report-of-a-man-with-a-gun-at-comet-ping-pong-restaurant/|title=N.C. man told police he went to D.C. pizzeria with assault rifle to 'self-investigate' election-related conspiracy theory|last1=Svrluga|first1=Susan|access-date=6 December 2016|date=4 December 2016|last2=Siddiqui|first2=Faiz|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last=Ingram |first=Hunter |url=http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20161205/dc-pizza-place-shooter-former-cfcc-student-local-actor |title=D.C. pizza place shooter a former CFCC student, local actor |work=Wilmington Star News |date=5 December 2016|access-date= 6 December 2016}}</ref> The suspect told police that he planned to "self-investigate" the conspiracy theory,<ref name=DCGunman/> and was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a pistol without a license, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and carrying a rifle or shotgun outside the home or business.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/edgar-maddison-welch-charges-filed-against-suspected-pizzagate-comet-ping-pong-gunman/|title= Charges filed against suspected 'Pizzagate' gunman|work=CBS News|agency=Associated Press|date=5 December 2016|access-date=6 December 2016}}</ref> After the incident, future National Security Advisor Michael T. Flynn and his son Michael G. Flynn were criticized by many reporters for spreading the rumors.<ref>{{citation|last1=Bender|first1=Bryan|last2=Hanna|first2=Andrew|title=Flynn under fire for fake news|url=http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/michael-flynn-conspiracy-pizzeria-trump-232227|access-date=5 December 2016 |work=Politico|date=5 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last1=Smith|first1=Allan|title=Michael Flynn's son spars with Jake Tapper over fake 'pizzagate' story that led armed man to go to restaurant |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/jake-tapper-pizzagate-michael-flynn-son-2016-12|access-date=5 December 2016|work=Business Insider|date=5 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{citation|last1=Rosenberg|first1=Matthew|title=Trump Adviser Has Pushed Clinton Conspiracy Theories|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/us/politics/-michael-flynn-trump-fake-news-clinton.html|access-date=6 December 2016|work=The New York Times|date=5 December 2016}}</ref> Two days after the shooting, Trump fired Michael G. Flynn from his transition team in connection with Flynn's Twitter posting of fake news.<ref name=trumpfires>{{citation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/06/us/politics/michael-flynn-son-trump.html|access-date=7 December 2016|date=6 December 2016|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|title=Trump Fires Senior Adviser's Son From Transition for Sharing Fake News|first=Matthew|last=Rosenberg}}</ref><ref name=forcedout>{{citation|access-date=7 December 2016|date=6 December 2016|work=ABC News|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mike-flynn-jr-forced-trump-transition-amid-fake/story?id=44018995|title=Mike Flynn Jr. Forced Out of Trump Transition Amid Fake News Controversy|first=Katherine|last=Faulders}}</ref> Days after the attack, Hillary Clinton spoke out on the dangers of fake news in a tribute speech to retiring Senator Harry Reid at the U.S. Capitol, and called the problem an [[Medicine:Epidemic|epidemic]].<ref name=clintonattacksfake>{{citation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/12/08/hillary-clinton-attacks-fake-news-in-post-election-appearance-on-capitol-hill|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|date=8 December 2016|access-date=9 December 2016|title=Hillary Clinton attacks 'fake news' in post-election appearance on Capitol Hill|first=Paul|last=Kane}}</ref><ref name=clintonwarnsepidemic>{{citation|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38258967|access-date=9 December 2016|date=9 December 2016|work=BBC News|title=Hillary Clinton warns of 'fake news epidemic'}}</ref>

==== 2018 midterm elections ====
To track junk news shared on Facebook during the 2018 midterm elections, the [https://newsaggregator.oii.ox.ac.uk/ Junk News Aggregator] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127212508/https://newsaggregator.oii.ox.ac.uk/ |date=2021-01-27 }} was launched by the [https://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/ Computational Propaganda Project] of the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford. This Aggregator is a public platform, offering three interactive tools for tracking in near real-time public posts shared on Facebook by junk news sources, showing the content and the user engagement numbers that these posts have received.<ref>{{cite arXiv |last1=Liotsiou |first1=Dimitra |last2=Kollanyi |first2=Bence |last3=Howard |first3=Philip N. |title=The Junk News Aggregator: Examining junk news posted on Facebook, starting with the 2018 US Midterm Elections |date = 2019 |eprint=1901.07920|class=cs.SI }}</ref>

==Response==
===Fact-checking websites and journalists===

[[File:PolitiFact logo.svg|thumb|upright=1.35|alt=Logo of PolitiFact|PolitiFact.com was praised by rival fact-checker FactCheck.org and recommended as a resource to debunk fake news sites.]]

Fact-checking websites FactCheck.org, PolitiFact.com and [[Philosophy:Snopes.com|Snopes.com]] authored guides on how to respond to fraudulent news.<ref name=snopesfieldguide>{{citation|url=http://www.snopes.com/2016/01/14/fake-news-sites/|access-date=19 November 2016|date=2 November 2016|publisher=[[Philosophy:Snopes.com|Snopes.com]]|title=Snopes' Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors - Snopes.com's updated guide to the internet's clickbaiting, news-faking, social media exploiting dark side.|first=Kim|last=LaCapria}}</ref><ref name=factcheckhowtospot>{{citation|url=http://www.factcheck.org/2016/11/how-to-spot-fake-news/|access-date=19 November 2016|title=How to Spot Fake News |first1=Lori |last1=Robertson |first2=Eugene |last2=Kiely |date=18 November 2016|work=FactCheck.org}}</ref><ref name=politifactletsfight>{{citation|url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/blog/2016/nov/16/lets-fight-back-against-fake-news/|access-date=19 November 2016|publisher=PolitiFact.com|title=Let's fight back against fake news|date=16 November 2016|first=Aaron|last=Sharockman|archive-date=19 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119024144/http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/blog/2016/nov/16/lets-fight-back-against-fake-news/|url-status=dead}}</ref> FactCheck.org advised readers to check the source, author, date, and headline of publications.<ref name=factcheckhowtospot /> They recommended their colleagues Snopes.com, ''The Washington Post'' Fact Checker,{{efn|"The Fact Checker" is a project by ''{{wipe|The Washington Post}}'' to analyze political claims.<ref name=stelterfact>{{citation|first=Brian|last=Stelter|website=CNNMoney|publisher=CNN|access-date=19 November 2016 |url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/11/07/media/donald-trump-fact-checking/|title=How Donald Trump made fact-checking great again|date=7 November 2016}}</ref> Their colleagues and competitors at FactCheck.org recommended The Fact Checker as a resource to use before assuming a story is factual.<ref name=factcheckhowtospot />}} and PolitiFact.com.<ref name=factcheckhowtospot /> FactCheck.org admonished consumers to be wary of [[Confirmation bias|confirmation bias]].<ref name=factcheckhowtospot /> PolitiFact.com used a "Fake news" tag so readers could view all stories Politifact had debunked.<ref name=politifactletsfight /> Snopes.com warned readers social media was used as a harmful tool by fraudsters.<ref name=snopesfieldguide /> ''{{wipe|The Washington Post}}''{{'}}s "The Fact Checker" manager Glenn Kessler wrote that all fact-checking sites saw increased visitors during the 2016 election cycle.<ref name=kesslerfact>{{citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2016/11/10/fact-checking-in-the-aftermath-of-an-historic-election/|access-date=19 November 2016|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|date=10 November 2016|title=Fact checking in the aftermath of a historic election|first=Glenn|last=Kessler}}</ref> Unique visitors to The Fact Checker increased five-fold from the 2012 election.<ref name=kesslerfact /> Will Moy, director of [[Place:London|London]]-based fact-checker Full Fact, said debunking must take place over a sustained period to be effective.<ref name=kesslerfact /> Full Fact worked with Google to help automate fact-checking.<ref name=googleishelping>{{citation|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/automated-fact-checking-full-fact-google-funding|access-date=29 November 2016|magazine=Wired magazine UK edition|title=Google is helping Full Fact create an automated, real-time fact-checker|date=17 November 2016|first=Matt|last=Burgess}}</ref>

FactCheck.org former director Brooks Jackson said media companies devoted increased focus to the importance of debunking fraud during the 2016 election.<ref name=stelterfact /> FactCheck.org partnered with CNN's Jake Tapper in 2016 to examine the veracity of candidate statements.<ref name=stelterfact /> Angie Drobnic Holan, editor of PolitiFact.com, cautioned media companies chiefs must be supportive of debunking, as it often provokes hate mail and extreme responses from zealots.<ref name=stelterfact /> In December 2016, PolitiFact announced fake news was its selection for "Lie of the Year".<ref name=biggestlie>{{citation |url=http://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2016/12/heres_the_biggest_lie_of_the_y.html|work=The Patriot-News|access-date=14 December 2016|title=Here's the biggest lie of the year|first=Candy|last=Woodall|date=14 December 2016}}</ref><ref name=kertscher>{{citation|url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/politifactwisconsin/2016/12/13/politifacts-lie-year-2016-fake-news/95395008/|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=13 December 2016|access-date=14 December 2016|first=Tom|last=Kertscher|title=PolitiFact's Lie of the Year 2016: Fake news}}</ref> PolitiFact explained its choice for the year: "In 2016, the prevalence of political fact abuse – promulgated by the words of two polarizing presidential candidates and their passionate supporters – gave rise to a spreading of fake news with unprecedented impunity."<ref name=kertscher /> PolitiFact called fake news a significant symbol of a culture accepting of [[Philosophy:Post-truth politics|post-truth politics]].<ref name=biggestlie />

===Google CEO comment and actions===
In the aftermath of the 2016 U.S. election, Google and Facebook, faced scrutiny regarding the impact of fake news.<ref name="NYTimes-GoogleFacebook-2016">{{citation |last1=Wingfield |first1=Nick |last2=Isaac |first2=Mike |last3=Benner |first3=Katie |title=Google and Facebook Take Aim at Fake News Sites |work={{wipe|The New York Times}} |date=14 November 2016|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/15/technology/google-will-ban-websites-that-host-fake-news-from-using-its-ad-service.html |access-date=28 November 2016}}</ref> The top result on Google for election results was to a fake site.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/google-playing-inaccurate-top-news-search-result-about-popular-vote-2016-11|work=Business Insider|access-date=16 November 2016|title=Google looking into grossly inaccurate top news search result displayed as final popular-vote tally|date=14 November 2016|first=Sonam|last=Sheth}}</ref> "70 News" had fraudulently written an incorrect headline and article that Trump won the popular vote against Clinton.<ref name=wapo14november2016>{{citation|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/14/googles-top-news-link-for-final-election-results-goes-to-a-fake-news-site-with-false-numbers/|last=Bump|first=Philip|title=Google's top news link for 'final election results' goes to a fake news site with false numbers|date=14 November 2016|access-date=26 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=politifact14november2016>{{citation|work=PolitiFact.com|last=Jacobson|first=Louis|title=No, Donald Trump is not beating Hillary Clinton in the popular vote|date=14 November 2016|url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/nov/14/blog-posting/no-donald-trump-not-beating-hillary-clinton-popula/|access-date=26 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="NYTimes-GoogleFacebook-2016"/> Google later stated that prominence of the fake site in search results was a mistake.<ref name=latimes16november2016>{{citation|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-google-fake-news-20161114-story.html|access-date=16 November 2016|work={{wipe|Los Angeles Times}}|title=Google to ban fake news sites from its advertising network|agency=Associated Press|date=14 November 2016}}</ref> By 14 November, the "70 News" result was the second link shown when searching for results of the election.<ref name="NYTimes-GoogleFacebook-2016"/> When asked shortly after the election whether fake news influenced election results, [[Company:Google|Google]] CEO Sundar Pichai responded: "Sure" and went on to emphasize the importance of stopping the spread of fraudulent sites.<ref name=hartmans>{{citation|access-date=16 November 2016|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-fake-news-maybe-affected-election-2016-11|work=Business Insider|first=Avery|last=Hartmans|date=15 November 2016|title=Google's CEO says fake news could have swung the election}}</ref> On 14 November 2016, Google responded to the problem of fraudulent sites by banning such companies from profiting on advertising from traffic through its program AdSense.<ref name=belfast /><ref name=shanika>{{citation|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-google-try-to-fight-fake-news/|work=CBS News|date=15 November 2016|access-date=16 November 2016|title=Facebook, Google announce new policies to fight fake news|first=Shanika|last=Gunaratna}}</ref><ref name="NYTimes-GoogleFacebook-2016"/> Google previously had a policy for denying ads for dieting [[Finance:Ripoff|ripoff]]s and counterfeit merchandise.<ref>{{citation|access-date=16 November 2016|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/world/google-cracks-down-on-fake-news-sites|work=The Straits Times|title=Google cracks down on fake news sites|date=15 November 2016}}</ref> Google stated upon the announcement they would work to ban advertisements from sources that lie about their purpose, content, or publisher.<ref name=financialtimes>{{citation|url=https://www.ft.com/content/545647b4-aad0-11e6-9cb3-bb8207902122|access-date=16 November 2016|work=[[Social:Financial Times|Financial Times]]|title=Facebook and Google to restrict ads on fake news sites |first=Richard|last=Waters|date=15 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{citation |first=Sridhar |last=Ramaswamy|title=How we fought bad ads in 2015 |website=Google blog|date=21 January 2016 |url=https://blog.google/topics/ads/better-ads-report/ |access-date=28 November 2016}}</ref> The ban is not expected to apply to news satire sites like ''The Onion'', although some satirical sites may be inadvertently blocked under the new system.<ref name="NYTimes-GoogleFacebook-2016"/>

On 25 April 2017, Ben Gomes wrote a blog post announcing changes to the search algorithms that would stop the "spread of blatantly misleading, low quality, offensive or downright false information."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gomes|first1=Ben|title=Our latest quality improvements for Search|url=https://www.blog.google/products/search/our-latest-quality-improvements-search/|website=Google Blog|date=25 April 2017}}</ref> On 27 July 2017, the World Socialist Web Site published data that showed a significant drop after the 25 April announcement in Google referrals to left-wing and anti-war websites, including the ACLU, Alternet, and [[Social:CounterPunch|Counterpunch]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Damon|first1=Andre|title=New Google algorithm restricts access to left-wing, progressive web sites|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017/07/27/goog-j27.html |website=World Socialist Web Site|date=27 July 2017 |publisher=International Committee of the Fourth International}}</ref> The World Socialist Web Site insists that the "fake news" charge is a cover to remove anti-establishment websites from public access, and believes the algorithm changes are infringing on the democratic right to free speech.<ref>{{cite web|last1=North|first1=David|title=An open letter to Google: Stop the censorship of the Internet! Stop the political blacklisting of the World Socialist Web Site!|url=https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017/08/25/pers-a25.html|website=World Socialist Web Site|date=25 August 2017 |publisher=International Committee of the Fourth International}}</ref>

===Facebook deliberations===

====Blocking fraudulent advertisers====
[[File:Mark Zuckerberg at TechCrunch SF 2013.jpg|thumb|upright|Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg specifically recommended fact-checking site Snopes.com.|alt=Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg]]

One day after Google took action, Facebook decided to block fake sites from advertising there.<ref name=shanika /><ref name="NYTimes-GoogleFacebook-2016"/> Facebook said they would ban ads from sites with deceptive content, including fake news, and review publishers for compliance.<ref name=financialtimes /> These steps by both Google and Facebook intended to deny ad revenue to fraudulent news sites; neither company took actions to prevent dissemination of false stories in [[Search engine results page|search engine results page]]s or [[Web feed|web feed]]s.<ref name=belfast>{{citation|access-date=16 November 2016|date=15 November 2016|work=Belfast Telegraph |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/technology/google-and-facebook-target-fake-news-sites-with-advertising-clampdown-35217214.html |title=Google and Facebook target fake news sites with advertising clampdown}}</ref><ref name=paulblake>{{citation|first=Paul|last=Blake |work=ABC News|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/google-facebook-move-block-fake-news-ad-services/story?id=43547493 |access-date=16 November 2016|title=Google, Facebook Move to Block Fake News From Ad Services|date=15 November 2016}}</ref> Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg called the notion that fraudulent news impacted the 2016 election a "crazy idea"<ref name=hall /><ref name=frenkel /> and denied that his platform influenced the election.<ref name=npr>{{Citation |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/11/15/502111390/facebook-google-take-steps-to-confront-fake-news |title=Facebook, Google Take Steps To Confront Fake News |last=Shahani |first=Aarti |newspaper=NPR.org |publisher=National Public Radio|date=15 November 2016|access-date=20 November 2016}}</ref> He stated that 99% of Facebook's content was neither fake news nor a hoax.<ref name=reuters>{{Citation |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alphabet-advertising-idUSKBN1392MM |title=Google, Facebook move to restrict ads on fake news sites |last=Cooke |first=Kristina |agency={{wipe|Reuters}} |date=15 November 2016|access-date=20 November 2016|work=Reuters }}</ref> Zuckerberg said that Facebook is not a media company.<ref>{{Citation |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/blue-sky/ct-facebook-fake-news-20161115-story.html|title=Facebook's Fake News Problem: What's Its Responsibility? |agency=Associated Press |work=Chicago Tribune|date=15 November 2016}}</ref> Zuckerberg advised users to check the fact-checking website [[Philosophy:Snopes.com|Snopes.com]] whenever they encounter fake news on Facebook.<ref name=ohlheiseroutlines /><ref name=nikitaoutlines />

Top staff members at Facebook did not feel simply blocking ad revenue from fraudulent sites was a strong enough response, and they made an executive decision and created a secret group to deal with the issue themselves.<ref name=hall>{{citation|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2016/11/15/facebook-staffers-form-an-unofficial-task-force.html|access-date=16 November 2016|date=15 November 2016|title=Facebook staffers form an unofficial task force to look into fake news problem|work=Silicon Valley Business Journal|first=Gina|last=Hall}}</ref><ref name=frenkel>{{citation|access-date=18 November 2016|work=BuzzFeed|date=14 November 2016 |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/sheerafrenkel/renegade-facebook-employees-form-task-force-to-battle-fake-n|title=Renegade Facebook Employees Form Task Force To Battle Fake News|first=Sheera|last=Frenkel}}</ref> In response to Zuckerberg's first statement that fraudulent news did not impact the 2016 election, the secret Facebook group disputed this notion, saying fake news was rampant on their website during the election cycle.<ref name=hall /><ref name=frenkel /> The secret task force included dozens of Facebook employees.<ref name=hall /><ref name=frenkel />

====Response====
Facebook faced criticism after its decision to revoke advertising revenues from fraudulent news providers, and not take further action.<ref name=mikeisaac>{{citation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/business/media/facebook-considering-ways-to-combat-fake-news-mark-zuckerberg-says.html|access-date=19 November 2016|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|first=Mike|last=Isaac|date=19 November 2016|title=Facebook Considering Ways to Combat Fake News, Mark Zuckerberg Says}}</ref><ref name=samuelburke>{{citation|first=Samuel|last=Burke|url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/11/19/technology/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-fake-news-election/|publisher=CNNMoney|date=19 November 2016|access-date=19 November 2016|title=Zuckerberg: Facebook will develop tools to fight fake news}}</ref> After negative media coverage including assertions that fraudulent news gave the 2016 U.S. presidential election to Trump, Zuckerberg posted a second time about it on 18 November 2016.<ref name=mikeisaac /><ref name=samuelburke /> The post was a reversal of his earlier comments on the matter where he had discounted the impact of fraudulent news.<ref name=samuelburke /> Zuckerberg said there it was difficult to filter out fraudulent news because he desired open communication.<ref name=mikeisaac /> Measures considered and not implemented by Facebook included adding an ability for users to tag questionable material, automated checking tools, and third-party confirmation.<ref name=mikeisaac /> The 18 November post did not announce any concrete actions the company would definitively take, or when such measures would be put into usage.<ref name=mikeisaac /><ref name=samuelburke />

National Public Radio observed the changes being considered by Facebook to identify fraud constituted progress for the company into a new media entity.<ref name=misinformationonfacebook>{{citation|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/19/502692075/misinformation-on-facebook-zuckerberg-lists-ways-of-fighting-fake-news|access-date=19 November 2016|work=National Public Radio|date=19 November 2016|title='Misinformation' On Facebook: Zuckerberg Lists Ways Of Fighting Fake News|first=Bill|last=Chappell}}</ref> On 19 November 2016, BuzzFeed advised Facebook users they could report posts from fraudulent sites.<ref name=howyoucanstop /> Users could choose the report option: "I think it shouldn't be on Facebook", followed by: "It's a false news story."<ref name=howyoucanstop>{{Citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/heres-how-to-report-fake-news-on-facebook|title=This Is How You Can Stop Fake News From Spreading On Facebook|work=BuzzFeed|access-date=20 November 2016|date=19 November 2016 |first=Craig |last=Silverman}}</ref> In November 2016, Facebook began assessing use of warning labels on fake news.<ref name=facebookquietly>{{citation|access-date=2 December 2016|work=TechCrunch|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/01/facebook-fake-news-flags-reliable-news-source/|title=Facebook quietly tests warnings on fake news|date=1 December 2016|first1=Taylor |last1=Hatmaker |first2=Josh|last2=Constine}}</ref> The rollout was at first only available to a few users in a testing phase.<ref name=facebookquietly /> A sample warning read: "This website is not a reliable news source. Reason: Classification Pending".<ref name=facebookquietly /> ''TechCrunch'' analyzed the new feature during the testing phase and surmised it may have a tendency towards false positives.<ref name=facebookquietly />

Fake news proliferation on Facebook had a negative financial impact for the company. Brian Wieser of Pivotal Research predicted that revenues could decrease by two percentage points due to the concern over fake news and loss of advertising dollars.<ref name=falsenewsitems>{{citation|url=https://www.economist.com/news/business/21710835-falling-share-price-privacy-policy-and-advertising-metrics-also-keep-mark-zuckerberg|newspaper=[[Finance:The Economist|The Economist]]|access-date=28 November 2016|date=26 November 2016|title=False news items are not the only problem besetting Facebook}}</ref> Shortly after Mark Zuckerberg's second statement on fake news proliferation on his website, Facebook decided to engage in assisting the government of China with a version of its software in the country to allow increased censorship by the government.<ref name=pesek>{{citation|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/11/27/commentary/world-commentary/will-facebook-chinas-propaganda-tool|access-date=28 November 2016|work=The Japan Times|first=William|last=Pesek|title=Will Facebook be China's propaganda tool?|date=27 November 2016|agency=Barron's newspaper}}</ref> ''Barron's'' contributor William Pesek was highly critical of this move, writing by porting its fake news conundrum to China, Facebook would become a tool in that Communist Party's General Secretary [[Biography:Xi Jinping|Xi Jinping]]'s efforts to increase censorship.<ref name=pesek />

Media scholar Dr. Nolan Higdon argues that relying on tech-companies to solve the issues with false information will exacerbate the problems associated with fake news.<ref name="Higdon">{{cite book|url=https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520347878/the-anatomy-of-fake-news|title=The Anatomy of Fake News: A Critical News Literacy Education|last=Higdon|first=Nolan|website=University of California Press|language=en|access-date=12 September 2020|date=15 August 2020|publisher=Univ of California Press |isbn=9780520347878}}</ref> Higdon contends that tech-companies lack an incentive for solving the problem because they benefit from the proliferation of fake news. Higdon cites tech-companies utilization of data collection as one of the strongest forces empowering fake news producers. Rather than government regulation or industry censorship, Higdon argues for the introduction of critical news literacy education to American education.<ref name="Higdon"/>

====Partnership with debunkers====
Society of Professional Journalists president Lynn Walsh said in November 2016 that they would reach out to Facebook to assist weeding out fake news.<ref name=klasfeld>{{citation|publisher=Courthouse News Service|access-date=28 November 2016|url=http://courthousenews.com/fake-news-gives-facebook-a-nixon-goes-to-china-moment/|title=Fake News Gives Facebook a Nixon-Goes-to-China Moment|first=Adam|last=Klasfeld|date=22 November 2016}}</ref> Walsh said Facebook should evolve and admit it functioned as a media company.<ref name=klasfeld /> On 17 November 2016, the Poynter International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN){{efn|Created in September 2015, the Poynter International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) is housed within the St. Petersburg, Florida-based Poynter Institute for Media Studies and aims to support the work of 64 member fact-checking organizations around the world.<ref name=kristenhare /><ref name=aboutifcn /> Alexios Mantzarlis, co-founder of FactCheckEU.org and former managing editor of Italian fact-checking site Pagella Politica, was named director and editor of IFCN in September 2015.<ref name=kristenhare>{{citation|first=Kristen|last= Hare|url=http://www.poynter.org/2015/poynter-names-director-and-editor-for-new-international-fact-checking-network/374139/ |title=Poynter names director and editor for new International Fact-Checking Network|publisher=Poynter Institute for Media Studies|date=21 September 2015|access-date=20 November 2016}}</ref><ref name=aboutifcn>{{citation|url=http://www.poynter.org/media-news/about-the-international-fact-checking-network/|title=About the International Fact-Checking Network|date=2016|access-date=20 November 2016|publisher=Poynter Institute for Media Studies|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161120151954/http://www.poynter.org/media-news/about-the-international-fact-checking-network/|archive-date=20 November 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>}} published an open letter on the Poynter Institute website to Mark Zuckerberg, imploring him to utilize fact-checkers to identify fraud on Facebook.<ref name=neidigfact>{{citation|url=http://origin-nyi.thehill.com/policy/technology/technology/306613-fact-checkers-call-on-zuckerberg-to-address-spread-of-fake-news|access-date=19 November 2016|work=The Hill|title=Fact-checkers call on Zuckerberg to address spread of fake news|first=Harper|last=Neidig|date=17 November 2016|issn=1521-1568}}</ref><ref name=factopenletter>{{citation|url=http://www.poynter.org/2016/an-open-letter-to-mark-zuckerberg-from-the-worlds-fact-checkers/439586/|access-date=19 November 2016|title=An open letter to Mark Zuckerberg from the world's fact-checkers|date=17 November 2016|author=The International Fact-Checking Network|newspaper=Poynter|publisher=Poynter Institute}}</ref> Signatories to the 2016 letter to Zuckerberg featured a global representation of fact-checking groups, including: Africa Check, FactCheck.org, PolitiFact.com, and ''The Washington Post'' Fact Checker.<ref name=neidigfact /><ref name=factopenletter /> In his second post on the matter on 18 November 2016, Zuckerberg responded to the fraudulent news problem by suggesting usage of fact-checkers.<ref name=ohlheiseroutlines>{{citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/19/mark-zuckerberg-outlines-facebooks-ideas-to-battle-fake-news/|access-date=19 November 2016|date=19 November 2016|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|title=Mark Zuckerberg outlines Facebook's ideas to battle fake news|first=Abby|last=Ohlheiser}}</ref><ref name=nikitaoutlines>{{citation|url=http://thehill.com/news-by-subject/technology/306878-zuckerberg-outlines-facebooks-plan-to-fight-fake-news|work=The Hill|issn=1521-1568|access-date=19 November 2016|date=19 November 2016|title=Zuckerberg outlines Facebook's plan to fight fake news|first=Nikita|last=Vladimirov}}</ref> He specifically identified fact-checking website [[Philosophy:Snopes.com|Snopes.com]], and pointed out that Facebook monitors links to such debunkers in reply comments to determine which original posts were fraudulent.<ref name=ohlheiseroutlines /><ref name=nikitaoutlines />

On 15 December 2016, Facebook announced more specifics in its efforts to combat fake news and hoaxes on its site.<ref name=facebookdetails>{{citation|work=National Public Radio|title=Facebook Details Its New Plan To Combat Fake News Stories|date=15 December 2016|first=Bill|last=Chappell|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/12/15/505728377/facebook-details-its-new-plan-to-combat-fake-news-stories}}</ref><ref name=facebookisturning /><ref name=facebookwillfact>{{citation|work=Business Insider|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-will-fact-check-label-fake-news-in-news-feed-2016-12|date=15 December 2016|access-date=15 December 2016|title=Facebook is going to use Snopes and other fact checkers to combat and bury 'fake news'|first=Alex|last=Heath}}</ref> The company said it would form a partnership with fact-checking groups that had joined the Poynter International Fact-Checking Network fact-checkers' code of principles, to help debunk fraud on the site.<ref name=facebookisturning>{{citation|work=BuzzFeed News|first=Craig|last=Silverman|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/facebook-and-fact-checkers-fight-fake-news|date=15 December 2016|access-date=15 December 2016|title=Facebook Is Turning To Fact Checkers To Fight Fake News}}</ref><ref name=facebookdetails /> It was the first instance Facebook had ever given third-party entities highlighted featuring in its [[Software:News Feed|News Feed]], a significant motivator of web traffic online.<ref name=facebookisturning /> The fact-checking organizations partnered with Facebook in order to confirm whether or not links posted from one individual to another on the site were factual or fraudulent.<ref name=facebookisturning /> Facebook did not finance the fact-checkers, and acknowledged they could see increased traffic to their sites from the partnership.<ref name=facebookisturning />

Fact-checking organizations that joined Facebook's initiative included: ABC News, ''{{wipe|The Washington Post}}'', [[Philosophy:Snopes.com|Snopes.com]], FactCheck.org, PolitiFact, and the Associated Press.<ref name=facebookisturning /> Fraudulent articles will receive a warning tag: "disputed by third party fact-checkers".<ref name=facebookdetails /> The company planned to start with obvious cases of hoaxes shared specifically for fraudulent purposes to gain money for the purveyor of fake news.<ref name=facebookisturning /> Users may still share such tagged articles, and they will show up farther down in the news feed with an accompanying warning.<ref name=facebookdetails /> Facebook will employ staff researchers to determine whether [[Website spoofing|website spoofing]] has occurred, for example "washingtonpost.co" instead of the real washingtonpost.com.<ref name=facebookwillfact /> In a post on 15 December, Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged the changing nature of Facebook: "I think of Facebook as a technology company, but I recognize we have a greater responsibility than just building technology that information flows through. While we don't write the news stories you read and share, we also recognize we're more than just a distributor of news. We're a new kind of platform for public discourse -- and that means we have a new kind of responsibility to enable people to have the most meaningful conversations, and to build a space where people can be informed."<ref name=facebookwillfact />

===Proposed technology tools===
''New York'' magazine contributor Brian Feldman created a Google Chrome extension that would warn users about fraudulent news sites.<ref name=brianfeldman>{{citation|url=http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/11/heres-a-browser-extension-that-will-flag-fake-news-sites.html|work=New York|first=Brian|last=Feldman|access-date=16 November 2016|title=Here's a Chrome Extension That Will Flag Fake-News Sites for You|date=15 November 2016}}</ref> He invited others to use his code and improve upon it.<ref name=brianfeldman /> [[Social:Upworthy|Upworthy]] co-founder and ''The Filter Bubble'' author Eli Pariser launched an [[Open-source model|open-source model]] initiative on 17 November 2016 to address false news.<ref name=parisercrowdsourced>{{citation|url=http://fortune.com/2016/11/27/eli-pariser-fake-news-brain-trust/|access-date=28 November 2016|work=Fortune magazine|date=27 November 2016|title=Eli Pariser's Crowdsourced Brain Trust Is Tackling Fake News|first=David Z. |last=Morris}}</ref><ref name=hivemindassemble /> Pariser began a Google Document to collaborate with others online on how to lessen the phenomenon of fraudulent news.<ref name=parisercrowdsourced /><ref name=hivemindassemble /> Pariser called his initiative: "Design Solutions for Fake News".<ref name=parisercrowdsourced /> Pariser's document included recommendations for a ratings organization analogous to the [[Organization:Better Business Bureau|Better Business Bureau]], and a database on media producers in a format like [[Wikipedia]].<ref name=parisercrowdsourced /><ref name=hivemindassemble>{{citation|access-date=29 November 2016|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/fake-news-document-eli-pariser|magazine=Wired magazine UK edition|title=Hive mind assemble! There is now a crowdsourcing campaign to solve the problem of fake news|date=25 November 2016|first=Matt|last=Burgess}}</ref> Writing for ''Fortune'', Matthew Ingram agreed with the idea that Wikipedia could serve as a helpful model to improve Facebook's analysis of potentially fake news.<ref name=facebookdoesntneed>{{citation|url=http://fortune.com/2016/11/21/facebook-public-editor/|access-date=29 November 2016|date=21 November 2016|title=Facebook Doesn't Need One Editor, It Needs 1,000 of Them|first=Matthew|last=Ingram|work=Fortune magazine}}</ref> Ingram concluded Facebook could benefit from a social network form of fact-checking similar to Wikipedia's methods while incorporating debunking websites such as PolitiFact.com.<ref name=facebookdoesntneed />

===Others===
Pope Francis, the leader of the [[Organization:Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]], spoke out against fake news in an interview with the Belgian Catholic weekly ''{{ill|Tertio (magazine)|nl|Tertio}}'' on 7 December 2016.<ref name=popewarnsnyt>{{citation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/12/07/world/europe/ap-eu-rel-vatican-fake-news.html|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|date=7 December 2016|access-date=7 December 2016|agency=Associated Press|title=Pope Warns About Fake News-From Experience}}</ref> The Pope had prior experience being the subject of a fake news website fiction—during the 2016 U.S. election cycle, he was falsely said to support Donald Trump for president.<ref name=popewarnsnyt /><ref name=alyssanewcomb /><ref name=didthepope>{{citation|url=http://www.factcheck.org/2016/10/did-the-pope-endorse-trump/|access-date=7 December 2016|work=FactCheck.org|publisher=Annenberg Public Policy Center|title=Did the Pope Endorse Trump?|first=Sydney|last=Schaede|date=24 October 2016}}</ref> Pope Francis said the singular worst thing the news media could do was spreading [[Social:Disinformation|disinformation]] and that amplifying fake news instead of educating society was a [[Philosophy:Sin|sin]]. He compared salacious reporting of scandals, whether true or not, to coprophilia and the consumption of it to coprophagy.<ref name=popewarnsreuters>{{citation|work={{wipe|Reuters}}|date=7 December 2016|access-date=7 December 2016|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-media-idUSKBN13W1TU|title=Pope warns media over 'sin' of spreading fake news, smearing politicians|first=Philip|last= Pullella}}</ref><ref name=popefranciscompares>{{citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/12/07/pope-francis-compares-media-who-spread-fake-news-to-people-who-are-excited-by-feces|access-date=7 December 2016|date=7 December 2016|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|title=Pope Francis compares media that spread fake news to people who are excited by feces|first=Julie|last= Zauzmer}}</ref><ref name=harrietsherwood>{{citation|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/07/pope-compares-fake-news-consumption-to-eating-faeces-coprophilia|work={{wipe|The Guardian}}|date=7 December 2016|access-date=7 December 2016|title=Pope Francis compares fake news consumption to eating faeces}}</ref><ref name=andrewgriffin>{{citation|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/pope-fake-news-francis-sexual-arousal-coprophilia-coprophagia-a7461331.html|access-date=7 December 2016|date=7 December 2016|work=The Independent|first=Andrew|last=Griffin|title=Pope Francis: Fake news is like getting sexually aroused by faeces}}</ref> The Pope said that he did not intend to offend with his strong words, but emphasized that "a lot of damage can be done" when the truth is disregarded and slander is spread.<ref name=popefranciscompares/><ref name=andrewgriffin/>

==Academic analysis==
Jamie Condliffe wrote that banning ad revenue from fraudulent sites was not aggressive enough action by Facebook to deal with the problem, and did not prevent fake news from appearing in Facebook news feeds.<ref name=condliffe>{{citation|date=15 November 2016|access-date=16 November 2016|url=https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602864/facebooks-fake-news-ad-ban-is-not-enough/|work=MIT Technology Review|first=Jamie|last=Condliffe|title=Facebook's Fake-News Ad Ban Is Not Enough}}</ref> University of Michigan political scientist Brendan Nyhan criticized Facebook for not doing more to combat fake news amplification.<ref name=viralfakeelection>{{citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/viral-fake-election-news-outperformed-real-news-on-facebook|title=Viral Fake Election News Outperformed Real News On Facebook In Final Months Of The US Election|newspaper=BuzzFeed|access-date=16 November 2016|date=16 November 2016|first=Craig|last=Silverman}}</ref> [[Organization:Indiana University Bloomington|Indiana University]] computer science professor [[Biography:Filippo Menczer|Filippo Menczer]] commented on measures by Google and Facebook to deny fraudulent sites revenue, saying it was a good step to reduce motivation for fraudsters.<ref>{{citation|agency={{wipe|Reuters}}|url=http://news.kuwaittimes.net/website/google-facebook-move-curb-ads-fake-news-sites/|access-date=16 November 2016|title=Google, Facebook move to curb ads on fake news sites|work=Kuwait Times|date=15 November 2016}}</ref> Menczer's research team engaged in developing an online tool titled: Hoaxy — to see the pervasiveness of unconfirmed assertions as well as related debunking on the Internet.<ref name=menczer>{{citation|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fake-online-news-spreads-through-social-echo-chambers|first=Filippo|last=Menczer|work=Scientific American|access-date=29 November 2016|title=Fake Online News Spreads Through Social Echo Chambers|date=28 November 2016|agency=The Conversation}}</ref>

[[File:Zeynep Tufekci 2 (5805394290).jpg|thumb|left|Zeynep Tufekci has written that Facebook amplified fake news and echo chambers.|alt=Zeynep Tufekci, a writer and academic]]

Zeynep Tufekci wrote critically about Facebook's stance on fraudulent news sites, stating that fraudulent websites in North Macedonia profited handsomely off false stories about the 2016 U.S. election.<ref name=trytodrain /> Tufecki wrote that Facebook's algorithms, and structure exacerbated the impact of [[Social:Echo chamber (media)|echo chambers]] and increased fake news blight.<ref name=trytodrain>{{citation|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2016/11/facebook_google_try_to_drain_t.html|access-date=16 November 2016|date=15 November 2016|work=The Oregonian|title=Facebook, Google try to drain the fake-news swamp without angering partisans|first=Douglas|last=Perry}}</ref>

In 2016 Melissa Zimdars, associate professor of communications at Merrimack College,<ref name=merrimack01>{{Citation |title=Profile: Melissa "Mish" Zimdars  |publisher=Merrimack College |url=https://www.merrimack.edu/live/profiles/586-melissa-mish-zimdars/_p/f |access-date=28 November 2019}}</ref> created a handout for her Introduction to Mass Communication students titled "False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and/or Satirical 'News' Sources" and posted it on Google docs.<ref name=ZimdarsNov2016>{{Citation |last=Zimdars |first=Melissa |year=2016 |title=Earliest (November 16th 2016) version of Zimdars' list|url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/10eA5-mCZLSS4MQY5QGb5ewC3VAL6pLkT53V_81ZyitM/preview |access-date=28 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116124555/https://docs.google.com/document/d/10eA5-mCZLSS4MQY5QGb5ewC3VAL6pLkT53V_81ZyitM/preview |archive-date=16 November 2016 }}</ref> It was circulated on social media, and on 15 November 2016, the ''Los Angeles Times'' published the class handout under the title "Want to keep fake news out of your newsfeed? College professor creates list of sites to avoid".<ref name=LATimes2016>{{Citation |last=Roy |first=Jessica |year=2016 |title=Want to keep fake news out of your newsfeed? College professor creates list of sites to avoid |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-want-to-keep-fake-news-out-of-your-1479260297-htmlstory.html |access-date=28 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116050934/http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-want-to-keep-fake-news-out-of-your-1479260297-htmlstory.html |archive-date=16 November 2016 }}</ref> Zimdars said that the list "wasn't intended to be widely distributed", and expressed concern that "people are taking it as this list of 'fake' sites, which is not its purpose". On 17 November 2016 Zimdars deleted the list.<ref name=USAToday2016>{{Citation |last=Hoyt |first=James |year=2016 |title=So about that viral list of fake news sites ... |newspaper=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/college/2016/11/17/so-about-that-viral-list-of-fake-news-sites-/37424691/ |access-date=28 November 2019}}</ref> On 3 January 2017, Zimdars replaced the original handout with a new list at the same URL.<ref name=ZimdarsNov2017>{{Citation |last=Zimdars |first=Melissa |year=2017 |title=False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and/or Satirical "News" Sources |publisher=Melissa Zimdars |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/10eA5-mCZLSS4MQY5QGb5ewC3VAL6pLkT53V_81ZyitM/preview |access-date=28 November 2019}}</ref> The new list has removed most of the sites from the original handout, added many new sites, and greatly expanded the categories. <!-- Note to future editors: The page at https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/fake-news-facebook-deleted-alt-right/ documents Zimdars side of the storm of criticism her list caused, but it would not be NPOV to simply show that without showing that some of the criticism (targeting conservative sites, ignoring liberal sites) is justified. Alas, most of the sources on this fail RS -->

[[Organization:Stanford University|Stanford University]] professors Sam Wineburg and Sarah McGrew authored a 2016 study analyzing students' ability to discern fraudulent news from factual.<ref name=canyoutell /><ref name=stanfordstudy /> The study took place over a year-long period of time, and involved a sample size of over 7,800 responses from university, secondary and middle school students in 12 states within the United States.<ref name=canyoutell>{{citation|access-date=25 November 2016|work=National Public Radio|date=23 November 2016|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/23/503129818/study-finds-students-have-dismaying-inability-to-tell-fake-news-from-real|title=Students Have 'Dismaying' Inability To Tell Fake News From Real, Study Finds|first=Camila|last=Domonoske}}</ref><ref name=stanfordstudy>{{citation|access-date=25 November 2016|work=National Public Radio|date=22 November 2016|first=Kelly|last=McEvers|title=Stanford Study Finds Most Students Vulnerable To Fake News|url=https://www.npr.org/2016/11/22/503052574/stanford-study-finds-most-students-vulnerable-to-fake-news}}</ref> They were surprised at the consistency with which students thought fraudulent news reports were factual.<ref name=canyoutell /><ref name=stanfordstudy /> The study found 82% of students in [[Social:Middle school|middle school]] were unable to differentiate between an advertisement denoted as sponsored content from an actual news article.<ref>{{citation|access-date=29 November 2016|work={{wipe|The Wall Street Journal}}|title=Most Students Don't Know When News Is Fake, Stanford Study Finds|first=Sue|last=Shellenbarger|date=21 November 2016|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/most-students-dont-know-when-news-is-fake-stanford-study-finds-1479752576}}</ref> The authors concluded the solution was to educate online media consumers to themselves behave like fact-checkers — and actively question the veracity of all sources.<ref name=canyoutell /><ref name=stanfordstudy /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Even smart people are shockingly bad at analyzing sources online. This might be an actual solution.|url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2017/10/even-smart-people-are-shockingly-bad-at-analyzing-sources-online-this-might-be-an-actual-solution/|access-date=2021-12-19|website=Nieman Lab}}</ref> A 2019 study in the journal ''Science'', which examined dissemination of fake news articles on Facebook in the 2016 election, found that sharing of fake news articles on Facebook was "relatively rare", conservatives were more likely than liberals or moderates to share fake news, and there is a "strong age effect", whereby individuals over 65 are vastly more likely to share fake news than younger cohorts.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Guess |first1=Andrew |last2=Nagler |first2=Jonathan |last3=Tucker |first3=Joshua |title=Less than you think: Prevalence and predictors of fake news dissemination on Facebook |journal=Science Advances |date=9 January 2019 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=eaau4586 |doi=10.1126/sciadv.aau4586 |pmid=30662946 |pmc=6326755 |bibcode=2019SciA....5.4586G }}</ref> Another 2019 study in ''Science'' found, "fake news accounted for nearly 6% of all news consumption [on Twitter], but it was heavily concentrated—only 1% of users were exposed to 80% of fake news, and 0.1% of users were responsible for sharing 80% of fake news. Interestingly, fake news was most concentrated among conservative voters."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Grinberg |first1=Nir |last2=Joseph |first2=Kenneth |last3=Friedland |first3=Lisa |last4=Swire-Thompson |first4=Briony |last5=Lazer |first5=David |title=Fake news on Twitter during the 2016 U.S. presidential election |journal=Science |date=25 January 2019 |volume=363 |issue=6425 |pages=374–378 |doi=10.1126/science.aau2706 |pmid=30679368 |bibcode=2019Sci...363..374G |s2cid=59248491 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Scientist Emily Willingham has proposed applying the [[Scientific method|scientific method]] to fake news analysis.<ref name=willingham>{{citation|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2016/11/28/a-scientific-approach-to-distinguishing-real-from-fake-news|work=Forbes magazine|first=Emily|last=Willingham|date=28 November 2016|access-date=29 November 2016|title=A Scientific Approach To Distinguishing Real From Fake News}}</ref> She had previously written on the topic of differentiating science from [[Unsolved:Pseudoscience|pseudoscience]], and proposed applying that logic to fake news.<ref name=willingham /> She calls the recommended steps Observe, Question, Hypothesize, Analyze data, Draw conclusion, and Act on results.<ref name=willingham /> Willingham suggested a [[Hypothesis|hypothesis]] of "This is real news", and then forming a strong set of questions to attempt to disprove the hypothesis.<ref name=willingham /> These tests included: check the [[URL]], date of the article, evaluate reader bias and writer bias, double-check the evidence, and verify the sources cited.<ref name=willingham /> [[Organization:University of Connecticut|University of Connecticut]] philosophy professor [[Biography:Michael P. Lynch|Michael P. Lynch]] said that a troubling number of individuals make determinations relying upon the most recent piece of information they've consumed.<ref name=tavernise /> He said the greater issue however was that fake news could make people less likely to believe news that really is true.<ref name=tavernise /> Lynch summed up the thought process of such individuals, as "...ignore the facts because nobody knows what's really true anyway."<ref name=tavernise />

In 2019, [[Biography:David Lazer|David Lazer]] and other researchers, from [[Organization:Northeastern University|Northeastern University]], [[Organization:Harvard University|Harvard University]], and the [[Organization:University at Buffalo|University at Buffalo]], analyzed engagement with a previously defined set of fake news sources on Twitter. They found that such engagement was highly concentrated both among a small number of websites and a small number of Twitter users. Five percent of the sources accounted for over fifty percent of exposures. Among users, 0.1 percent consumed eighty percent of the volume from fake news sources.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Frazier |first1=Kendrick |title=Engagement with Fake News Extremely Concentrated, New Study Finds |journal=[[Unsolved:Skeptical Inquirer|Skeptical Inquirer]] |date=2019 |volume=43 |issue=3 |pages=10–11}}</ref>

==See also==
<!-- Please keep entries in alphabetical order & add a short description WP:SEEALSO -->
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* {{annotated link|Alarmism}}
* {{annotated link|Social:Alternative facts}}
* {{annotated link|Social:Big lie}}
* {{annotated link|Social:Citizen journalism}}
* {{Annotated link |Clickbait}}
* {{Annotated link |Confirmation bias}}
* {{Annotated link |Disinformation}}
* {{Annotated link |Doomscrolling}}
* {{Annotated link |Echo chamber (media)}}
* {{Annotated link |Euromyth}}
* {{Annotated link |Fact}}
* {{Annotated link |Fact-checking}}
* {{annotated link|Social:Factoid}}
* {{Annotated link |Fake news}}
* {{Annotated link |Fallacy of composition}}
* {{Annotated link |False equivalence}}
* {{annotated link|Social:Fearmongering}}
* {{Annotated link |Filter bubble}}
* {{Annotated link |Firehose of falsehood}}
* {{Annotated link |Freedom of the press}}
* {{annotated link|Information quality}}
* {{Annotated link |Information silo}}
* {{annotated link|Social:Internet meme}}
* {{Annotated link |Lamestream media}}
* {{Annotated link |List of fake news websites}}
* {{Annotated link |Muckraker}}
* {{Annotated link |Political bias}}
* {{Annotated link |Post-truth politics}}
* {{annotated link|Unsolved:Pseudohistory}}
* {{Annotated link |Selective exposure theory}}
* {{Annotated link |Social Networks}}
* {{Annotated link |Spiral of silence}}
* {{Annotated link |Tabloid journalism}}
* {{Annotated link |Tribe (Internet)}}
* {{Annotated link |Troll farm}}
* {{Annotated link |Truthiness}}
* {{Annotated link |Yellow journalism}}
{{div col end}}
<!-- please keep entries in alphabetical order -->

==Footnotes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{citation|date=15 November 2016|access-date=16 November 2016|url=https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602864/facebooks-fake-news-ad-ban-is-not-enough/|work=MIT Technology Review|first=Jamie|last=Condliffe|title=Facebook's Fake-News Ad Ban Is Not Enough}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Lazer |first1=David M. J. |last2=Baum |first2=Matthew A. |last3=Benkler |first3=Yochai |last4=Berinsky |first4=Adam J. |last5=Greenhill |first5=Kelly M. |last6=Menczer |first6=Filippo |last7=Metzger |first7=Miriam J. |last8=Nyhan |first8=Brendan |last9=Pennycook |first9=Gordon |last10=Rothschild |first10=David |last11=Schudson |first11=Michael |last12=Sloman |first12=Steven A. |last13=Sunstein |first13=Cass R. |last14=Thorson |first14=Emily A. |last15=Watts |first15=Duncan J. |last16=Zittrain |first16=Jonathan L. |title=The science of fake news |journal=Science |date=9 March 2018 |volume=359 |issue=6380 |pages=1094–1096 |doi=10.1126/science.aao2998 |pmid=29590025 |arxiv=2307.07903 |bibcode=2018Sci...359.1094L |s2cid=4410672 }}
* {{citation|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/life/digital-life/2016/11/15/breaking-friends-family-sharing-fake-news|work=The Dallas Morning News|access-date=16 November 2016|date=15 November 2016|title=How to break it to your friends and family that they're sharing fake news|first=Cassandra|last=Jaramillo}}
* [http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/document.cfm?doc_id=50271 Final report of the EU Commission's High Level Expert Group on Fake News and Online Disinformation. March 2018.]
* {{citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/how-macedonia-became-a-global-hub-for-pro-trump-misinfo|access-date=16 November 2016|work=BuzzFeed|title=How Teens In The Balkans Are Duping Trump Supporters With Fake News|first1=Craig  |last1=Silverman  |first2=Lawrence|last2=Alexander|date=3 November 2016|}}
* {{citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/ishmaeldaro/fake-news-sites-adsense|access-date=16 November 2016|work=BuzzFeed|date=15 November 2016|title=Fake News Sites Are Not Terribly Worried About Google Kicking Them Off AdSense|first1=Ishmael N.  |last1=Daro  |first2=Craig|last2=Silverman}}
* {{citation|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/viral-fake-election-news-outperformed-real-news-on-facebook|title=Viral Fake Election News Outperformed Real News On Facebook In Final Months Of The US Election|newspaper=BuzzFeed|access-date=16 November 2016|date=16 November 2016|first=Craig|last=Silverman}}
* {{citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/11/26/before-fake-news-there-was-soviet-disinformation|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|date=26 November 2016|access-date=3 December 2016|title=Before 'fake news,' there was Soviet 'disinformation'|first=Adam|last=Taylor}}
* {{citation|access-date=6 December 2016|work=War on the Rocks|url=http://warontherocks.com/2016/11/trolling-for-trump-how-russia-is-trying-to-destroy-our-democracy/|title=Trolling for Trump: How Russia is Trying to Destroy Our Democracy|author1=Andrew Weisburd, [[Biography:Clint Watts|Clint Watts]]  |first2=JM|last2=Berger|date=6 November 2016}}

==External links==

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk5IWzTfWeM "How Do We Know What Is True?" (animated video; 2:52)]
* [https://qz.com/839160/heres-a-handy-cheat-sheet-of-false-and-misleading-news-sites/ "Websites that circulate misleading and/or potentially unreliable information"]
{{Propaganda}}
{{Media manipulation}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fake news websites}}
[[Category:Internet culture]]
[[Category:Internet manipulation and propaganda]]
[[Category:Propaganda techniques]]
[[Category:Social engineering (computer security)]]

{{Sourceattribution|Fake news website}}