#FakeNewsFriday: Does "Fake News" Have a Whole New Meaning?

#FakeNewsFriday!

Whether it's the use of the term "fake news", governments ruling on what is fake, the persistence of fake social media accounts, or fake passengers, we give you a recap of the best of what's fake on the SUJO app. Happy #FakeNewsFriday!

Does "Fake News" Have a Whole New Meaning?

The term “fake news” has taken on a life of it’s own aside from merely describing disinformation. Politicians have used it to describe unflattering news, it’s used tongue-in-cheek to deny anything, and the term sometimes replaces plain old “bull…t.” It seems the English phrase “fake news” is even being used in other languages as a stand-alone expression. Is the term “fake news” now it’s own unique expression? Should we stop using the term to describe intentional disinformation?

Many governments, including states, have proposed and implemented ways to combat disinformation or at least what they deem as "fake news." Last week we talked about California coming very close to creating a fake news monitoring panel that was ultimately vetoed by the Governor. Korea, Egypt, Indonesia and others have all announced, launched, or even prosecuted people under new fake news initiatives. There is widespread distrust of social platforms and the news media when it comes to determining what is fake news, but would people trust governments more to make these determinations? What about governments prosecuting people for what they determine is disinformation?

All of our #FakeNewsFriday SNiPs below touch on these issues. Comment on the SNiPs and let us know what you think!

Check out the "Fake News" topic category in the SUJO app for more! You can also keep up with #FakeNewsFriday on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Don't Say 'Fake News,' France Urged

The Commission for the Enrichment of the French Language (CELF) is calling on French speakers to stop using the English term “fake news”, and instead use a French alternative. CELF suggests using "information fallacieuse" instead, or even the abbreviation “infox”, formed from the words “information” and "intoxication”. “The Anglo-Saxon expression ‘fake news’ has rapidly prospered in French”, CELF said. “This is an occasion to draw on the resources of the language to find French equivalents.”

Will French speakers listen to CELF’s demands?

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Twitter Had a 'Fake News Ecosystem' Around 2016 Election: Study

A study by the Knight Foundation analyzing tweets sent before and after the 2016 presidential elections found a “fake news ecosystem” on Twitter that spread misinformation across the US. Over 6.6 million tweets circulated on Twitter in the month before the election were tied to “fake news and conspiracy news publishers”. Over 80% of the accounts that repeatedly spread misinformation are still active, “and they continue to publish more than a million tweets on a typical day”, the foundation said.

Is trying to stop the spread of misinformation an impossible task?

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South Korea Declares War on ‘Fake News,’ Worrying Government Critics

South Korea announced a crackdown on “fake news”, calling it “a destroyer of democracy”. “Fake news is a public enemy hiding behind the cover of free speech”, Prime Minister Lee said. “We can no longer turn a blind eye to it.” He ordered law enforcement to tackle those who “generate fake news with malicious intent and systematically spread it”, and to act on online media sources that serve as “avenues for fake news”. Critics say the gov’t is trying to impede free speech and silence critics.

Does freedom of speech include the freedom to spread false information?

Egypt Activist Sentenced Over 'Fake News'

An Egyptian court gave human rights activist Amal Fathy a 2 year suspended sentence and a fine for attempting to harm the Egyptian state by spreading fake news. She was arrested in May after posting a video criticizing the government for not protecting women against sexual harassment. “Amal Fathy is now facing a disgraceful sentence simply for her courage to speak out against sexual harassment”, Amnesty International said. “She is not a criminal and should not be punished for her bravery.”

Is Egypt using ‘fake news’ and counterterrorism to act against critical journalists?

Indonesian Government to Hold 'Fake News' Briefings

The Indonesian government established a team of 70 people tasked with identifying fake news stories, or hoaxes as they are known there. The gov’t will give the public weekly briefings on identified hoaxes to improve digital literacy in the runup to the country’s presidential elections next year. “Every week we will announce hoax news”, the Communications Minister said. “The ministry will not just stamp a story as hoax, but we will also provide facts.”

Does freedom of speech include the freedom to spread false information?

NO DUMMIES: Crackdown on Slow drivers, Mannequins in HOV

Houston is cracking down on violators of High-Occupancy Vehicle rules as traffic slows down in the HOV lanes recently. Many drivers have been caught using mannequins and other means to fake a shared occupant in order to use the lanes that require more than one driver. They have varied from piles of wood to fake babies and well-dressed mannequins wearing makeup. Most of the lanes are free but can spare a lot of time over the single-occupancy lanes. Drivers can face up to $200 for the violation.

Is a $200 fine enough for driving with a dummy in the car to skirt HOV rules?