Fake news–the gluten-free, lower-calorie term for what used to be called “disinformation,” “lies” and “propaganda”—played a significant role in shaping the attitudes and choices of millions of voters in the 2016 presidential election. Although fake news for a long time has been an integral component of the “information” disseminated by mass-media outlets, only recently was the widespread practice exposed as a national menace and a threat to the long-held principle of freedom of information.
Fake news has been feeding an insidious sibling: fake politics.
Leid Stories discusses the clear connection between fake news and the derailing of mass struggle in the United States.