The harm in fake news

We’ve said it before and we’re saying it again – at some point, all of us have fallen victim to fake news. Clearly we see how rampant this has become and worse yet, we see many who take advantage of a crisis to further perpetuate disinformation.

There are only two choices when it comes to fake news and it is either we break them or take them. Surely, breaking them is the better choice. But why is fake news really harmful? Have any of us ever really paused to think about why it can be so dangerous?

Studies have shown that many of us still believe in fake news by being unable to tell which news is fake and which news is real, hence creating so much confusion and misunderstanding about very important social and political issues. As a student, fake news can affect your grades by using a wrong or misleading source.

Even when it comes to our health, fake news can affect us. There are so many fake and misleading stories on medical treatments and major diseases that can affect our decisions and cause us harm, most especially nowadays when we are all struggling for a cure for COVID-19.

The impact of disinformation is deep. So deep that social conflict, in my opinion, is the biggest threat in our fight for unity. When news articles become intentionally designed to manipulate people’s perceptions and used to stir up emotions, sadly, mistrust amongst people intensifies our problems as the people’s faith is undermined.

Fake news also distracts people from more important issues, especially if they remain unresolved. Malicious intent is usually the basis for fake news and it is purposely done to aggravate conflicts. We all love to talk about democracy, but it seems we are forgetting how fake news affects the very same thing we are trying to uphold because the public becomes vulnerable as fake news spreads.

Fake news is an issue all over the world and positive discourse on addressing issues within and along nations become stifled. Fake news spreads like a virus and many people are susceptible to the disease. However, while disinformation will never disappear, learning how it is propagated makes it possible for us to fight back.

Fake news is surely, at this point in time, a national security issue, putting more and more people at risk, such as the youth or the less educated. Providing constant general warnings, whether it be on the national level or even among friends, enables us to combat disinformation.

We are constantly learning each day and so much information is pouring in by the minute. And while we can all be good at ignoring or forgetting, social responsibility is still a must and it is absolutely necessary if we want to unite our country.