With social media under the spotlight after misinformation fuelled riots across the country, Newsworks insight director Heather Dansie writes for The Media Leader, emphasising the vital role of trusted journalism in combating fake news
After the tragic events in Southport, social media lit up with false accusations and misleading posts, amplified by social media accounts that masquerade as legitimate news sources. Far-right influencers then escalated these claims by adding their own inaccurate speculations, with these posts viewed by millions of people.
“We’ve all seen what’s happened since”, writes Dansie. “We’ve witnessed the news footage of hundreds of hooligans hijacking streets up and down the country, stoking division and tension. It’s appalling.”
With the consequences of fake news now plain to see, she goes onto highlight just how many people feel they have been affected by misinformation online.
“Over half of people believe they’ve been tricked into believing fake news. Almost 80% of the UK are concerned about it…with only a quarter feeling confident in their ability to spot it”, she writes, citing figures from Newsworks’ 2023 ‘Fact not fake’ research into misinformation.
See Heather Dansie’s piece for The Media Leader here.
