To ask why there are such things as internet hoaxes is an interesting question that probably has no definite answer. There will not always be accuracy and truth by having something as powerful as the internet at the tip of our fingers, especially when we’re allowed access to social sites such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc.. Personally, I do not think that internet hoaxes also known as “fake news” are helpful to society, because it puts wrong ideas into peoples minds and starts controversy between peers. The fact that anyone with an internet connection can post their radical opinions online is alarming, but first amendment freedoms allow people to do so.
Fake news is present on all sorts of platforms daily, especially in the current political climate. People tend to out our president on social platforms – specifically twitter by using the hashtag #fakenews because it starts a trend in the twitter community. The president tends to look at media platforms as fake news when they publish negative stories about him, or when news sources post one-sided or opinion pieces that are interpreted as anti-Trump.
Online trolls also contribute to the fake news epidemic. Fake accounts spreading misinformation and false data often skew people’s political views. Videos with altered voices, ‘alternate’ fact pages, or radical propaganda are all contributors to the fake news epidemic. Oftentimes, people have a difficult time distinguishing fake news or alternate facts from the truth, making it difficult for politicians and government agencies to gain and hold people’s trust.
Rachel, I love your angle on this topic! Considering the #fakenews trend that President Trump has made a new norm on social media I find to be wildly concerning. I’m curious as to how people in other parts of the world who don’t have the benefit of the first amendment distinguish what is real and fake online, because I would imagine it would be significantly more difficult, especially if the government is involved in what they can and cannot have access to. Also, I totally agree that viral hoaxes are not helpful in any way. Great job on this!