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<b>Devangshu Datta:</b> Peddling fake news

It is easy for those who understand social media to make a living peddling falsehoods

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Devangshu Datta
Fake news (FN) has dominated recent political discourse to such an extent that it has given rise to the coinage of the compound word, “post-truth”. FN had a major influence on the 2016 US presidential elections; the successful candidate repeatedly, openly lied. FN was also a major influence in the UK’s Brexit Referendum; “Leavers” successfully peddled an absurd narrative. FN also influences India’s media/political circus. 

FN is easy to peddle, and hard to counter. The most crucial reason for this is a key feedback loop. Polarised media sources create slanted content. It is consumed by those sharing the same biases. The
Disclaimer: These are personal views of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of www.business-standard.com or the Business Standard newspaper