I'd like to recommend to you a new book, entitled Fake News Nation: The Long History of Lies and Misinterpretations in America (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019). Information about the book is at: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538131107/Fake-News-Nation-The-Long-History-of-Lies-and-Misinterpretations-in-America As I noted in my endorsement of this book: "James W. Cortada and Willam Aspray's brilliantly selected and crafted case studies are … Continue reading Fake News Nation – a new book by Aspray and Cortada is out!
fake news
The New News Strategy? How the Panic Over Fake News Could Undermine the News
There seems to be a pattern evolving around concerns over fake news – one that runs counter to more conventional expectations. Most people expect that raising concerns over fake news might actually lead to improvements in search, platforms, regulation, or consumer behavior that improves the quality and diversity of news. However, the opposite might be … Continue reading The New News Strategy? How the Panic Over Fake News Could Undermine the News
Talks in Europe on Quello Center’s Search and Politics Project
I had a fascinating and challenging week in Europe speaking about the Quello Center’s work on search and politics. The findings of our project, called ‘The Part Played by Search in Shaping Public Opinion’, suggested that concerns over fake news, echo chambers, and filter bubbles is ‘overhyped and underresearched’. The project was supported by Google, … Continue reading Talks in Europe on Quello Center’s Search and Politics Project
Fake news, echo chambers and filter bubbles: Underresearched and overhyped: as appeared in The Conversation
Fake news, echo chambers and filter bubbles: Underresearched and overhyped Don’t panic: An international survey finds concerns about fake news are overblown. studiostoks/shutterstock.com William H. Dutton, Michigan State University In the early years of the internet, it was revolutionary to have a world of information just a click away from anyone, anywhere, anytime. Many hoped … Continue reading Fake news, echo chambers and filter bubbles: Underresearched and overhyped: as appeared in The Conversation
Fake News May Trump Other Current Panics over the Internet and Social Media
I recently posted a short overview of the findings of one of our projects on fake news, filter bubbles, and echo chambers in The Conversation. All three are foci of panic over the potential political implications of new technologies, such as search algorithms and social media friending and de-friending mechanisms. Given the comments received and … Continue reading Fake News May Trump Other Current Panics over the Internet and Social Media
Why is the panic around echo chambers, filter bubbles, and fake news?
A report we just completed for the Quello Center on 'Search and Politics' concluded that most people are not fooled by fake news, or trapped by filter bubbles or echo chambers. For example, those interested in politics and with some ability in using the Internet and search, generally consult multiple sources for political information, and … Continue reading Why is the panic around echo chambers, filter bubbles, and fake news?
Are Newspapers Surrendering News Coverage? The Big Impact of Online News
Today’s New York Times provided a clear illustration of an impact of the rise of online news and associated cable and satellite news coverage around the clock. Could it be true that newspapers have given up on trying to report breaking news? Maybe this was a bad news day, but the front page of today’s … Continue reading Are Newspapers Surrendering News Coverage? The Big Impact of Online News
Don’t Panic over Fake News
Fake News is a Wonderful Headline but Not a Reason to Panic I feel guilty for not jumping on the ‘fake news’ bandwagon. It is one of the new new things in the aftermath of the 2016 Presidential election. And because purposively misleading news stories, like the Pope endorsing Donald Trump, engage so many people, … Continue reading Don’t Panic over Fake News