Argument Essay
The modern world has seen increased rates of disinformation and misinformation, whereby people use online platforms to spread fake news. In the U.S., the growth and spread of fake news have become a controversial issue as it causes commotion in the country. For example, the fake news that circulated in the social media sites in 2016 caused adverse implications on the nation’s democratic institutions. Besides, fake news rises political heat as politicians spread misleading information online causing conflict. Fake news affects social order as they cause unrest and anxiety in society.
The recent growth and spread of fake news have become an urgent concern as this news promote the dissemination of inaccurate information. Primarily, technological advancements have supported the spread of disinformation and misinformation as people around the world use the different social media platforms to spread fake news. According to Leeder (1), “In a 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey, 73% of Americans reported that the spread of inaccurate information on the Internet was a major problem.” This illustration reveals that the rate of the transmission of fake news in the U.S. is high. Usually, bloggers use Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to transmit misleading information about a specific concern. For example, during pandemics, a blogger can share misleading information on how deadly the virus is on human health. Besides, a blogger can post data that shows how a fatal illness has killed people in a country. Spreading such deceitful information affect public health as it creates anxiety, fear, and confusion.
Moreover, fake news is a leading threat to democracy. According to Chadwick, “False news is more novel than true news, and that may be why we share the false much faster and more widely.” The high spread rate of fake news interferes with the country’s leadership as it makes people believe misleading information about the government. According to Leeder (2), “the majority of U.S. adults consider fake news a threat to our democracy.” This is so because fake news transmitted through the internet confuse people about current issues and events. For example, when a political leader posts misleading information about the distribution of power in the country, they threaten democracy as they influence people to have a negative attitude towards the government. As such, people start protesting against the current governance.
Fake news spread quickly as bloggers posts these articles on sites that impersonate or resemble reputable and legitimate news outlets. As a result, people believe their authenticity. For example, a twitter user, who impersonates a senior government leader, can use images and words to make assertions about a specific debatable topic such as referendums or elections. Then people retweet the tweet spreading the cascade that eventually creates turmoil in the country. For example, the spreading to fake news in the 2016 election caused fear among citizens who believed that Russia was interfering with the polls. Also, Russia contributed to the spread of fake news as it used Twitter and Facebook to fuel political polarization and distrust. Overall, fake news affects social order as it causes confusion among people.
College students are more exposed to misleading media environment than other demographic groups because they are the leading users of social media. A 2018 study reveals that 88 % of youths between the ages 18-29 get their news from social media (Leeder 2). Therefore, this paper address youths and younger adults since they are at higher risks of accessing and using fake news. Altogether, the rate of the transmission of fake news today has increased. Therefore, the government should set appropriate measures to curb this practice to promote public health.