Fake news, or false information, is often disguised as sensationalism to attract public attention. Their goal is to deceive and manipulate, to replace the truth with lies.
Fake news can be created in a variety of ways, from simple image tampering in graphic editors to more complex manipulations of content. Fake news is a special case of lying. For example, a report about a dam being blown up is a specific false fact. Under normal circumstances, such information may go unnoticed, especially if people don’t see any disaster. People would simply dismiss it.
However, if such a fake is spread during a flood or floods, when the threat is real and people are stressed and uncertain, this lie falls on fertile ground. It instantly spreads through the media and rumors, turning into a powerful stream of disinformation.
This problem is especially acute in times of war, when the spread of fake news is significantly accelerated by the Internet and artificial intelligence. Russia, using its propaganda media, which have long since lost signs of independence, is actively spreading fakes, such as stories about the “crucified boy,” the MH17 plane shot down by a Buk, “biolabs” in Ukraine, and many others.
Fakes can relate to both global and local issues. During the large-scale floods in Poland, the country faced such a wave of disinformation that several ministries were fighting it, and even officials found it difficult to convey the truth to the population.
When it comes to life and health, fear can provoke panic, turning an imaginary threat into a real one, which can lead to tragic consequences not because of the disaster itself, but because of people’s misinterpretation of misinformation.
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