Fake News Bias

Certainly for as long as communication itself has existed there has always been misleading or even blatantly false information spread. However, as technology become more and more advanced the spread of this false information has become increasingly easier. Recently, a large focus has been placed upon what has been termed as fake news. The most simple definition for what fake news looks like are news stories that present themselves as fact but are intentionally false. Regardless of whether the people spreading theses articles are just in it for the money, or are purposefully trying to convert people to their opinions, the main issue is that people are believing these stories. In order for any democracy to work the voting public must be informed and able to make conscious decisions

However, this is not the whole story. While their findings certainly are a part to understanding why fake news works, it is not the whole story. As previously mentioned, implicit bias or more commonly “echo-chambers” are one physiological phenomenon which causes people to create certain groups. Similarly, confirmation bias is a description of the process by which people will consciously or subconsciously will seek out and believe information which they already believe to be true (Braucher). Really, any of these three phenomena whether it be implicit bias, the inability to find good information, or confirmation bias can prove to be detrimental all on their own, but together they can be even worse. If someone is in an echo-chamber with only members of their own group likely, only articles will be shared which will further their own confirmation bias and due to the large group setting they may even be less likely to tell if what they are seeing is factual or not