The Impact of Fake News on Journalism

This assignment delves into the profound effects of fake news on the field of journalism. It examines the ethical dilemmas journalists face when navigating the spread of misinformation, the implications for public trust in media, and potential solutions for mitigating the negative consequences of fake news. The analysis draws upon academic research, legal frameworks, and practical examples to provide a comprehensive understanding of this pressing issue.

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MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
MEDIA LAWS AND ETHICS
Student’s name
Class
Instructor’s Name
University
Australia.
Date

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MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
Introduction
Media technologies are considered vital in delivering quality information to social media.
Some examples of these technologies include computer animation, mobile apps, and websites
among others. Before the upgrading of new media, we had the old systems of media that
included print media, telephone landlines, radio, and television (Long & Inbar, p 8, 2016).
Though we still use some of the old media transmissions they are applied in an advanced way.
As an illustration, we still use televisions though we pay some levy to subscribe to the channels
unlike before when we could watch freely. An improvised system of media in the current
economy includes Twitter LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram not only for airing news and
advertisements but also for social interaction globally. Through mass communication, there has
been large propaganda persuasive news by the journalist to capture the attention of the viewers.
As a journalist in Australia, it is relevant that they become very specific with the
information they want to share with the public (Salman et al, p 4, 2011). However, the current
system has been highly marginalized until most of the news we receive through the social media
especially on Twitter turns out to be fake and full propaganda. In the essay, I am going to discuss
how the new media technologies have overshadowed the old media system leading to a high
spreading of fake news to the public. I will also talk about the strategies that media managers and
the government can apply to avoid the spread of fake news.
Media laws
In the modern days, there were strict laws and regulations, the information had to be
truthful and be revised before it is published in the magazine or articles. The media houses had to

MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
abide by the media laws as publishing fake news to the public could lead to the social media
platform getting sued for fake information. The legislation by which the government regulates all
mass media stations as per the legal laws governing the country is known as Media laws.
According to the 1997 Telecommunications Act signed by the government in Australia, stated
that various broadcasting sectors must improve on their technology convergence of accurate
news (Waters, p 22, 1999).
However, poor media laws and ethics normally lead to spread of fake news and
misinterpretation of information leading to several court cases on defamation In democracies,
media laws are seen as a balancing act between two principles namely freedom of expression and
constraints as per the contents in statutes of common law. The 1998 Human Rights Act media
law was formed to ensure that all citizens are protected from the freedom of the press as well as
achieving their right to proper information The ALRC ensure that the information presented to
their office is very confidential and sensitive therefore the solution should be determined in
accordance with the Act of 1992 on Media Information Freedom (ALRC, p24, 2012).
Media ethics
The journalism ethics are ways by which media personnel such as videographers,
reporters, and editors deliver news on issues that improve the lives of individuals. Media ethics
in Australia are considered to be more pertinent due to regular changes on internet platforms and
social media sites. High ethical journalism conduct is mandatory as it helps in the prevention of
human integrity on their expression rights, political propaganda and hate speech (Crane &
Matten, p 34, 2016). In as much as media policies might be different depending on the
organization, there are core ethical codes in the constitutional laws that all the media houses must
follow for accountability.

MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
Examples of the code of ethics that the journalists need to apply at their place of work
include giving fair opportunities to individuals in replying to their discussions, writing and
reporting accurate information to the citizens free from biases among others. Some importance of
media ethics are the creation of total honesty like disclosure of important facts, ensures a true
and unbiased emphasis on information regardless of gender, race, and religion. However, in a
case false or inappropriate information had been published and shared a consequent correction
and apology to the public must be applied immediately (Fernadez et al, p 18, 2015).
Fake news
Following the previous years, spreading of fake news was difficult because of the high
amount charged on the distribution of the information on the panel. In the current economy, fake
news is seen as propaganda by different individuals that tend to distort the real information to the
readers (ALRC, p 28, 2007). The few groups such as bloggers do seek peoples’ attention through
using the untrue information to persuade the public support the information. Fake news not only
threatens a country’s democratic rights but also cultural hatred among the citizens. Therefore,
any information on social media that has no justification is considered fake or imaginary news.
Fake news is false tales that is shared on the internet or through other media outlets to capture the
attention of the viewers and their ideas (Lee, p 1, 2017).
Fake news surpasses people’s right to privacy because some of them are published in the
newspaper and social media creating tension and different views from the citizens some against
the information. However, as much as fake news is used by bloggers in the social media platform
some of them do advertise important information such as digital marketing agency or network to
capture the attention of the audience making them have more followers through their blogs.
Some fake news sources imitate trustworthy, independent institutions. Not all fake news authors

MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
aim to make people change their minds (Richardson, p 11, 2017). In most instances, website
operators are questioned with respect to claims for content posted by users until they have
knowledge of the content and fail to remove it immediately
Moreover, the media are allowed to publish any news until a new law is formed that
controls the information that the public need to receive. Based on the fact that majority of the
Australian population, over 10 million uses the internet mostly Facebook, fake news cannot fail
to spread (Zelizer, p 23, 2015). The traditional news organizations are no longer important to the
society in giving important information; on the other hand, the technologized have also relaxed
in their duties in giving relevant information to the citizens. The self-regulatory system that has
been adopted by the media managers through the government to curb the spread of fake news is
through creating an online traffic security that will detect the fake news from reaching those
using social media such as Twitter or Facebook.
Obtaining such a website is costly in the long run so, through an organization named
National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), the government in Australia will collaborate with the
government in handling the problem of fake news in the country by hackers. Additionally, the
government made new rules for example companies using Facebook and Google to pass vital
information must pay a levy fee called GST. An example of fake news that went viral was
actress Jennifer Lawrence giving blames to US government Donald Trump on the dangerous
hurricanes in the country. In reality, the information was that natural disasters happen because of
human actions on the environment (Baym & Jones, p 14, 2012).
The most effective way to reduce fake news especially on social media is through
developing an automated special machine called the fact-checker that will differentiate fictitious
from factual news (Niklowicz, P 17, 2017). Other ways of reducing fake news from spreading

MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
are through the media giving feedback to its viewers on the untrue information by giving facts
and researching on the information given by bots that changes the algorithms from receiving fake
news.
Ways media can upgrade their working and prevent fake news form their stations
Maintaining journalists reporting limits. At this point, a media house sets regulations and
standards based on information their journalists collect and share through their platforms. By
conducting a thorough analysis of the raw data collected from the field, the anchors will discuss
and integrates their ideas together to capture the attention of the viewers. The reporters following
the media rules and laws in Australia will maintain high discipline at their working areas and
provide information based on the ground of their research and take or approval by the
management for verification (Deuze, p 36, 2014).
Media outlets should protect their reputation by not allowing fake news to be shared in
their platforms. This will make them prestigious and ensure that whenever they share any content
people will always believe them hence build their brand and attract more adverts. Real news
must be free, have truths, value objectivity and accurate. Such a transformation in the media
brought a big blow to the media organizations so they had to well advance with the new
technology. One value of traditional media communication was that it gave concise and clear
information for the viewers and was very debatable on a platform leaving the receivers satisfied
Education. The media enterprise through their managers should receive proper education
on the existing media laws and ethics and changes made for them to perform their duties within
the limits needed. In turn, it will make the journalists knowledgeable of new laws to be able to
conduct their duties with ease and also striving to keep fake news away from the public. It is a

MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
challenge purchasing an App that will determine fake from real news. The only way that these
media houses can deal with such a situation is having restrictions to people using their website
links to disseminate news on their social platforms.
The Internet provider should also provide information to the public following the reports
by the media personnel without misinterpreting the original information (Podger, p 5, 2009).
Another important feature to news broadcasters is that they should regularly monitor their profile
page. It will ensure that their account is not hacked to give false information to the public and
should there be any he or must report the act immediately to the police.
Ways of Government intervention in protecting the media from the violation or spread of
fake news in Australia.
First is through licensing all media houses from televisions to radios. By authorization of
licenses, it is a sign that the managers will be legally operating and broadcasting news to its
viewers without any fear. The government will also ensure that only media outlets are registered
and licensed after meeting the required standards for effective operation (Starbird, p33, 2017).
The action will provide a way of the workers realizing that the license of the company can be
recalled should they anchor the fake news. Another point is it will also make it easier to trace the
source of fake news and punish the source to discourage the future spread of such news and
others who may want to do the same.
Secondly is the use and control of modern technology by the government in that the
media corporations need to adopt comprehensive measures that control and regulates both old
and new technologies for easy communication and interaction with the citizens. As a member of
the country, they have the freedom of expression and right to an opinion, therefore, an individual

MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
should be allowed to participate in an open discussion forum (Creech, p 2, 2013). Technology
keeps on changing daily and the government in conjunction with the media managers must have
certain standards on the use of technology such as setting algorithms that can easily determine
fake news from the internet and introducing a barn on the internet site that encourages spread of
fake news (Himelboim & Limor, p 16, 2011).
Conversely, protection of human right must be applied. Therefore the government should
intervene to protect citizens from the freedom of the press and prosecute those that do not respect
people’s rights (Josephson, p 44, 2013). Furthermore, proper legislative laws must be adopted to
guide journalists in the collection and sharing of information.it should also put forward penalties
and punishments that will be used to punish those that share the fake news. Moreover, it should
ensure proper implementation of the media laws (Lazer, et al, p 12, 2017).
In conclusion, elimination of fake news in the Australian society might be a challenge to
the government but through collaboration with the citizens and the media personnel, it can be
reduced. The media platforms on the other hand should also work as a team in ensuring any vital
information that goes viral on different websites if untrue they design ways of giving feedback
immediately to their followers. Further, because social media currently dominates the largest
number of users from all departments to the state members, there are a lot of mobilizations
across different societies in reading the current affairs. It is, therefore, the effort of all
stakeholders and consumers of news to get first-hand information rather than relying on other
social media areas to know the reality.
Australia is considered as a state with strict laws and high democracy, all media houses
are expected to collaborate with one another in the fight of fake news and any citizen or
employee found conducting such illegalities must be given penalties and charged in a court of

MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
law. If an individual is found to be spreading fake news he should be prosecuted, charged of
interfering with the privacy of others and creating tension among the citizens. The government
should be involved in ensuring that media houses operate and air news based on the legal laws
but not exploiting the media houses through control of news and views the should receive from
the citizens.

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MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS
References
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