Essay Analyzing the Impacts and Dangers of Fake News

This essay explores the multifaceted impacts of fake news, which is defined as distorted or sensationalized information disseminated through print and digital media with the intent to mislead. The essay highlights the distinction between fake and authentic news, providing examples to illustrate how readers can identify false information. It discusses the role of sources, publication platforms, and the readers' knowledge in evaluating the authenticity of news. The essay further examines the potential consequences of fake news, including the creation of fear, aggressive reactions, and inaccurate knowledge, which can lead to poor decision-making and societal harm. It emphasizes the efforts of governments, companies, and international organizations in combating the impact of fake news and concludes by urging readers to prioritize media literacy and critically assess the veracity of information before accepting it. The essay references several sources to support its claims and provide context.

Running head: THE IMPACTS OF FAKE NEWS
Impacts of Fake News
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1
THE IMPACTS OF FAKE NEWS
Fake news are pieces of apparently true, distorted and mostly sensational news which
is distributed using the print and digital media. The aim of fake news is not to educate the
readers about happenings around the world but to mislead them. The power of the fake news
to impact the emotions and decision making of the readers have led to governments all round
the world make laws against this nuisance.
The fake pieces of news differ from authentic pieces of news in several aspects and
readers can identify them easily. An article claims that nuclear power plants cause less
pollution than coal and petrol, thus cause less number of deaths pertaining to pollution
(Cen.acs.org). However, the authentic news article published in the Guardian point out that
the real facts, thus proving the claim of the article fake. The Guardian reports that the fuel on
which nuclear plants run is uranium, which emits radiations capable of causing cancer and is
thus far more dangerous than coal or petrol. (the Guardian). A comparison between the article
in the magazine and the newspaper article reveal certain salient features, which would tell the
readers that the former is false. First, the magazine article speaks about a disaster in 2011 but
does not take a straightforward approach to the topic of nuclear pollution. The aim of the
article is elude the readers with these names to make them believe that the article is authentic.
The newspaper article clearly shows the identity of the holders of the opinions cited in the
article, which proves its authenticity. Secondly, pieces of fake news are published in not so
famous editorials and mostly, online editorials which can reach thousands of readers
instantly. The Guardian on the other is an internationally reputed daily, which publishes
authentic news (factcheck.org).
Fake news is very common in today’s world but it has become harder to distinguish
such news from true news. This is because the readers have little knowledge about justifying
the authenticity of a piece of news before deriving conclusions based on it. (Mihailidis and
Samantha).

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THE IMPACTS OF FAKE NEWS
Pieces of fake news can create sudden fear, aggressive reaction or lack of accurate
knowledge among the readers. Illegal groups often spread fake news and target governments,
civilians and companies to satisfy their own interest like hampering national integrity. For
example, fake news about communal clashes in one part of a country can start similar
communal clashes in other parts of the country and endanger the communal harmony in the
nation. The fake pieces of news spread by anonymous sources create undesirable impact on
the readers and lead them to take wrong decisions on their basis, which have devastating
future effects. The governments, companies and international organisations all over the world
are fighting against this impact of fake news (Domonoske).
Fake news is dangerous and can harm individuals, society and even countries. The
readers should educate themselves about the authenticity of news before believing in them.

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THE IMPACTS OF FAKE NEWS
References:
Beware Nuclear Industry’S Fake News On Being Emissions Free | Letters." the Guardian.
N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.
DOMONOSKE, CAMILA. "Students Have ‘Dismaying’Inability To Tell Fake News From
Real, Study Finds." (2016).
Kiely, Eugene, and Lori Robertson. "How To Spot Fake News -
Factcheck.Org." Factcheck.Org, 2017, http://www.factcheck.org/2016/11/how-to-spot-fake-
news/.
Mihailidis, Paul, and Samantha Viotty. "Spreadable Spectacle in Digital Culture: Civic
Expression, Fake News, and the Role of Media Literacies in “Post-Fact” Society." American
Behavioral Scientist (2017): 0002764217701217.
Schrope, Mark. "Nuclear Power Prevents More Deaths Than It Causes | Chemical &
Engineering News." Cen.acs.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.