Misinformation with fake news

• Author: Mircea Botei
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 133-140

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 10 (59) No. 2 - 2017

MISINFORMATION WITH FAKE NEWS

Mircea BOTEI1

Abstract: The last presidential elections in the United States of America

(2016) have brought to the international public opinion’ s attention the

phenomenon of “fake news”. Though it isn’t a new phenomenon, the spread

of fake information for manipulating and misinforming the masses has

existed in all historical periods. This time the phenomenon was noticed

because of the number of fake news and, especially because of their impact,

starting the discussion whether the victory of Donald Trump happened

because of fake news and raising the question whether this phenomenon is a

danger to democracy. An important reaction came also from the part of

technology companies, of tech giants, Google and Facebook especially,

which want the implementation of the phenomenon. Misinformation with

public speech under the form of fake news brings to discussion the

responsibility in the online space, but also the protection of people against

this phenomenon.

Key-words: misinformation, online manipulation, fake news, freedom of

expression, democracy

About the fake news and their role in influencing the public opinion it has often been

spoken and especially after the end of the election campaign for the presidency of the

United States of America in 2016. It has been discussed more than ever, though the

phenomenon isn’t new. The spreading of fake information for manipulating the masses

has been seen in all historical periods, especially in the modern era, when the technical

means of communication have evolved too much and their impact has reached increasing

values. The phenomenon of fake news has, however, seen an unprecedented scale so far

during US presidential elections last year. Invented news, in an unprecedented volume,

posted on certain sites and social networks, and then taken over by the traditional media,

has come to occupy an important place on the public agenda of the electoral campaign

and even dominate it at some point. A part of the American voters was vulnerable to the

content of false news, psychologically contaminated, being prone to misinformation and

manipulation in that form. This is where the US public space has been discussed, not just

about the possibility of influencing the vote of American citizens through false news. It

went even further, some commentators and opinion leaders, after the election period

stadet, that Donald Trump's victory was due to the exploitation of the invented news! At

the same time, media and overseas voices raised the issue of the danger of false

information to American democracy and to democracy in general. The disappointing

truth, sensationalism, capitalizing the primal emotions and impulses of citizens (fear,

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, mbotei@yahoo.com