How did you first get interested in the topic of fake news? Can you tell us a bit about how you became an authority on the subject?
I became interested in the topic early on in my career. I spent most of my professional career as a CIA officer, specifically in intelligence analysis.
The role of an intelligence analyst is to digest and analyze massive amounts of information and intelligence to inform and warn US policymakers about quickly moving events around the world. So much of that involves being able to sort out the false or misleading information from what is accurate, much like most of us have to do (or at least should do) with our social media and information streams.
But in the world of intelligence, you also have to contend with the fact that it is standard practice for foreign governments to use covert and overt influence operations and disinformation, such as putting out false or misleading content or conspiracy theories to influence events, obfuscate the truth, or hide what they are doing. When I left the Agency in 2017, I used that knowledge and experience to lead efforts in disinformation investigations in the private sector.
"Fake news" is a term everyone from citizens to politicians throws around often these days. Is there a fundamental misunderstanding about what constitutes fake news?
Yes, there is. The term has been around for more than a century at this point, but it has been distorted, particularly in recent years, by political leaders and public figures to target the actual media and to limit press freedoms.
It’s important to recognize that so-called “fake news” is not created by the actual news media.
It’s important to recognize that so-called “fake news” is not created by the actual news media. The fake news phenomenon does not include reporters working hard to bring you accurate information each day.
Similarly, when media outlets report something you disagree with, that doesn't make it fake news. The same is true when they report something that ends up being wrong; news and events move rapidly, so reports change.
How is "fake news" defined? What are some of the characteristics of a fake news story?
I define fake news as an attempt to deliberately spread inaccurate or false information to mislead others, presenting it in a way that makes people likely to believe it to be true.
As for some of the characteristics, fake news stories are often sensational and crafted in a way that's designed to trigger emotional reactions. The kind of content that tends to spread faster.
The emotional hot-takes tend to go viral much more than thoughtful,...
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