From: "Darrell West" <dw...@brookings.edu> Date: Dec 18, 2017 8:13 AM Subject: How to Combat Fake News To: "Darrell West" <dw...@brookings.edu> Cc:
Today, we have released a new Brookings Institution paper on “How to Combat Fake News and Disinformation” at https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-to-combat-fake- news-and-disinformation/. In it, I argue that journalism is in a state of considerable flux. New digital platforms have unleashed innovative journalistic practices that enable novel forms of communication and greater global reach than at any point in human history. But disinformation and hoaxes that are popularly referred to as “fake news” are accelerating and affecting the way individuals interpret daily developments. Driven by foreign actors, the proliferation of talk radio and cables news, and citizen journalism, many information systems have become more polarized and contentious, and there has been a precipitous decline in public trust in traditional journalism. Fake news and sophisticated disinformation campaigns are especially problematic in democratic systems, and there is growing debate on how to address these issues without undermining the benefits of digital media. In order to maintain an open, democratic system, it is important that government, business, and consumers work together to solve these problems. Governments should promote news literacy and strong professional journalism in their societies. The news industry must provide high quality journalism in order to build public trust and correct fake news and disinformation without legitimizing them. Technology companies should invest in tools that identify fake news, reduce financial incentives for those who profit from disinformation, and improve online accountability. Educational institutions should make informing people about news literacy a high priority. Finally, individuals should follow a diversity of news sources, and be skeptical of what they read and watch. *Darrell West* *VP, Governance Studies* *Director, Center for Technology Innovation* *Douglas Dillon Chair in Governance Studies* *Brookings Institution* *1755 Massachusetts Avenue NW <https://maps.google.com/?q=1755+Massachusetts+Avenue+NW%0D+*Washington,+DC+20036*&entry=gmail&source=g>* *Washington, DC 20036 <https://maps.google.com/?q=1755+Massachusetts+Avenue+NW%0D+*Washington,+DC+20036*&entry=gmail&source=g>* *Phone: 202-797-6481 <(202)%20797-6481>* *Website: **www.InsidePolitics.org* <http://www.InsidePolitics.org> ―― View topic http://groups.dowire.org/r/topic/14kzixCqrJpYL88JQYrNct Leave group mailto:newswire@groups.dowire.org?subject=Unsubscribe
