“Fake news” should not even be a term. News, ideally, should never be fake. It is its essence to be true.
Unfortunately, developments—degeneration, one could argue persuasively, too—in both technology and politics have brought us to a point where governments have to craft a law punishing the propagation of fake news and citizens have to be told to be circumspect because not everything they hear or read is true.
Singapore, for instance, which recently passed a law against fake news, has to defend the new piece of legislation from criticism from right groups saying provisions are too vague and may even be used to crack down against those criticizing the government.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long insists the law—which allows ministers to order sites like Facebook, Google and Twitter to put warnings next to posts they deem false, in extreme cases order them removed, and impose fines and jail terms in serious cases—is a step forward in the battle against falsehoods.
Lee said the problem of fake news was getting serious and even European countries are taking steps to combat it.
There is no argument with the fact that the problem has become alarming, but it is also possible for leaders who have a distaste for criticism to abuse the law for their own ends.
After all, who is to say exactly if an item is “fake news” or not?
For instance, United States President Donald Trump has liberally used the term to refer to and dismiss any story that is unfavorable to him—never mind if it comes from highly credible sources and vetted by the media organizations that publish them.
What are we to make, too, of government leaders who rely on the services of online trolls to boost their images or demolish that of their enemies? Aren’t they the type to, on one hand, fabricate stories, and on the other clamp down on their critics?
Critical to the implementation of laws against fake news are the agencies and personalities who will actually implement them. Meanwhile, the real battle is in the minds of the people, who must learn to be discerning and responsible in the face of disinformation.
At a young age, children must be taught how to be dubious about the things they read online and to watch out for red flags that would indicate less-than-trustworthy sources.
Social media users must also be reminded to think not only twice but several times before they share anything they find on their feeds. They must also be warned against engaging with other users: They may believe they are having an intellectual discussion with similarly passionate citizens, but they will soon find that the arguments are rehearsed and the logic untenable. Trolls, after all, sow anything but truthfulness and respect of others’ point of view.
Governments are right to think of how to protect their citizens from this menace. The best protection, however, is to tell them to be discerning, and to think for themselves instead of parroting somebody else’s lines.