The modern take on fake news is that it is a reprehensible manner of delivering information because it creates confusion and unfounded panic. In my opinion, fake news is an acceptable political tool, but it should be justified by a corresponding context. First, misleading information can achieve an impact, which facts alone are not capable of making. Second, fake news may actually become true after a while or after amassing enough information. Third, this type of reporting enriches the diversity of opinions, while following the factual, proven data promotes rigid thinking. Overall, it is not reasonable to label the entirety of fake news as harmful and obsolete because it may have a positive effect on society.
The first implication that fake news has is that it is usually more emotional than factual data and attracts attention more effectively. The Stanford Review has referenced Benjamin Franklin, who forged a newspaper issue blaming the British (Burns, 2018). As a result, he managed to secure better conditions for the colonists, thus using the power of fake news to the benefit of his society. The second nuance is that there are occurrences when misleading information may actually have a basis, which becomes evident later. For instance, The Atlantic acknowledged that continuous Trump’s allegations of China being a threat to national security had merit (Frum, 2020). Specifically, he blamed China for the surveillance of American communications. However, if Western 5G networks had been designed on Chinese technologies, there would have been more opportunities for China to collect data on American communications. Once again, misleading information has contributed to the protection of national interests. Finally, as it is written in the picture, fake news diversifies opinions and enhances pluralism by offering alternative interpretations of the transpired events. Altogether, when the larger context and goal are justified, fake news may have a positive effect.
References
Burns, N. (2018). In defense of fake news. The Stanford Review. Web.
Frum, D. (2020). 13 things Trump got right. The Atlantic. Web.