{"id":1774,"date":"2024-06-14T22:29:48","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T21:29:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/ereader\/publications\/modules-digital-rights-europe\/module-4-surveillance-searches-seizures\/introduction-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-06-17T08:42:52","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T07:42:52","slug":"false-news","status":"publish","type":"publication","link":"https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/ereader\/publications\/modules-digital-rights-europe\/module-5-disinformation-misinformation\/false-news\/","title":{"rendered":"What is \u2018False News\u2019?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Definition<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the digital age, the dissemination of information has evolved, giving rise to distinct yet interrelated phenomena: false news, disinformation, and misinformation, as well as malinformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFalse news\u201d refers to purported news items that are intentionally and verifiably false and seek to mislead readers.[footnote]Media Defence, \u2018False News, Misinformation & Propaganda\u2019 (accessible at https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/resource-hub\/false-news-misinformation-and-propaganda\/).[\/footnote] False news mimics the format of credible news reports, harnessing attention-grabbing titles, images, and content designed to persuade readers into believing falsehoods. Usually, false news online is disseminated to amass \u201cclicks,\u201d \u201cshares,\u201d and engagement to bolster advertising revenue or further ideological agendas.[footnote]Baptista and Gradim, \u2018Understanding Fake News Consumption: A Review\u2019 (2020) 9(10) Soc. Sci <\/em>5.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term has, in recent years, fallen out of favour due to the inaccurate implication that, despite being false, it nonetheless constitutes \u201cnews.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disinformation constitutes intentionally false or misleading content that is strategically propagated to deceive, manipulate, or achieve political or economic objectives.[footnote]European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services, \u2018Notions of Disinformation and Related Concepts\u2019 (2021) at p. 30 (accessible at https:\/\/erga-online.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/ERGA-SG2-Report-2020-Notions-of-disinformation-and-related-concepts-final.pdf) (\u2018ERGA\u2019).[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, misinformation entails false or misleading content shared inadvertently, lacking the malicious intent associated with disinformation.[footnote]Id.[\/footnote] Despite the absence of deliberate deceit, the unintended consequences of misinformation can still be harmful, contributing to public confusion and creating mistrust in reliable information sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While misinformation and disinformation are premised on the dissemination of false information, malinformation is based on reality, with the information being used intentionally to inflict harm on a person, social group, organisation, or country.[footnote]International Telecommunication Union, \u2018Session 5: Disinformation, misinformation, malinformation and Infodemics: Ways to handle\u2019 (accessible at https:\/\/www.itu.int\/en\/ITU-D\/Regional-Presence\/AsiaPacific\/Pages\/Events\/2021\/ASP Regional Dialogue on Digital Transformation\/Session Pages\/RD-Session-5.aspx).[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following table highlights the commonalities and differences among the three types of false information:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aspects<\/th>Misinformation<\/th>Disinformation<\/th>Mal-information<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
False information<\/td>Shared without intent to deceive<\/td>Deliberately spread to mislead<\/td>Truthfully represents but aims to deceive<\/td><\/tr>
Intent<\/td>No intention to deceive<\/td>Intentionally deceptive<\/td>Intends to deceive despite truthful content<\/td><\/tr>
Representation of reality<\/td>Misrepresents without deceptive intent<\/td>Misrepresents with deceptive intent<\/td>Truthfully represents but deceives through intent<\/td><\/tr>
Examples<\/td>Unintentional sharing of false information<\/td>Fake news, hoaxes, propaganda<\/td>Half-truths, spin, selective disclosure<\/td><\/tr>
Impact<\/td>Can still have harmful effects<\/td>Can have severe consequences<\/td>Can mislead without outright lying<\/td><\/tr>
Potential harm<\/td>Can influence opinions and trust<\/td>Damages trust, affects societal opinions<\/td>Impacts perceptions and decisions<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

International efforts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Several initiatives at both the regional and international levels have sought to deal with the growing problem of misinformation and other forms of harmful information online in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of particular note at the international level is the 2017 Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and \u201cFake News\u201d, Disinformation and Propaganda (2017 Joint Declaration<\/a>) issued by the relevant freedom of expression mandate-holders of the United Nations (UN<\/a>), the African Commission on Human and Peoples\u2019 Rights (ACHPR<\/a>), the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE<\/a>), and the Organisation of American States (OAS<\/a>).[footnote]Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and \u201cFake News\u201d, Disinformation and Propaganda (2017) (accessible at https:\/\/www.osce.org\/fom\/302796?download=true).[\/footnote] The 2017 Joint Declaration noted the growing prevalence of disinformation and propaganda, both online and offline, and the various harms to which they may contribute or be a primary cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amidst this evolving digital landscape, the declaration emphasised the transformative role of the internet and digital technologies in enabling access to information and facilitating responses to disinformation while acknowledging the responsibilities of intermediaries in respecting human rights.[footnote]Above n 8.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Recommendations of the 2017 Joint Declaration<\/strong><\/strong> \u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The 2017 Joint Declaration highlighted, however, that efforts to regulate these harms often have negative effects on freedom of expression and, thus, identified the following recommended standards:<\/p>\n\n\n\n