The Growing Epidemic of Fake News: A Threat to Democracy and Social Harmony

'Balen government to ban 500 and 1000 rupee notes', 'Balen government preparing to dissolve the Provincial Assembly', 'UML leader Mahesh Basnet arrested'—these headlines are merely headlines. They are not news. Yet, these topics are being circulated everywhere as if they were news. These are fake news or misinformation.

The claim that the Balen government is dissolving the Provincial Assembly spread on Facebook, online portals, and YouTube two weeks ago. Misleading screenshots and video clips went viral, even though no official proposal or decision regarding this matter has been made public.

Rumors circulated that Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat was banning 500 and 1000 rupee notes. The Nepal Rastra Bank had to issue a clarification stating that this was just a rumor and no such plan exists.

Similarly, a few days ago, news surfaced that UML Secretary Mahesh Basnet had been arrested, but he had not been arrested at all.

The practice of sensationalizing these and other sensitive issues through the media and creating further panic has not stopped. Everyone has a mobile phone in their hand, but they lack the ability to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong.

'Fake news' is an English term, but recently, with its excessive use, it has been effectively 'Nepali-ized'. Fake news is not just misinformation; it is a deliberate deception. It is also an activity of producing and spreading false information.

It is false, misleading information devoid of truth, which is broadcast or presented as news through various social media platforms. In this, even fictional events are presented as real. Such misinformation is categorized into three parts: first, misinformation; second, disinformation; and third, malinformation.

Fake news uses emotional language, clickbait headlines, fake photos, videos, or AI-generated deepfakes. With the development of the internet and social media (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Viber, YouTube, X, etc.), it is spreading rapidly and widely.

The purpose of fake news is to influence public opinion, gain political advantage, spread hatred, or earn financial profit.

The Epidemic of Fake News

According to mass communication experts, fake news aims to manipulate the reality of any event to emotionally influence people. It is not just 'misinformation'—it is a kind of weapon.

Social media has been providing space and amplifying viral content that evokes outrage rather than truth and facts. Because social media platforms are not being used correctly, many challenges and accidents are occurring recently. The fake news circulating on these networks is now taking the form of an epidemic.

Social media itself is not bad, but the danger of its misuse rather than its proper use is increasing. By operating a fake network, fake news is made viral through social media. The same fake news is shared through many mediums at the same time. These individuals or groups, who often remain secret, spread war through fake news according to their goals and objectives.

In Nepal, after the Gen-Z movement on Bhadra 23 and 24, there was a flood of fake news. The fake news, photos, and videos that spread at that time heated up the market of rumors. Misleading information spread regarding the human casualties and injuries during the protest on Bhadra 23. Fake videos were released. The arson and vandalism on the second day also became an opportunity for those spreading confusion. Various fake news and video clips on social media made the situation even more tragic.

According to a report by the Israeli organization Cyabra, 34 percent of online discourse during the Gen-Z uprising on Bhadra 23-24 was influenced by fake accounts and AI-generated content. Out of more than 1.4 million interactions, 164,000 were from suspicious accounts, which reached over 320 million screens, attempting to radicalize the anti-government narrative.

Fake news is not a simple mistake; it is an interference in democratic debate. If fake news clearly looked 'fake', no one would be deceived. Misleading news can deceive anyone.

According to data from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority, the number of internet users is increasing rapidly, but media and digital literacy have not increased in the same proportion. Digital literacy in Nepal is only about 31 percent. Most users do not check the source of the news and react only after reading the headline. Most users consider all information found on social media to be news.

Consequently, they are easily influenced by emotional and misleading content. They form opinions and make decisions. There are examples of criminal incidents occurring after false news intended to belittle or defame someone spreads overnight on social media.

The provision that allows news to be boosted to reach many people on social media and online media after paying a small amount is even more dangerous. Fake news creates mutual distrust, causes mental stress, and creates situations that force people to make wrong decisions.

Fake news has a serious impact on society, politics, and the economy, along with an individual's life. Fake news can lead to activities that incite society, such as pitting one community against another or dividing them in the name of various ethnicities. Similarly, looking at it politically, fake news has weakened the public's decision-making ability.

Fake news also works to divide public opinion, influence the election process, and weaken democracy itself. For example, during the MCC agreement, elections, or protests in Nepal, fake videos and AI-generated clips were circulated, which created confusion among the general public. Anti-vaccine rumors also spread in the health sector, causing many difficulties in controlling diseases and epidemics.

Fake news is also used to keep reality in the dark, incite emotions, and mobilize people according to one's plan. Fake news can easily spread outrage, anxiety, a sense of revenge, and hatred in people, and make them violent. It can also disrupt social harmony by increasing ethnic/religious tension.

It challenges the credibility and validity of information and has a deep impact on society's decision-making ability. Studies show that fake news spreads faster than truth and reduces trust in media and institutions in the long run. It can also deprive every citizen of the right to receive accurate information; the 'Right to Information'.

How to identify fake news?

What fake news is has been mentioned above. But how to identify fake news? This question stands before us as a challenge. It is said that 'fake news is that which does not look like fake news'. Fake news is also often like reality. It is made in such a way that we believe it at first glance.

Fake news has the ability to make 'falsehood' look like 'truth' in society. There is a saying in our society that if you tell a lie a thousand times, it becomes the truth. But such fake information, content, and news must be identified. For this, we ourselves must study carefully, question, and look for evidence.

Pay attention to the following:

- Is it a reliable communication medium, media, or official website? Is the name and responsibility of the editorial team written on the online portal? Does that portal have an office, contact phone number, email, etc.?

- Only attractive or angry headlines can be the first sign of fake news, so read the news before the headline.

- Many fake news items use old or out-of-context photos, so check the authenticity of the photo or video. Verify it.

- Is there any mention of the side, opposition, or source? Check if there is anyone's quote or fact.

- The use of highly emotional vocabulary is the main strategy of fake news, so identify emotional triggers.

- Re-verify whether the information/news from an online source you have never heard of or opened is correct or not.

- The design may look similar to the name and design of a popular organization, so pay attention to that as well.

- Keep in mind that not only 'windy' online portals or YouTube channels give fake news. People in high positions can also give it.

- If there is a request for sensational revelations, likes, comments, shares, subscriptions, etc., be even more careful.

- If clicking on a given link leads to other places, or if the content is one thing and the headline is another, be more vigilant and investigate.

- Study and use information sources published through reliable and legal networks registered with the relevant bodies designated by the Government of Nepal, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.

How to avoid fake news?

Although fake news cannot be stopped by individual effort, one can avoid it and remain alert. To control fake news, it is first necessary to understand what fake news is and how to avoid it. Once fake news is identified, it is even easier to avoid it.

- Do not consider every post seen/found on social media as 'truth'.

- Verify facts before liking, commenting, or sharing any content.

- Do not give highly emotional reactions in Facebook/online debates.

- Inform others with evidence about the misinformation/news you have found.

- Before sharing sensational news, have a little more knowledge about the media, ask a friend you know.

- Include digital literacy curriculum in schools and colleges.

- Social media companies should improve algorithms to reduce fake content, and make labeling and removal policies stricter.

- The state and media organizations should create effective fact-checking units or mechanisms.

- Along with extensive and effective operation of digital literacy, invest in it.

- Take legal action against those who spread fake news and spread public awareness campaigns.

In the latter phase, fact-checking has been adopted as a way to break the web of misleading and false information. The process of collecting reliable evidence for any viral information or claim and labeling it as true, false, or misleading, or reaching a conclusion, is 'fact-check'.

Those who share or comment on sensational information, videos, or news can also be punished. Therefore, it is necessary to identify whether any news is true or false. False or misleading information is not a crisis that comes only from outside. It can also be caused by our own thinking, ambiguity, and understanding, so first of all, we ourselves must be clear, alert, and responsible. How we receive information and how we evaluate it depends on us.

Receiving correct information and news is the right of every citizen. Therefore, anyone who publishes or broadcasts fake news should be strictly punished according to the prevailing laws of Nepal. For the opportunity to stop fake news and receive pure information/news, education, awareness, and cooperation are necessary among communication consumers, media personnel, media outlets, and relevant government bodies.

(Chaulagain is the President of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Lumbini Province.)