Fake News : Problems and Challenge

Abstract

Due to the development of digital technologies, access to fake news has become easier and wider. It is evident that there are unprecedentedly a vast number of fake news websites and online news reporters that make more confusion and disorder of fact and truth in digital society. The problems of fake news include low quality of news, bad journalism, content bubbles, misinformation, disinformation and politically motivated manipulation by foreign countries. At present, individuals, institutions and society have been increasingly manipulated by malicious actors be means of fake news. Governments have increasingly acknowledged those problems and adopted initiatives to fighting fake news phenomena such as censorship law, online intermediary or platform provider liability, self-regulation of technology industry and multi-stakeholder approaches.
In case of developing countries, including Thailand, multi-stakeholder approach is considered as the best initiative to handle with fake news problems due to not being full authority to regulate technology platform firms directly. Cooperationห between government, Industrial sector and users are need in both formally and informally. For instance, government must provide information systems that provide access to information that is easily accessible as well as enforce the existing laws more effectively. The news and technology industries have to create a strong self-regulation mechanism. End users should have media literacy.