Fake News Situations: Comparison, Factors Analysis, and Model

Abstract

The proposes of this article were (1) comparing the situations of fake information from News in Yellow Press, Propaganda, and Fake News on Social Media, (2) analyzing the factors which are bases of the fake news situations comparison, and (3) synchronizing the model explaining the cycle of fake news.

People have faced the fake news situations for centuries, but in different media landscapes. Fake news in all ages share three common factors. Firstly, fake news always attack the societies by appearing in the curious headlines. Second factor is the human naïve perception. Last, more frequently appearing of fake news in media could make fake news spreading wider from its original “Echo Chamber Effect”. These 3 factors support the fake news life cycle. The cycle begins from its first small echo chamber effect with the designed heading aimed to touch the curiosity of people and media. When the shares happen, from both real people and media, the former echo chamber effect expanded. The number of reproductions leads to more frequency the information appear in the societies. When other people received the same news more frequently, they perceived more important that news is likely to be. Then, they are drawn into the cycle from that perception.

The article led to the recommendations about more studies on the fake news prevention conducted with all factors of the fake news situation. The practical educational system about fake news and human psychology should be applied for all users in the communication ecosystem, especially the social media users. The fake news studies and analysis from all factors’ point of view should be conveyed. We may discover the suitable prevention, or regulation, applied to all factors in the fake news circumstances in the future.