An Analysis of Characteristics of Fake News Verified by Fact Checkers: A Representation of Fake News Ecology in Thailand

Abstract

This study aims to analyze a collection of information/news gathered by 3 famous fact checkers in Thailand: Anti-Fake News Center Thailand, Cofact and Sure and Share Center during January to June 2021. Drawing on the concepts of Fake News and Information Disorder by Claire Wardle and Hossein Derakhshan (2017), the content analysis was applied to probe and dissect into 908 pieces of information/ news verified as “fake” by these 3 fact checkers. Of all 908 pieces of fake news, the analysis shows that 502 pieces can be identified as Disinformation while another 408 can be identified as Misinformation, with no Malinformation found. Based on the content of the information/news, most of these fake news can be categorized as “Covid-19” related, which reflects the real situation in Thailand during the time of the study. This is followed by fake news on “Health” category, which are found to be information about herbal medicine and treatments and food supplement advertisements exaggerating their

efficacy. These were shared by those who wanted to profit from the news, and by those who simply believed it with good intentions. The analysis, overall, shows the pictures of fake news and their ecology through the works of 3 fact-checkers during the time of the study.