Short Courses

2020-09-11 Agendas, actors and algorithms Part 05 – Fake News: Fact and Fiction

Why do people share fake news?

Fake news seems to be everywhere. We’re told to avoid it, but every time we go on social media, we have to question whether what we’re reading is true or not. So, what are the reasons why some people feel compelled to share ‘fake news’? 

Key vocabulary

agenda
a plan of things to be done that may be secret or hidden

actor
a person, state or organisation that uses power and influence to  promote an agenda

motive
a reason for doing something 

identity signalling
showing that you belong to a group by sharing content whether you think it is true or not

algorithm
a set of software instructions that, for example, shows you personalised content on social media

BBC Learning English

Recent Posts

2025-09-17 Israel committing genocide in Gaza: UN commission – Learning English from the News

The story An investigation by the United Nations, called a 'commission of inquiry', has found…

1 week ago

2025-09-03 Earthquakes hit Afghanistan – Learning English from the News

The story A major aftershock has hit eastern Afghanistan, just days after an earthquake measuring…

1 week ago

2025-08-27 Heatwaves speed up ageing process, study says – Learning English from the News

The story A study in Taiwan has found that peoples' biological age increases when they…

1 week ago

2025-08-20 Ukraine: Presidents discuss end to war – Learning English from the News

The story Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to the White House on Monday to meet…

1 week ago

2025-08-13 Is prostate cancer over-treated? – Learning English from the News

The story The charity Prostate Cancer UK, says that the UK is treating too many…

1 week ago