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