The rise of fake news indicates an erosion of long-standing institutional safeguards against misinformation in the digital age. This is a global concern which seeks its solution in the establishment of a new system of safeguards. This paper discusses the extant social and computer science research regarding belief in fake news and how it's disseminated. The authors focus on the unanswered scientific questions raised in the most recent proliferation of the phenomenon.
Highlights:
- The paper finds that a more inter-disciplinary research is required to curb the spread of fake news and to address its underlying pathologies.
- There is a need to redesign our information ecosystem to better suit the current climate. This effort must be global in its cope as many countries face the challenges surrounding fake news and disinformation more acutely than the United States.
- Further research is required on the creation of a news ecosystem and a culture that values and promotes truth.