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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/01/fake-news-from-labour-mess-to-the-brexit-vote
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Fake news, from Labour ‘mess’ to the Brexit vote | Fake news, from Labour ‘mess’ to the Brexit vote |
| (17 days later) | |
| Matthew d’Ancona writes that the “overriding purpose” of the Commons digital, culture, media and sport select committee’s interim report “is to initiate a comprehensive reassessment of, and response to, the impact of technology on our democratic structures and values” (At last we have a plan to tackle fake news, 30 July). | Matthew d’Ancona writes that the “overriding purpose” of the Commons digital, culture, media and sport select committee’s interim report “is to initiate a comprehensive reassessment of, and response to, the impact of technology on our democratic structures and values” (At last we have a plan to tackle fake news, 30 July). |
| However, tackling online disinformation and fake news is a complex long-term project; meanwhile there is the possibility, as d’Ancona says, of three major votes in the UK within the next 12 months – a general election, May’s local elections in England and even a second Brexit referendum. As a short-term measure, why don’t the British authorities follow the lead from Ireland’s experience during the recent abortion referendum and “encourage” the major social media platforms, in particular YouTube and Facebook, to ban election/referendum-related advertising during the run-in to any big votes?Joe McCarthyDublin | However, tackling online disinformation and fake news is a complex long-term project; meanwhile there is the possibility, as d’Ancona says, of three major votes in the UK within the next 12 months – a general election, May’s local elections in England and even a second Brexit referendum. As a short-term measure, why don’t the British authorities follow the lead from Ireland’s experience during the recent abortion referendum and “encourage” the major social media platforms, in particular YouTube and Facebook, to ban election/referendum-related advertising during the run-in to any big votes?Joe McCarthyDublin |
| • Of course both Matthew d’Ancona and your editorial (30 July) are right to say the proposals from Damian Collins’ select committee to stop disinformation and fake news need to be implemented to make sure these things can never happen again. | • Of course both Matthew d’Ancona and your editorial (30 July) are right to say the proposals from Damian Collins’ select committee to stop disinformation and fake news need to be implemented to make sure these things can never happen again. |
| But why is it wrong to also look back at the cheating that has already happened and both punish those responsible and reject the results that were obtained? If a runner winning a race is seen to have cheated, they are disqualified – there is no discussion about whether they might have won anyway if they hadn’t cheated. They cheated, they are disqualified, the win no longer stands. | But why is it wrong to also look back at the cheating that has already happened and both punish those responsible and reject the results that were obtained? If a runner winning a race is seen to have cheated, they are disqualified – there is no discussion about whether they might have won anyway if they hadn’t cheated. They cheated, they are disqualified, the win no longer stands. |
| Why on earth is that simple idea not given any credence in the current circumstances of a referendum where one of the parties very clearly cheated? There may be all sorts of discussions about what should then be done (rerun the referendum or whatever), but surely those discussions need to be proposed by your newspaper and others. Otherwise, the cheaters just get away with it and that really is not fair.Diane OrdishBrighton | Why on earth is that simple idea not given any credence in the current circumstances of a referendum where one of the parties very clearly cheated? There may be all sorts of discussions about what should then be done (rerun the referendum or whatever), but surely those discussions need to be proposed by your newspaper and others. Otherwise, the cheaters just get away with it and that really is not fair.Diane OrdishBrighton |
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| • It is good that the digital, culture, media and sport committee has recommended that the term “fake news” should be avoided (Data abuses and fake news a risk to democracy, MPs warn, 28 July). | • It is good that the digital, culture, media and sport committee has recommended that the term “fake news” should be avoided (Data abuses and fake news a risk to democracy, MPs warn, 28 July). |
| It is a term popularised by Donald Trump to refer to news that is anything but fake – just any news he doesn’t like, even if it is from impeccable sources and supported by incontrovertible evidence. | It is a term popularised by Donald Trump to refer to news that is anything but fake – just any news he doesn’t like, even if it is from impeccable sources and supported by incontrovertible evidence. |
| If the term is to have any meaning at all, it should refer to lies and distortions propagated on the internet and in some disreputable sections of the print media. | If the term is to have any meaning at all, it should refer to lies and distortions propagated on the internet and in some disreputable sections of the print media. |
| A good example might be Breitbart’s entirely fictitious story about 1,000 Muslims attacking and setting fire to a church in Dortmund on New Year’s Eve 2016. This was not just a distortion of the truth, it was a downright lie. But this is not what Donald Trump means by fake news. Far from it – it is just the kind of genuinely fake news he is likely to propagate as fact via Twitter.Pete WinstanleyDurham | A good example might be Breitbart’s entirely fictitious story about 1,000 Muslims attacking and setting fire to a church in Dortmund on New Year’s Eve 2016. This was not just a distortion of the truth, it was a downright lie. But this is not what Donald Trump means by fake news. Far from it – it is just the kind of genuinely fake news he is likely to propagate as fact via Twitter.Pete WinstanleyDurham |
| • Is the best example of effective fake news in the UK the Conservatives beating Labour in the 2010 general election? Heaping blame on to the Labour government for the international banking crisis was the determining factor. “The mess that Labour left” was the Tory call throughout and often since, in spite of the fact that the shadow chancellor, George Osborne, had been pressing Gordon Brown, as chancellor, to reduce restrictions on our banking system. And how many are aware that Gordon Brown was given the world statesman of the year award in 2009, in part for saving that same system? | • Is the best example of effective fake news in the UK the Conservatives beating Labour in the 2010 general election? Heaping blame on to the Labour government for the international banking crisis was the determining factor. “The mess that Labour left” was the Tory call throughout and often since, in spite of the fact that the shadow chancellor, George Osborne, had been pressing Gordon Brown, as chancellor, to reduce restrictions on our banking system. And how many are aware that Gordon Brown was given the world statesman of the year award in 2009, in part for saving that same system? |
| Sadly the Conservative party has always been better at telling lies than Labour has at telling the truth, and we all know that a lie can travel round the world before the truth gets its trousers on.Gren GaskellMalvern, Worcestershire | Sadly the Conservative party has always been better at telling lies than Labour has at telling the truth, and we all know that a lie can travel round the world before the truth gets its trousers on.Gren GaskellMalvern, Worcestershire |
| • Will the ban on fake news apply to all religions?Donald HawthornRuddington, Nottinghamshire | • Will the ban on fake news apply to all religions?Donald HawthornRuddington, Nottinghamshire |
| • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com | • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com |
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