Abstracts
Abstract
Despite being a new term, ‘fake news’ has evolved rapidly. This paper argues that it should be reserved for cases of deliberate presentation of (typically) false or misleading claims as news, where these are misleading by design. The phrase ‘by design’ here refers to systemic features of the design of the sources and channels by which fake news propagates and, thereby, manipulates the audience’s cognitive processes. This prospective definition is then tested: first, by contrasting fake news with other forms of public disinformation; second, by considering whether it helps pinpoint conditions for the (recent) proliferation of fake news.
Résumé
En dépit de son utilisation récente, l’expression «fausses nouvelles» a évolué rapidement. Cet article soutient qu'elle devrait être réservée aux présentations intentionnelles d’allégations (typiquement) fausses ou trompeuses comme si elles étaient des nouvelles véridiques et où elles sont faussées à dessein. L'expression «à dessein» fait ici référence à des caractéristiques systémiques de la conception des sources et des canaux par lesquels les fausses nouvelles se propagent et par conséquent, manipulent les processus cognitifs du public. Cette définition prospective est ensuite mise à l’épreuve: d'abord, en opposant les fausses nouvelles à d'autres formes de désinformation publique; deuxièmement, en examinant si elle aide à cerner les conditions de la prolifération (récente) de fausses nouvelles.
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