Al-Qalam 
Fake news is a dire threat to honest discourse. It is extraordinarily dangerous in today’s turbulent political atmosphere.
With growing evidence of interference in democratic processes around the world, the debate over how to expose and eliminate fake news is certain to intensify. Fake news can poison the atmosphere that we all operate in. Fake news has become a grim reality, making the masses to become doubtful of all the ‘news” being churned out.
The cardinal feature of fake news is to dismantle the credibility of institutions, including the media and honest journalism. It reinforces a traditional mission of journalism which is trying to shine a light in the dark for societies and the general public.
Fake news is a grave threat to democracy. Fictitious messages exploit the functional logic of social networks. Mistrust is the poison that destroys every society. Fake news poison is injected in small doses.
We stand paralysed against false and fake news which comes in the guise of scoops. We must devise a potent strategy to counter the pace, the force and the criminal energy of these faceless attackers. It currently is an unequal struggle with clear advantages for the aggressor.
Fake news is a type of lie that constitutes disinformation. It is easy to distort, on an unprecedented scale and at unprecedented speed, and people have the capacity to micro-target audiences.
Many have turned fake news from a weapon of deception to a weapon of mass destruction of legitimate news.
It has become a rumour mill operating to destabilize global democracies.
Fake news can have real world consequences.
It is a digital nuclear weapon of immense destruction. Operating in the shadows, under a cloak of secrecy, it disgorges its venom with potent accuracy. Ignore it at your peril.
FAROUK ARAIE
JOHANNESBURG
