A recent survey says Canadians are finding it increasingly difficult to believe what they read online.
According to a survey conducted by Nanos Research for Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, more than eight in 10 Canadians agree (51 per cent) or somewhat agree (31 per cent) that the prevalence of false information designed to appear legitimate is making it more difficult to find accurate news.
The survey also found that more than seven in 10 Canadians agree (38 per cent) or somewhat agree (34 per cent) that government regulation is needed to prevent the proliferation of fake news.
Given the Canadian government is standing idly by while the shareholders of Post Media conduct a “deliberate power dive into bankruptcy,” according to Conrad Black, founder of the National Post, it’s unlikely we’ll see any action from the government on that front. Post Media is shutting down six more community newspapers; a move that many pundits say threatens democracy in Canada.
Facebook, a popular source of information and misinformation, has announced it has launched a third-party fact-checking program to “root out fake news and provide users with more context on articles they read on the platform,” according to the Canadian Press.
The effort seems lame at best, as articles containing fake news will still be accessible, they will just “appear lower in the news feeds and be accompanied with related, true articles from fact-checkers.”
The initiative states those pages that repeatedly share fake news will have their ability to advertise removed after “several” offences. Not one, not two, but several. So, these sites can share their false messages until the fact-checkers decide they have reached the “several” milestone.
And those deemed to be spreading false news have the right to fight back. Publishers responsible for false stories can dispute the fact-checkers’ findings and issue corrections.
It’s a weak standard that pales in comparison to the standard community newspapers are held to. A slip-up in the spelling of a name will prompt a call to our newsroom, let alone falsely reporting news or events in the community.
A news source devoted to truth ensures the accountability of local governments and organizations, who know their activities are being scrutinized and reported to the community.
According to the CJFE survey, “more than six in 10 Canadians say that the federal government is not transparent (35 per cent) or somewhat not transparent (27 per cent) when it comes to information that is available about what governments do.
“This is a clear message to governments that Canadians are concerned about the effect of fake news on our democracy,” Tom Henheffer, CJFE vice-president, said.
The finding can be extrapolated to municipal governments, if the power of community newspapers is weakened.
That said, I fear false news will prevail while the “just the facts ma’am” approach of community newspapers is allowed to die a slow and inexorable death at the hands of corporate ownership.
Readers of this publication can thank Glacier Media for their continued support of community newspapers across Western Canada and for their role in keeping democracy vibrant.
newsoptimist.editor@sasktel.net
