Disinformation Takes a Heavy Toll on Journalists' Jobs
Journalists have raised concerns about the spread of disinformation in today's society, and how it impacts their work on a daily basis, as well as the effectiveness of traditional methods designed to combat it.
https://pen.org/
The free speech advocacy group PEN America reported Thursday that 90% of journalists said false content created by a person with the intention of deceiving them has adversely affected their careers.
Former President Donald Trump's false claims that he won the 2020 presidential election, unproven COVID-19 treatments spreading online, and wild Qanon pedophilia theories are just a few examples of disinformation. A politician may fabricate information about an opponent's record or there may be a debate this week over whether video evidence showed bird poop landing on President Joe Biden's jacket during a speech.
Over 1,000 journalists responded to PEN America's survey. The organization was struck by how images in the written responses consistently depicted people being inundated with disinformation, according to PEN America's chief operating officer, Dru Menaker.
Four out of five respondents characterized it as a serious problem, and the majority stated that they encounter it regularly, either as the result of false information being passed on by sources or as a consequence of trying to debunk something that is spreading on the internet.
While most journalists are working to combat fake news, 11% of those surveyed admitted they had unknowingly spread false information, and 17% stated they avoided reporting stories due to concerns of "fake news" backlash that would seek to discredit their work.
According to PEN America, 76% of journalists cited right-wing conspiracy theorists as the source of the most egregious misinformation they have encountered (35% said left-wing conspiracy theorists). Seventy percent cited government officials and politicians, 65% mentioned advocacy groups, and 54% mentioned organizations specifically designed to spread misinformation.
The public's hostility toward journalists has been aggravated by a business climate that has reduced ranks in the field, particularly outside of big cities and among those who cover minority communities.
Among the Los Angeles Times reporters who responded to the survey, one reported on the use of disinformation by a militia-backed group to gain control over local government. On a podcast, the group's leader called the reporter and a colleague Nazis that needed to be "taken care of," and she keeps a bulletproof vest in her closet.
Menaker said fact-checkers encounter resentment from readers and have to guard against readers who feel they are being talked down to. Several respondents acknowledge that journalists need to do a better job of demonstrating to readers or viewers that they are part of the community than they do now.
