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U.S. NEWS Thursday 6 June 2019

Americans think fake news is big problem, blame politicians

NEW YORK (AP) — Half of than a third of survey par- for the fake-news prob-
U.S. adults consider fake ticipants, who were able to lem, at 58%, while 20% of
news a major problem, and name multiple parties. Democrats said journalists
they mostly blame politi- Republicans were more create made-up news. Re-
cians and activists for it, ac- likely than Democrats to re- publicans were far more
cording to a new survey. port seeing made-up news likely to believe that jour-
A majority also believe jour- and were more pessimistic nalists inserting their own
nalists have the responsibil- that it could be fixed. Pew views into stories was a big
ity for fixing it. Differences noted that Republicans problem in keeping the
in political affiliation are a tend to be more skeptical public informed (60%, com-
major factor in how people about the media and more pared with 20% among
think about fake news, as likely to think coverage is Democrats). Roughly half
Republicans are more like- one-sided. of Republicans and Demo-
ly than Democrats to also President Donald Trump, crats alike said they have
blame journalists for the who often makes remarks unknowingly shared fake
problem. that aren't true, regularly news, and about 1 in 10
The question of how to deal accuses media organiza- said they have shared In this Tuesday, April 2, 2019, file photo, a man browses through
with made-up or mislead- tions of making up news he stories they already knew the Twitter account of Alt News, a fact-checking website.
ing stories has embroiled doesn't like. He has often were untrue.q Associated Press
politicians, civil-rights orga- criticized CNN and prefers
nizations and tech compa- Fox News. On Monday, he
nies in the aftermath of mis- called CNN "fake news" in
information campaignsby a tweet and even suggest-
Russians and others aimed ed a boycott of its parent
at undermining democrat- company, wireless carrier
ic institutions in the U.S . and AT&T.
Europe . "He tends to see anything
A survey from the Pew Re- that's politically inconve-
search Center, released nient as made-up news
Wednesday, finds that 68% or fake news," said Nina
of U.S. adults believe fake Jankowicz, a fellow at the
news affects confidence Wilson Center who stud-
in government institutions. ies Russian influence cam-
Misinformation was cited paigns. "I wouldn't be sur-
more often as a major prised if that kind of trans-
problem than sexism, rac- ferred to his followers as
ism, illegal immigration or well." Republicans take the
terrorism. idea of made-up news to
Pew typically left the defini- "mean news that is critical
tion of "made-up news and of Trump," rather than non-
information" open-ended, sense stories, said Yochai
though some questions Benkler, a Harvard Law
specified that it was infor- School professor who wrote
mation "intended to mis- a book on disinformation
lead the public." and right-wing media.
As for who's to blame for Like Trump, 62% of Repub-
false information, 57% licans and Republican-
pointed the finger at po- leaning independents said
litical leaders and their fake news is a big prob-
staffs, while 53% said activ- lem, compared with 40% of
ist groups bore responsibil- Democrats and Democrat-
ity. Journalists and foreign leaning independents.
actors such as Russia each Republicans were more
got the blame from more likely to blame journalists