Argumentative Essay On Fake News

994 Words4 Pages
Fake news - a phrase that is frequently emblazoned in the headlines. Scandals, false alarms, and of course, Donald Trump’s “fake news awards”. Clearly, fake news plays a huge part in American politics. But what many Singaporeans fail to realise is that fake news is also a pertinent, pervasive, pernicious and perennial problem in Singapore, and it is a problem that needs a solution. We define fake news as false stories that appear to be legitimate and are usually fabricated for political or financial gain. Many members of the public have voiced their concerns over the prevalence and potentially adverse effects of fake news in Singapore. We argue that fake news is a serious threat and the only way forward is for the government to step up measures to counter it. One of the major reasons why fake news is such a threat is the increasing difficulty for readers to identify the legitimacy of fake news websites. With recent advancements in technology, it is now far easier to fabricate fake news and make it look convincing. Image and audio editors can make photos and videos seem genuine. Websites can also be easily made to look like that of a genuine, reputable news website. As a result, most readers are unable to identify the nature of the website, causing them to believe blatant falsehoods, thereby negatively affecting their perception of certain people or organisations. Furthermore, fake news can be disseminated rapidly. Due to the widespread use of social media,