A Short Guide to the History of ‘Fake News’ and Disinformation: A New ICFJ Learning Module

By: Julie Posetti and Alice Matthews | 07/23/2018
Understanding Disinformation: The new ICFJ learning module is designed for journalists, journalism trainers and educators.

Spanish version available here.

Czech version available here.

‘Fake news’ is not new. In fact, the recorded history of ‘disinformation wars’ dates back to ancient Rome. But the 21st century has seen the weaponization of information on an unprecedented scale. Powerful new technology makes the manipulation and fabrication of content simple, and social networks dramatically amplify falsehoods peddled by anti-democratic governments, populist politicians and dishonest corporate entities.

We now inhabit a world where malicious actors and state propagandists can use ‘computational propaganda,’ ‘sock-puppet networks,’ ‘troll armies,’ and technology that can mimic legitimate news websites and seamlessly manipulate audio and video to impersonate legitimate sources. Then, there are the profiteers making a living from creating fraudulent content for viral distribution on social platforms. Combined, these developments present an unprecedented threat level that sees journalists and their work turned into targets.

The emerging ‘information arms race’ is a big story. But it is important to understand the historical context when examining and reporting on contemporary manifestations of the 21st century phenomenon of ‘information disorder.’

A new resource published by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) – A short guide to the history of 'fake news' and disinformation – plots the evolution of the current crisis on an international timeline, highlighting historic moments stretching from Cleopatra to Cambridge Analytica. We encourage anyone who uses the learning module to augment this timeline with examples from their own country’s history, adding new entries as the crisis – and defensive responses to it – evolve.

The guide also includes examples of good practice, suggested exercises, readings and assignments to help deepen understanding and aid nuanced reporting on ‘fake news.’ It is designed as a learning module for journalists, journalism trainers and educators, and it is intended for use in news organizations, media development courses, and journalism schools. We hope it will also be a valuable resource for teachers of media literacy and communications researchers – as well as an informative read for anyone interested in the evolution of the disinformation crisis now threatening open societies around the world.

The guide is free to download and use under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).

About the authors

Julie Posetti is Senior Research Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, where she leads the Journalism Innovation Project. She is author of Protecting Journalism Sources in the Digital Age and co-editor of the forthcoming UNESCO handbook: Journalism, ‘Fake News’ and Disinformation. You can follow her on Twitter @JuliePosetti.
 
Alice Matthews is a news and current affairs journalist at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in Sydney. Follow her on Twitter at @AlicekMatthews. 

 

News Category
Country/Region

Latest News

Legal Strategies for Foreign Journalists in the US

We spoke with two prominent lawyers in our network for their assessment of the new landscape, and strategies to navigate it. For the purposes of this resource, the attorneys preferred not to be named. Ultimately, be vigilant, they advised. Stay up to date with the news and developments as the situation is fast-changing. Understand which countries may be under more scrutiny from the administration.

Journalists from Nigeria, Venezuela Win Prestigious 2025 ICFJ Knight Awards

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) today announced its 2025 Knight Award winners – two journalists who have demonstrated exceptional courage and perseverance in exposing wrongdoing in environments that are incredibly hostile to the press. The awardees are: César Batiz, an investigative journalist in exile who is the co-founder and director of the pioneering El Pitazo in Venezuela; and Philip Obaji Jr., a Nigerian journalist who has documented Russian atrocities in Central and West Africa as a correspondent for The Daily Beast.

Sustaining Journalism in Exile: New Toolkit Released

Once in exile to escape threats and danger, journalists soon face a new set of challenges: how to sustain their careers, communities and reporting from afar. ICFJ’s International Journalists’ Network (IJNet), in collaboration with the Network of Exiled Media Outlets (NEMO), has expanded its Exiled Media Toolkit to include a