How Fake News & Deception Caused an Ethical Crisis
Level: IntermediateThe fake news epidemic and blatant misinformation believed by millions is a illness we can’t ignore. Although recent examples include Brexit in the UK and the recent US election, Canadians can’t be blasé about the impact this has on Canada as well.
The escalation of malicious lies by politicians, social media and fake media has created a crisis where it is almost impossible to combat. Too many individuals fall for the lies and don’t care about whether it is truthful or not. The ineffectiveness of fact-checking, the resilience of populist propaganda, racism and sexism and the emergence of the so-called post-truth era appear to challenge a fundamental cornerstone of ethical beliefs and behavior.
Online misinformation and digital deception are contributing to a crisis of trust in society and making it more difficult for people to separate fact from fiction and from their personal and professional lives. We will examine how this crisis impacts the framework of core ethics – accuracy, impartiality, humanity, transparency and accountability.