Changes

[[File:Chalupa-ciaramella.jpg|right|350px|thumb|DNC employee [[Alexandra Chalupa]] (left) colluded with the government of Ukraine to dig up dirt on the 2016 Trump campaign; CIA operative [[Eric Ciaramella]] (right) colluded with Adam Schiff to produce false allegations of "bribery" against President Trump. In both instances, the liberal mainstream media withheld facts and promoted a false narrative of President Trump being a Russian asset.]]

[[File:Chalupa-ciaramella.jpg|right|350px|thumb|DNC employee [[Alexandra Chalupa]] (left) colluded with the government of Ukraine to dig up dirt on the 2016 Trump campaign; CIA operative [[Eric Ciaramella]] (right) colluded with Adam Schiff to produce false allegations of "bribery" against President Trump. In both instances, the liberal mainstream media withheld facts and promoted a false narrative of President Trump being a Russian asset.]]

'''"Fake news"''' refers to liberal bias in the media that is so misleading that it is actually false.  It can also include assertions of a non-political nature that seem believable but are untrue.  It often incorporates the use of questionable or unnamed (and most often, non-existent) "anonymous sources" that present one or more of the following characteristics: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, or a complete lack of transparency.<ref>Questionable Sources, https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/fake-news/</ref>

'''"Fake news"''' refers to liberal bias in the media that is so misleading that it is actually false.  It can also include assertions of a non-political nature that seem believable but are untrue.  It often incorporates the use of questionable or unnamed (and most often, non-existent) "anonymous sources" that present one or more of the following characteristics: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, or a complete lack of transparency.<ref name="mediabiasfactcheck.com">Questionable Sources, https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/fake-news/</ref>

[[Hollywood]] fake news is in the form of "docudramas" that mix factual content with falsehoods such that viewers are misled into thinking that the falsehoods are true, as in the upcoming [[Mrs. America]] miniseries. [[mainstream media|Mainstream]] fake news has [[liberal bias]] that goes beyond reporting of facts and commentary; it can take the form of headlining a manufactured crisis to obscure real news in the daily news cycle. [[Clickbait]], a sensational headline with a body of reporting based on half-truths designed to lure a reader into a commercial website, is another form of fake news.

[[Hollywood]] fake news is in the form of "docudramas" that mix factual content with falsehoods such that viewers are misled into thinking that the falsehoods are true, as in the upcoming [[Mrs. America]] miniseries. [[mainstream media|Mainstream]] fake news has [[liberal bias]] that goes beyond reporting of facts and commentary; it can take the form of headlining a manufactured crisis to obscure real news in the daily news cycle. [[Clickbait]], a sensational headline with a body of reporting based on half-truths designed to lure a reader into a commercial website, is another form of fake news.

The motive of fake news is to manipulate public opinion using false reporting and [[bias]] for the purpose of profit or influence.<ref>Questionable Sources, https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/fake-news/</ref> It can be sourced by anonymous government [[leak]]ers or political operatives, or entirely fictional. The motive can be as simple as [[confirmation bias]] – pandering to an ideological viewership to distribute talking points or maintain ratings.  

The motive of fake news is to manipulate public opinion using false reporting and [[bias]] for the purpose of profit or influence.<ref name="mediabiasfactcheck.com"/> It can be sourced by anonymous government [[leak]]ers or political operatives, or entirely fictional. The motive can be as simple as [[confirmation bias]] – pandering to an ideological viewership to distribute talking points or maintain ratings.  

Examples of major mainstream fake news stories in the recent past are:

Examples of major mainstream fake news stories in the recent past are:

===Trump-Russia collusion hoax===

===Trump-Russia collusion hoax===

[[File:Mifsud with Boris Johnson.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|'''FBI / CIA spy [[Joseph Mifsud]] (left) with [[UK]] prime minister [[Boris Johnson]] (center)''' two weeks after [[George Papadopoulos]]' plea agreement in the [[Mueller investigation]].<ref>https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-pictured-with-london-professor-from-fbi-russia-probe/amp/ </ref> The entire Trump-Russia conspiracy hoax was hatched by [[Obama administration|Obama]] CIA director [[John Brennan]] on the false allegation that Mifsud was a Russian agent.  Mifsud had been working for Brennan and [[Jimmy the Weasel]] Comey all along.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUZ8XI_ncas Why the Mifsud Story Matters], DECLASSIFIED with Gina Shakespeare,- ''The Epoch Times'', Aug 5, 2019.</ref>]]

[[File:Mifsud with Boris Johnson.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|'''FBI / CIA spy [[Joseph Mifsud]] (left) with [[UK]] prime minister [[Boris Johnson]] (center)''' two weeks after [[George Papadopoulos]]' plea agreement in the [[Mueller investigation]].<ref>https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-pictured-with-london-professor-from-fbi-russia-probe/amp/</ref> The entire Trump-Russia conspiracy hoax was hatched by [[Obama administration|Obama]] CIA director [[John Brennan]] on the false allegation that Mifsud was a Russian agent.  Mifsud had been working for Brennan and [[Jimmy the Weasel]] Comey all along.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUZ8XI_ncas Why the Mifsud Story Matters], DECLASSIFIED with Gina Shakespeare,- ''The Epoch Times'', Aug 5, 2019.</ref>]]

It has been confirmed that many fake news sites were actually created and managed by liberal Democrats ("false flag" operations) who support [[Hillary Clinton]] and oppose [[Donald Trump]] who engage in their [[Deceit|deception]] in an attempt to discredit conservatives and Trump.<ref name="NPR"/><ref>Dewey, Caitlin (November 17, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/17/facebook-fake-news-writer-i-think-donald-trump-is-in-the-white-house-because-of-me/?utm_term=.b3656316a9a1 Facebook fake-news writer: ‘I think Donald Trump is in the White House because of me’]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> One of them, Jestin Coler, a Democrat and Clinton supporter who owns the company Disinfomedia, runs several fake news sites that create "conservative" fake news stories.<ref name="NPR">Sydell, Laura (November 23, 2016). "[https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/11/23/503146770/npr-finds-the-head-of-a-covert-fake-news-operation-in-the-suburbs We Tracked Down A Fake-News Creator In The Suburbs. Here's What We Learned]." ''NPR''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref>

It has been confirmed that many fake news sites were actually created and managed by liberal Democrats ("false flag" operations) who support [[Hillary Clinton]] and oppose [[Donald Trump]] who engage in their [[Deceit|deception]] in an attempt to discredit conservatives and Trump.<ref name="NPR"/><ref>Dewey, Caitlin (November 17, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/11/17/facebook-fake-news-writer-i-think-donald-trump-is-in-the-white-house-because-of-me/?utm_term=.b3656316a9a1 Facebook fake-news writer: ‘I think Donald Trump is in the White House because of me’]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref> One of them, Jestin Coler, a Democrat and Clinton supporter who owns the company Disinfomedia, runs several fake news sites that create "conservative" fake news stories.<ref name="NPR">Sydell, Laura (November 23, 2016). "[https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/11/23/503146770/npr-finds-the-head-of-a-covert-fake-news-operation-in-the-suburbs We Tracked Down A Fake-News Creator In The Suburbs. Here's What We Learned]." ''NPR''. Retrieved December 8, 2016.</ref>

After Special Counsel [[Robert Mueller]] thoroughly debunked the [[Russiagate]] [[conspiracy theory]], CNN's [[Jim Sciutto]] attempted to resuscitate the discredited hoax alleging that the CIA had to extract a deep cover asset from Russia because of fear that President Trump would out the asset's identity to Vladimir Putin. The ''New York Times'', ''Washington Post'', and CIA were quick to refute the story.  The extraction occurred because of [[John Brennan]] and [[Obama administration]] leaks in the early days of the Trump-Russia hoax that put in danger of exposure and the lives of CIA assets in Russia.<ref>https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2019/09/09/cnn-russian-spy-exfiltration-story-trips-bull-alarms-two-continents/</ref><ref>https://hotair.com/archives/ed-morrissey/2019/09/10/wapo-nyt-contra-cnn-trump-not-reason-cia-exfiltrated-asset-russia/</ref><ref>https://twitchy.com/samj-3930/2019/09/10/fusion-gps-hustle-timeline-of-who-met-who-and-when-in-buildup-of-cnns-latest-trump-russia-exclusive-is-all-so-damning/</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/themarketswork/status/1171072580901453825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1171100680121176069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</ref>

After Special Counsel [[Robert Mueller]] thoroughly debunked the [[Russiagate]] [[conspiracy theory]], CNN's [[Jim Sciutto]] attempted to resuscitate the discredited hoax alleging that the CIA had to extract a deep cover asset from Russia because of fear that President Trump would out the asset's identity to Vladimir Putin. The ''New York Times'', ''Washington Post'', and CIA were quick to refute the story.  The extraction occurred because of [[John Brennan]] and [[Obama administration]] leaks in the early days of the Trump-Russia hoax that put in danger of exposure and the lives of CIA assets in Russia.<ref>https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2019/09/09/cnn-russian-spy-exfiltration-story-trips-bull-alarms-two-continents/</ref><ref>https://hotair.com/archives/ed-morrissey/2019/09/10/wapo-nyt-contra-cnn-trump-not-reason-cia-exfiltrated-asset-russia/</ref><ref>https://twitchy.com/samj-3930/2019/09/10/fusion-gps-hustle-timeline-of-who-met-who-and-when-in-buildup-of-cnns-latest-trump-russia-exclusive-is-all-so-damning/</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/themarketswork/status/1171072580901453825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1171100680121176069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</ref>

In the Immanuel Christian School/Karen Pence [[hate crime hoax]], a 12-year-old girl claimed that three boys at Immanuel Christian School held her down and cut her dreadlocks while using the racially charged term "nappy." The wife of [[Vice President Mike Pence]], Karen Pence works at the school. CNN's [[Bakari Sellers]], NBC, CBS, CNN, ''[[The New York Times]]'', and [[The Washington Post]]'' all reported the incident nationwide and used the incident to attack Karen Pence.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/hate-crime-media-used-to-attack-karen-pence-is-fake/</ref></ref> The girl's family finally released a statement acknowledging the initial allegation was false. They apologized to all involved: "To those young boys and their parents, we sincerely apologize for the pain and anxiety these allegations have caused," they wrote. "To the administrators and families of Immanuel Christian School, we are sorry for the damage this incident has done to trust within the school family and the undue scorn it has brought to the school. To the broader community, who rallied in such passionate support for our daughter, we apologize for betraying your trust."<ref>https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/6th-Grade-Girl-Says-She-Lied-About-Boys-Cutting-Her-Dreadlocks-561784531.html</ref>

In the Immanuel Christian School/Karen Pence [[hate crime hoax]], a 12-year-old girl claimed that three boys at Immanuel Christian School held her down and cut her dreadlocks while using the racially charged term "nappy." The wife of [[Vice President Mike Pence]], Karen Pence works at the school. CNN's [[Bakari Sellers]], NBC, CBS, CNN, ''[[The New York Times]]'', and [[The Washington Post]]'' all reported the incident nationwide and used the incident to attack Karen Pence.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/hate-crime-media-used-to-attack-karen-pence-is-fake/</ref> The girl's family finally released a statement acknowledging the initial allegation was false. They apologized to all involved: "To those young boys and their parents, we sincerely apologize for the pain and anxiety these allegations have caused," they wrote. "To the administrators and families of Immanuel Christian School, we are sorry for the damage this incident has done to trust within the school family and the undue scorn it has brought to the school. To the broader community, who rallied in such passionate support for our daughter, we apologize for betraying your trust."<ref>https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/6th-Grade-Girl-Says-She-Lied-About-Boys-Cutting-Her-Dreadlocks-561784531.html</ref>

Even before the Trump Presidency, CNN had also engaged in fake news as well. In particular, its coverage of humanitarian crises in Kosovo as well as locations such as Somalia, Rwanda, Haiti, Macedonia, Bosnia, Ecuador, East Timor, Kuwait, Liberia, Albania, Congo, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Iraq was strongly implied by Lt. Col. Robert "Buzz" Patterson of the Air Force to be the main reason why Bill Clinton had dispatched troops to those locations despite none of the mission parameters actually requiring direct American military aid, including the [[Kosovo War]] in the case of Kosovo.<ref>''Dereliction of Duty'' by Lt. Col. Robert "Buzz" Patterson, USAF (Ret.), Chapter 6, CNN Diplomacy, page 112-128.</ref>

Even before the Trump Presidency, CNN had also engaged in fake news as well. In particular, its coverage of humanitarian crises in Kosovo as well as locations such as Somalia, Rwanda, Haiti, Macedonia, Bosnia, Ecuador, East Timor, Kuwait, Liberia, Albania, Congo, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Iraq was strongly implied by Lt. Col. Robert "Buzz" Patterson of the Air Force to be the main reason why Bill Clinton had dispatched troops to those locations despite none of the mission parameters actually requiring direct American military aid, including the [[Kosovo War]] in the case of Kosovo.<ref>''Dereliction of Duty'' by Lt. Col. Robert "Buzz" Patterson, USAF (Ret.), Chapter 6, CNN Diplomacy, page 112-128.</ref>

[[Walter Lippmann]], a prominent [[socialist]], indicated that the press is supposed to utilize fake news to spin a narrative and thus manufacture public consent, claiming that news and truth are not the same thing, that it requires no real training to deal with the small pool, and that everything else is in the journalist's own discretion, which includes even promoting stereotypes.<ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2012/02/journalism-and-manufacturing-of-consent.html</ref><ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2013/03/walter-lippmann-explains-how.html</ref><ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2017/01/who-is-founding-father-of-fake-news.html</ref>

[[Walter Lippmann]], a prominent [[socialist]], indicated that the press is supposed to utilize fake news to spin a narrative and thus manufacture public consent, claiming that news and truth are not the same thing, that it requires no real training to deal with the small pool, and that everything else is in the journalist's own discretion, which includes even promoting stereotypes.<ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2012/02/journalism-and-manufacturing-of-consent.html</ref><ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2013/03/walter-lippmann-explains-how.html</ref><ref>http://progressingamerica.blogspot.com/2017/01/who-is-founding-father-of-fake-news.html</ref>

The explosive growth of the internet in the early years of the 21^st century and the political divisiveness of the 2016 Presidential election saw explosive growth in fake news, far beyond supermarket tabloids, and the use of the term "fake news" to describe this.

The explosive growth of the internet in the early years of the 21st century and the political divisiveness of the 2016 Presidential election saw explosive growth in fake news, far beyond supermarket tabloids, and the use of the term "fake news" to describe this.

===Tabloids, hoaxes, etc===

===Tabloids, hoaxes, etc===