Caption: Four men running in a street ca. the late 19th century carrying newspapers with the headline: "Fake News"; [AI created in MidJourney 2024]
The issue of "fake news" is evolving rapidly with the introduction of new technologies. While there is no one authoritative definition of misinformation or disinformation there are some resources to help you navigate new developments in a changing media eco-system.
"Fake news" has been super-charged by new technologies, but it isn't a new phenomenon. One of the most famous examples of fake news occurred in January 1898 with the sinking of the battleship USS Maine. The Maine was sent to Havana, Cuba, to watch over American interests during the Cuban uprising against Spain. On the evening of February 15, 1898, an explosion on the Maine caused it to sink in the harbor, killing 266 of the crew on board. Although the exact cause of the explosion is still unknown, within days of the explosion, newspapers were blaming Spain. Evidence was misreported, or even fabricated, published with large headlines and gruesome images, shocking readers!
Caption: “Maine Explosion Caused by Bomb or Torpedo?” The World (New York, NY), February 17, 1898. Retrieved from NewspaperARCHIVE.
The Spanish American War and the Yellow Press: Library of Congress Headlines and Heroes.
"Great Moon Hoax of 1835" published in the New York Sun August 1835.
