This work for students and scholars explains causes and processes of disinformation and misinformation in digital communication. The book teases apart the social, cultural, and technological changes that have allowed fake news to emerge as a communication phenomenon and as a social problem. After a chapter defining fake news, several chapters are devoted to the cultural emergence of fake news, leading to a typology of aspects and forms of fake news. Other topics discussed are deepfake videos, conspiracy theories, and fake news as a tool of populist power. On the other side of the coin, the book considers emerging practices of good journalism to counter fake news, such as fact-checking bureaus and new regulations on social media. The last two chapters offer ideas for change. The authors are affiliated with RMIT University and the University of Melbourne, Australia. Distributed in North America by Turpin Distribution. Annotation ©2022 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
Chapter
1. Introduction: Digital Cultures and Fake News;
Chapter
2. What is Fake News? Defining Truth;
Chapter
3. The Cultural Emergence of Fake News I: Digital Cultures,
Interactive Practices and Artificial Feeds;
Chapter
4. The Cultural Emergence of Fake News II: Postmodernism,
Sensationalism and the Hyperreal;
Chapter
5. The Visual in an Era of Hyperreality and Disinformation: The
Deepfake Video;
Chapter
6. Fake News and Conspiracy Theories;
Chapter
7. Marginalising the Marginalised: Fake News as a Tool of Populist
Power;
Chapter
8. Audiences, Trust and Polarisation in a Post-Truth Media Ecology;
Chapter
9. Remedying Disinformation: Communication Practice in a World of
Fake News;
Chapter
10. Ethical Practices, Digital Citizenship and Communication Futures
Rob Cover is Professor of Digital Communication at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. He is a media and cultural studies scholar of digital identity, health and inclusion, and has led several Australian and international projects investigating minority representation and media participation. He has published widely on topics related to digital cultures in the context of social identities, youth, health, wellbeing and resilience.
Ashleigh Haw is a Research Fellow in Sociology at the University of Melbournes School of Social and Political Sciences and an Honorary Fellow at the Melbourne Social Equity Institute. She is editor of the blog Refugee Research Online. Ashleighs research examines public, media and political constructions of people from marginalised backgrounds, how media and linguistic practices reinforce vulnerability, and the impact of news and social media on health and social cohesion.
Jay Daniel Thompson is Lecturer in Professional Communication in the School of Media and Communication at RMIT University. He is currently researching digital communication in the context of ethical discourse, misinformation, extremist speech, conspiracy theories, and online hostility. Jay has a background in researching digital media writing, media ethics, and online controversy.
