Media manipulation 2.0: the impact of social media on news, competition, and accuracy
Media manipulation 2.0: the impact of social media on news, competition, and accuracy
Author
Fitzpatrick, Neill
Faculty Advisor
Date
2018
Keywords
accuracy , fake news , manipulation , media , social media
Abstract (summary)
The term "media manipulation" has a double meaning. It is certainly possible to have a biased
media outlet/organization manipulate the news and intentionally, or unintentionally, mislead the
public but it can also be said that in this era of social media, the media itself can be manipulated
and misled by individuals and organizations. Increasingly, there are examples of false information,
retouched photographs, or edited video being released on social media. In many cases, this
information goes "viral" in just days, even hours. When this happens, the competitive nature of
journalism can lead to reporters and/or their supervisors feeling pressured to report it as news as
soon as possible without first verifying its authenticity. The sophistication of social media platforms
and their users means the speed at which information is disseminated has increased dramatically
and continues to accelerate with the addition of new social media forms. I believe the accuracy of
news is, at times, directly proportional to the speed with which the information spreads. My study
examines primary and secondary research into this "double-edged sword" of media manipulation
both from the perspective of the public and its concerns and from the perspective of journalists and
their concerns about the significant impact on their profession of social media overall, and the
manipulative exploitation of social media in particular. Based on an analysis of news articles,
scholarly research, and social media content, I will advance recommendations for media
researchers and scholars seeking to understand these issues and for journalists and news
organization managers seeking to navigate them even as their embattled profession continues to evolve.
Publication Information
Fitzpatrick, Neill. "Media Manipulation 2.0: The Impact of Social Media on News, Competition, and Accuracy." Athens Journal of Mass Media and Communications, vol. 4, no. 1, 2018, pp. 45-62.
doi:10.30958/ajmmc.4.1.3.
DOI
Notes
Item Type
Article
Language
English
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)
