Fenwick litigation partner Andrew Bridges talked to Inside Counsel about the public debate around the term “fake news” and the broader question of information sources.
Bridges categorized sources of information that people have called fake news into distinct groups, including: “sources of independent reporting that aspire or claim to be objective, sources of commentary and opinion, those who repackage journalism of others with their own rhetorical amplification, propaganda, and fake news sites,” Inside Counsel reported.
The greatest challenge, Bridges told Inside Counsel, lies in the amount of information and communications that we all have exposure to.
“Those who wish to mitigate the problem of lies on the internet would do well to start by examining their own statements, posts, and retweets by applying critical faculties to information they receive and by supporting and strengthening the most reliable, knowledgeable, independent, and objective sources of news today. And friends don’t let friends spread ‘fake news,’” Bridges said.
The full interview is available through theInside Counsel website (subscription required).