Panel, Conference Presentation
Fake News: Negotiating Politics and Society in a Post-Truth World
Milken InstituteWillow Bay, Rebecca Blumenstein, Campbell Brown, Stephen Hayes, Scott McClellan, Jon Steinberg
- Facebook and other tech platforms are expected to face increasing regulatory scrutiny and shared responsibility for misinformation, particularly in Germany and France, where security teams will prioritize removing accounts used by organized groups to manipulate discussions during elections.
- Disrupting financial incentives in "ad farms" and refining algorithms to prevent objectionable video are anticipated as key technical strategies, though no single solution is predicted to suffice without a comprehensive approach addressing the scramble of news source brands and the erosion of barriers between news and entertainment.
- Mainstream media organizations face significant financial pressure, with local outlets described as having the most dire challenges, while major players like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal are expected to sustain subscription growth and protect revenue streams through content exclusivity rather than free distribution.
- The media landscape is expected to continue shifting away from mainstream players toward direct digital connections and "skinny bundles," with a prediction that cable networks may decline as new brands focusing on authenticity emerge for younger generations.
- A deep-seated cultural struggle is identified where a "willingness to accept fake news" and conspiracy theories is described as deeply ingrained, driven by political polarization where trust in institutions has eroded, leading to an environment where "politics is war" and truth is often secondary to results.
- Future journalism is viewed as uncertain with no clear prediction for the next five years, yet investment in digital literacy is expected to be necessary to prepare children for an information environment delivered entirely online, despite the likelihood that such efforts will not yield quick results.
- Facebook's mission is predicted to explicitly expand to fostering "informed communities" and collaboratively developing news products with journalists, potentially leveraging community groups to address local news deficits.
- Advertisers are currently expected to drive 85% of digital growth toward Facebook and Google, creating a market dynamic where objectionable content issues are anticipated to be resolved through platform algorithms rather than government regulation.
- Trust gaps are expected to persist between specific demographics and media sources, with conservatives noted as increasingly eager to embrace narratives from figures like Donald Trump, while a "weaponized" use of the term "fake news" complicates the distinction between legitimate critique and political disinformation.
- Long-term solutions are anticipated to rely on a culture of candor, the restoration of trust through introspection by media leaders, and a market-driven resolution where consumers eventually support high-quality journalism based on facts and logic.