Pope Francis on fake news: Even a seemingly slight distortion of the truth can have dangerous effects
| Jan 25, 2018, 09:44 IST
In a speech delivered at the Vatican for World Communications Day, Pope Francis said that fake news being delivered by journalists is the work of the devil. He said, "This biblical episode brings to light an essential element for our reflection: There is no such thing as harmless disinformation; on the contrary, trusting in falsehood can have dire consequences. Even a seemingly slight distortion of the truth can have dangerous effects."
Reading a speech titled ‘The truth will set you free’ (Jn 8:32). On fake news and journalism for peace, the pontiff called on followers to denounce "snake-tactics" employed by fake news writers who can "strike at any time." He even stressed on the fact that journalists should resist "feeding frenzies and the mad rush for a scoop." "If responsibility is the answer to the spread of fake news, then a weighty responsibility rests on the shoulders of those whose job is to provide information, namely, journalists, the protectors of news," he said.
The pope called for "A journalism less concentrated on breaking news than on exploring the underlying causes of conflicts, in order to promote deeper understanding and contribute to their resolution by setting in place virtuous processes. A journalism committed to pointing out alternatives to the escalation of shouting matches and verbal violence." He added, "You shouldn’t fall into the ‘sins of communication’: disinformation, or giving just one side, calumny that is sensationalized, or defamation, looking for things that are old news and have been dealt with and bringing them to light today."
Reading a speech titled ‘The truth will set you free’ (Jn 8:32). On fake news and journalism for peace, the pontiff called on followers to denounce "snake-tactics" employed by fake news writers who can "strike at any time." He even stressed on the fact that journalists should resist "feeding frenzies and the mad rush for a scoop." "If responsibility is the answer to the spread of fake news, then a weighty responsibility rests on the shoulders of those whose job is to provide information, namely, journalists, the protectors of news," he said.
The pope called for "A journalism less concentrated on breaking news than on exploring the underlying causes of conflicts, in order to promote deeper understanding and contribute to their resolution by setting in place virtuous processes. A journalism committed to pointing out alternatives to the escalation of shouting matches and verbal violence." He added, "You shouldn’t fall into the ‘sins of communication’: disinformation, or giving just one side, calumny that is sensationalized, or defamation, looking for things that are old news and have been dealt with and bringing them to light today."