UK Government to launch Fake News Rapid Response Unit

Sounds like a comedy sketch written for Benny Hill... or Saturday Night Live...

Almost as hilarious as Boris's Bridge idea over the English Channel.

Based in the Cabinet Office, the unit’s slated purpose is to combat disinformation spread online and reclaim a ‘fact-based public debate’.

The measure was announced by Alex Aiken, executive director of the Government Communication Service (GCS) in an article for PR Week.

Mr Aiken listed the measure as one of the GCS’s eight challenges for 2018. However, no firm details about the unit have been set out by the government.

‘We are seeing changes in the way information is being processed and shared - a tech savvy but disparate audience hungry for information and influenced by a small number of dominant opinion formers in the public eye’ he said.

‘The real test for government communications is being nimble enough to respond to the many challenges thrown at it while remaining a reliable source of information.’

The move comes after an article in the Independent claimed that Conservative MPs had voted that animals ‘could not feel pain as part of the EU withdrawal bill.

The paper later retracted the story, saying ‘Put simply, what happened is this: MPs did not vote that animals are not sentient creatures.’

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk...-response-unit

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Mick

Sounds like a comedy sketch written for Benny Hill... or Saturday Night Live...

Almost as hilarious as Boris's Bridge idea over the English Channel.



https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk...-response-unit

Fake news is a serious problem and I am pleased that the government is trying to address this.

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Fake news is a serious problem and I am pleased that the government is trying to address this.

But the snowflakes won't take any notice of something's that not on facebook, twitter, snapchat, etc. and certainly not anything from the "government"

[Taf]

Is it fake news when the media state "XXX is expected to announce XXX at a meeting today"? It happens all the time, especially on the 24 hour "news" programmes.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

But the snowflakes won't take any notice of something's that not on facebook, twitter, snapchat, etc. and certainly not anything from the "government"

That's right, which is why the government intend to use these media to get the correct message across. The left has been very successful at doing this, so fire has to be fought with fire.

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

That's right, which is why the government intend to use these media to get the correct message across. The left has been very successful at doing this, so fire has to be fought with fire.

Fake news comes from all areas OB, mostly the right given that's where most of the gutter press are.

Originally Posted by Mr K

Fake news comes from all areas OB, mostly the right given that's where most of the gutter press are.

The left news outlets are no better, the grauniad being the main one of them.

Control of the media whether it's inaccurate news or not, by the government is setting a dangerous precedent, it's very 'Russia' like.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Mick

The left news outlets are no better, the grauniad being the main one of them.

You are quite right for once Mick.

---------- Post added at 05:47 ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 ----------

Originally Posted by Mick

Control of the media whether it's inaccurate news or not, by the government is setting a dangerous precedent, it's very 'Russia' like.

And one does not want that scenario.

I'll stick with the BBC and Private Eye. Between the two of them I'll get a better idea of what's true. After all the left,right and centre accuse them of bias so as the saying goes they must be getting something right.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Mick

The left news outlets are no better, the grauniad being the main one of them.

Control of the media whether it's inaccurate news or not, by the government is setting a dangerous precedent, it's very 'Russia' like.

They are not looking to control the media, though, Mick. They are looking to put the other side of the story to posts on social media, etc.

[Carth]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

They are not looking to control the media, though, Mick. They are looking to put the other side of the story to posts on social media, etc.

People believe what they read on social media?

Social media is simply the modern equivalent of two women gossiping over the garden fence . . mind you, that could cause some right kerfuffles in the neighborhood at times

[Gavin78]

They need to get rid of the crap that pops up on facebook and them stupid side adds that say "This photo from 1940, Then look what amazing happened next" you click bait it and see it's some crap about nothing

[v0id]

Getting rid of fake news? I bet rupert murdoch is crapping himself

Not much detail into what they're actually doing. I don't like the idea of the government having much control, if any, over the media.

But let's be clear what fake news is. It is not The Guardian, The Sun, The New York Times or The Daily Mail. All of these are legitimate papers which have an editorial process. They might make mistakes, they might be disingenuous, they might take things out of context and give errorless impressions but they rarely invent news. You'll be hard pressed to find an example of any of them outright making something up with the full knowledge they were doing so at the time.

Fake news is literally fake news. It's news spread on social media that was invented by some troll or political agency somewhere. A quote that some Tory said circling on social media that they never said, a report from RT about rigging in the Scottish Election which they made up, Pizzagate or something else like that.

The Government shouldn't be deciding if The Sun has been disingenuous or not. It should be trying to stop foreign agents using the internet to spread fabricated stories which sow discord in the country but I don't know how they can do that.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Damien

Not much detail into what they're actually doing. I don't like the idea of the government having much control, if any, over the media.

But let's be clear what fake news is. It is not The Guardian, The Sun, The New York Times or The Daily Mail. All of these are legitimate papers which have an editorial process. They might make mistakes, they might be disingenuous, they might take things out of context and give errorless impressions but they rarely invent news. You'll be hard pressed to find an example of any of them outright making something up with the full knowledge they were doing so at the time.

Fake news is literally fake news. It's news spread on social media that was invented by some troll or political agency somewhere. A quote that some Tory said circling on social media that they never said, a report from RT about rigging in the Scottish Election which they made up, Pizzagate or something else like that.

The Government shouldn't be deciding if The Sun has been disingenuous or not. It should be trying to stop foreign agents using the internet to spread fabricated stories which sow discord in the country but I don't know how they can do that.

There is no attempt to control the media here, just to correct untrue stories as far as I can see.