Fake news, or misinformation (unintentional false information) and disinformation (intentional false information), has been a feature of human communication throughout recorded history (think of propaganda).  But with recent developments such as the internet and social media, disinformation is becoming increasingly prevalent.  While motivations behind the creation of disinformation may vary, the outcomes do have significant impacts on individuals and social/political policies.  For an overview of mis/disinformation, click on this National Library site.

An associated issue is the use of derogatory terms.  For example, disinformation may often refer to 'elites' in a derogatory way.  Michael Pascoe has written an article on those who give thoughtful consideration to issues, but are labelled as elites.  We need to think beyond the use of derogatory terms and slogans.