Chapter Seven: Marginalising the Marginalised: Fake News as a Tool of Populist Power

A key dimension of fake news is its dependence on trouble, crisis and social unrest and, simultaneously, its capacity to nourish, reinforce and sustain these. As crises become fertile ground for the spreading of fear, uncertainty and misinformation, fake news finds its audience. Our collective understanding of important global issues such as climate change, migration, displacement, and pandemics undergoes a substantial impact when disinformation and misinformation circulate in competition with verified, factual content and recognised news (Ireton & Posetti, 2018). One part of the reason for this relates to the informational function of communication, in contrast to its entertainment, affective, spectatorial or communitarian roles. When crises occur, publics both desire and demand information quickly, placing substantial pressure on journalists and other content providers to communicate timely updates (van der Meer, Verhoeven, Beentjes, & Vliegenthart, 2017).