Providing fake news as a digital learner as an online presence is not only ethically and morally wrong it also poses detrimental consequences to the alleged perpetrator and the victim. Leaking dishonest content/information to benefit yourself can lead to defamation and possible charges. The internet has been developed to further education by making information accessible from various areas. Tainting online information can lead to false accusations, mislead consumers and create potentially dangerous situations. So why do people risk something that is a privilege not a right? There are too many answers to specify however they may include power, greed or personal reasons. These can lead to mass panic and devastating outcomes, including suicide.
Fake news is unacceptable however, to a small percentage of people, it is used to gain power out of greed. Greed influences people to alter their behaviour by feeding the belief that they can gain power through strategic moves. Unfortunately for some this means spreading fake news in the attempt to reach their goal. This can initiate as people trying to grow their social media by posting ‘click bait’ or by distributing fake gossip to their accounts to improve ratings to their sites. Sharing distorted stories to the public about a component to gain your own better conditions is ethically wrong. Digital learners must learn the responsibility to be ethically correct.
This is true of any profession and can lead to defamation and/or libel charges. Ruining another human beings’ reputation or spreading deception and lies is morally wrong and often leads to ethical debates of why many social media platforms allow anonymous users or why there is not more action taken against the people who use social media for the wrong reasons.
Fake news is not just a fake news story; however, it can include misleading information about a person and/or a business. Whilst the larger percentage of the population know that lying or distorting the truth is unethical, there is still a percentage of people who use deceitfulness to their advantage. Suicide is a heavy topic currently within society. Social media clearly has an immense impact on young people in our current time. Thus, if fake news is spread, it is seen by a wide audience and in some cases, it can produce victims. With suicide being the leading cause of death among young Australians, it’s clear that social media is extremely present in many of these victims’ cases. Due to not only bullying, but also to spreading ‘fake news’ about the person to a range of other people leaving these victims to suffer silently with sometimes lethal outcomes.
It is crucial that not only digital learners, but everyone use the internet for the correct purposes and not by posing threat or harm to others. CBS conducted a study in 2019 interviewing parents whose children had taken their own lives which had been influenced in some way by social media. Freddie Avila is the father of Rosalie, a thirteen-year-old girl who took her life because of online bullying. Freddie explained that his daughter wanted “to make the world a better place” by pursuing law as her career. Due to the lies and twisted words her peers wrote online Rosalie’s life was cut short. This case proves the detrimental effects that distributing fake information can have, particularly when it is targeted, but who is held accountable? The fact is there are several stories that closely resemble Rosalie’s story.
Molly Russell became another victim of suicide when social media took over her life. Molly wrote “I’m so sorry” knowing her family loved her and she loved them, however, due to the misconstrued deception posted about Molly she didn’t want to continue her life in this world. Ian Russell, (her father), made it a priority to try and change the laws surrounding bullying on social media platforms. He was successful in changing Instagram’s laws, however defamation correlating with bullying still has an enormous presence in our society. The accountability held to people who cause pain to other people’s lives due to leaking fake information is palpable. This demonstrates the vast problem with initiating fake news and sharing it on a worldwide platform. Ethically these choices do not go unknown. Many people make the mistake of making ethically wrong decisions, but in reality, it is a choice. A choice that risks many lives.
So how okay are you with innocent deaths? Social media has done detrimental damage due to fake news. Fake news is the route of several severe deaths that occur in our world. Within 2018 the rate of suicide was 12.2 per 100,00. This horrendous statistic shows the destructive damage that fake news causes. So, when does this stop? When is bullying not okay? Bullying is one of the main causes of fake news, to know the disturbing information that boys share sex scandals and lies about young girls, or the purpose miscommunication from bullies.
It is crucial that digital learners know that sharing fake news is ethnically unacceptable. Digital learners must learn that being morally correct and making sure their work is ethnically viable secures them reliability. This includes the liableness of medical reports to ensure the safety of all citizens in Australia. Covid-19 is the currently pandemic that has taken over the world. Unfortunately, certain individuals have created fake news, that has started mass worry and frightened many other citizens. The ‘5G conspiracy theory’ has caused mass panic among many individuals, while other individuals know the facts are not behind the claims. An ABC article has clearly shown how vital it is not to misinform in this time of crisis as the “misinformation seem to be spreading as fast as the virus itself”. Several claims have been made online about a conspiracy that Covid-19 is actually caused by the 5G network services. This fake news has nil evidence to back up the information digital learners are sharing. Due to the fake news shared being ethically wrong, it has caused further concerns and panic throughout this troubling time. Thus, demonstrating the importance that digital learners hold in allowing the truth and ethical stories to be told. Not portraying medical and any other matters in a shallow light that allows fake news to be purposely spread.
Thus, the importance of being ethically correct when publishing work. This includes digital learners ensuring their moral values stand for what they are posting/ publishing, knowing it can severely affect other people. There is no obligation to be ethically correct, however the effects of not being viable with your work can be destructive to your career/ yourself and various other individuals. Remember that, before you press send next time.
