Nicole Chan (詹婷怡) resigned as National Communications Commission chairwoman on Tuesday, reportedly due to criticism over her handling of misinformation in the media.
Resignations are common in Taiwan whenever a government agency is criticized for its handling of an issue that gets public attention. However, the practice is counterproductive, as it not only fails to address the root cause of the problem, but also removes the agency’s leadership at a time when it is needed most.
Misinformation is a subject that most democracies are preoccupied with at the moment and this is not likely to change any time soon. However, rather than focusing on how to eliminate so-called “fake news” — a futile endeavor — governments should be looking at ways to educate the public on identifying it.
The commission can learn from France, which effectively dealt with a malicious onslaught of misinformation spread through social media in the run-up to its 2017 presidential election.
An article published on Sept. 19 last year by academic journal Nieman Lab attributed France’s success to cooperation between the government and civil society, especially the mainstream media.
The French government has two agencies that monitor cybersecurity and the media cooperated with them throughout French President Emmanuel Macron’s campaign to better inform the public about misinformation, the article said.
If the commission is to win its fight against the social and political impact of misinformation, it must understand how individuals are affected by it, how it spreads and what can effectively be done to stop it.
Misinformation and fake news spread through social media cannot be eradicated completely, but its effects can be nullified if the public is better informed — but this is not easy.
An online article published by Time magazine on Aug. 9 last year cited studies showing that the way false reports affect people has more to do with their psychology and habits than it does with an individual’s level of education or other factors.
MIT cognitive science researcher David Rand found that people tend to believe news stories simply by being exposed to them frequently.
If you have seen something before, “your brain subconsciously uses that as an indication that it’s true,” the article quoted Rand as saying.
Also, even if a person does not believe a news story, they might share it on social media anyway if it is likely to garner attention, and sometimes people might believe unlikely stories because humans’ lazy nature compels them to seek easy answers, he said.
Posts with pictures tend to be believed more, because people are inclined to trust visuals, researcher Claire Wardle said. However, the danger in this lies in that visuals can be easily manipulated, she said.
Combating the spread of misinformation requires informing the public about its pervasive nature, and teaching people to question what they read, to conduct reverse image searches and to avoid sharing what is likely untrue.
The government could do this by introducing the subject into school curricula, and through public campaigns and cooperation with the media.
However, the commission must avoid impeding free expression and the freedom of the press.
The battle against misinformation will not be won overnight and it is important that the government does not point fingers or look for scapegoats if progress takes longer than expected.
The commission and other government agencies might also consider working with academic institutions and researchers who understand the effects of misinformation and how best to mitigate them. No single politician or government agency should be expected to tackle the issue on their own.
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