Insights Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee continues inquiry into fake news

The new DCMS House of Commons Select Committee has issued a call for evidence in respect of the fake news inquiry, which was closed on the dissolution of Parliament on 3 May due to the pending General Election.

The scope of the continued inquiry remains the same. The new Committee invites further written submissions addressing the following points:

  • What is fake news? Where does biased but legitimate commentary shade into propaganda and lies?
  • What impact has fake news on public understanding of the world, and also on the public response to traditional journalism? If all views are equally valid, does objectivity and balance lose all value?
  • Is there any difference in the way people of different ages, social backgrounds, genders etc use and respond to fake news?
  • Have changes in the selling and placing of advertising encouraged the growth of fake news, for example by making it profitable to use fake news to attract more hits to websites, and thus more income from advertisers?

The Committee expects to begin oral evidence towards the end of 2017.

The deadline for submitting written submissions is 5 pm on 31 October 2017. For details as to how to submit evidence, click here.

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