By Laila Smith ‘26 and Matilyn Obeck ‘26
Social media plays a huge role in how people get their news today. Instead of watching TV or reading the newspapers, many people scroll through TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook/X to stay updated even just for entertainment. While this makes information easy to access, it also creates a big problem. Social media does help spread fake news, because of how fast information travels, how platforms are designed, and how users interact with what they see.
One major reason fake news spreads so quickly is speed. On social media, posts can be shared thousands of times within minutes, often without anyone checking if the information is true. Unlike traditional news sources, social media doesn’t require fact checking before something is posted. In The State of the Fake News, author Douglas Burton explains that false information spreads very fast during major events like elections. When people see the same claim or information over and over again online they may start believing it, even if it is completely false.
Another problem is the way social media platforms are designed. Algorithms push content that gets a lot of attention such as likes, comments, and shares. Fake news often uses dramatic headlines or emotional details to grab our attention which makes people more likely to click and share it. An editorial from Charleston Gazette points out that many users share posts without checking sources, Especially if the content is shocking or supports their opinions. This allows fake news to spread faster than accurate information.
Social media also relies heavily on users, and many people struggle with media literacy. Some users cannot easily tell the difference between reliable news and fake news, especially when fake news looks professional or is shared by friends or influencers they trust. In Counterpoint: Information Providers Should Stop the Spread of Fake News, author Tracey DiLascio-Martinuk argues that even though social media companies do not create fake news, they still play a role in spreading it by allowing misleading content to circulate with limited oversight. When users don’t question what they see online, false information can spread quickly and feel believable. This lack of responsibility from both platforms and users makes it easier for fake news to grow.
The most common argument that is heard alongside this issue is free speech. People believe that you have a right to free speech even if it is online. I do believe that yes, you have free speech, but only to an extent. If the online users are posting or commenting and saying things that could be harmful, then that is not okay. There could be false information being spread, which is why fact checkers on platforms like Instagram or X are very important.
The way this free speech and false information is considered dangerous is if other users believe the fake news. In one case in the article Fake News: Overview Points of View: Fake News, there was a pizzeria incident where a man heard something online, which then motivated the man to go into the store with weapons. This was all caused by misinformation being spread online. The importance of fact checkers is crucial to keep the internet safe and free of incidents like this one.
Being an online user means having to be responsible. Users have to have the responsibility of not just what they post, but also what they see. Since you cannot trust everything you see online, it is important to be able to tell whether a post is fake news or not. For students, it is important for them to research. While in school you will need to make sure the information you find is reliable and trustworthy. Students could spread this false information and be misinformed if they are unable to realize if a source is trustworthy.
To help students with the issue of being misinformed, teachers and parents should take this as a learning opportunity. In Fake News: Overview Points of View: Fake News, the author Tracey DiLascio-Martinuk mentions teaching a way to spot a reliable source might be a way to help students and the issue of fake news. There would be less issues revolving around misinformation and fake news. It would not solve the problem entirely, but it would slow the spread of misinformation.
In conclusion, social media clearly helps spread fake news because of how fast information travels, how algorithms promote attention grabbing content, and how easily users can be misled. While social media can be a powerful tool for sharing information, it also allows false and misleading content to spread at a very quick rate. To reduce the spread of fake news, both platforms and users must take responsibility. Social media companies should continue improving fact checking systems while users need to think critically, check sources, and avoid sharing information just because it is popular or emotional. If everyone plays a role social media can become a place for reliable information rather than misinformation.
Sources:
Burton, Douglas. The State of the Fake News. Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture, vol. 45, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 10–14.
EBSCOhost, https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=74dcd5c5-6071-39b9-83e3-9c75cdcc75a4.
DiLascio-Martinuk, Tracey M. Counterpoint: Information Providers Should Stop the Spread of Fake News. Points of View: Fake News, July 2025.
EBSCOhost, https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=311c58d7-2848-3167-927c-e9d2d0b669cd.
Dorau, Bethany Groff. Free Speech and Social Media: Overview. Points of View: Free Speech & Social Media, June 2025.
EBSCOhost, https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=dad942b5-159a-307c-b447-68423e72ae05.
Pennycook, Gordon, and David G. Rand. “The Implied Truth Effect: Attaching Warnings to a Subset of Fake News Stories Increases Perceived Accuracy of Stories Without Warnings.” Management Science, vol. 66, no. 11, 2020, pp. 4944–4957.
Shearer, Elisa, and Amy Mitchell. “News Use Across Social Media Platforms.” Pew Research Center, 7 Jan. 2021, www.pewresearch.org.
DiLascio-Martinuk, Tracey M. “Fake News: Overview.” Points of View: Fake News, July 2025, pp. 1–6. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=bcf19ea3-4202-36fc-aa6d-d0dda0a287f9.
How Social Media Helps Spread Fake News
By Laila Smith ‘26 and Matilyn Obeck ‘26
Social media plays a huge role in how people get their news today. Instead of watching TV or reading the newspapers, many people scroll through TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook/X to stay updated even just for entertainment. While this makes information easy to access, it also creates a big problem. Social media does help spread fake news, because of how fast information travels, how platforms are designed, and how users interact with what they see.
One major reason fake news spreads so quickly is speed. On social media, posts can be shared thousands of times within minutes, often without anyone checking if the information is true. Unlike traditional news sources, social media doesn’t require fact checking before something is posted. In The State of the Fake News, author Douglas Burton explains that false information spreads very fast during major events like elections. When people see the same claim or information over and over again online they may start believing it, even if it is completely false.
Another problem is the way social media platforms are designed. Algorithms push content that gets a lot of attention such as likes, comments, and shares. Fake news often uses dramatic headlines or emotional details to grab our attention which makes people more likely to click and share it. An editorial from Charleston Gazette points out that many users share posts without checking sources, Especially if the content is shocking or supports their opinions. This allows fake news to spread faster than accurate information.
Social media also relies heavily on users, and many people struggle with media literacy. Some users cannot easily tell the difference between reliable news and fake news, especially when fake news looks professional or is shared by friends or influencers they trust. In Counterpoint: Information Providers Should Stop the Spread of Fake News, author Tracey DiLascio-Martinuk argues that even though social media companies do not create fake news, they still play a role in spreading it by allowing misleading content to circulate with limited oversight. When users don’t question what they see online, false information can spread quickly and feel believable. This lack of responsibility from both platforms and users makes it easier for fake news to grow.
The most common argument that is heard alongside this issue is free speech. People believe that you have a right to free speech even if it is online. I do believe that yes, you have free speech, but only to an extent. If the online users are posting or commenting and saying things that could be harmful, then that is not okay. There could be false information being spread, which is why fact checkers on platforms like Instagram or X are very important.
The way this free speech and false information is considered dangerous is if other users believe the fake news. In one case in the article Fake News: Overview Points of View: Fake News, there was a pizzeria incident where a man heard something online, which then motivated the man to go into the store with weapons. This was all caused by misinformation being spread online. The importance of fact checkers is crucial to keep the internet safe and free of incidents like this one.
Being an online user means having to be responsible. Users have to have the responsibility of not just what they post, but also what they see. Since you cannot trust everything you see online, it is important to be able to tell whether a post is fake news or not. For students, it is important for them to research. While in school you will need to make sure the information you find is reliable and trustworthy. Students could spread this false information and be misinformed if they are unable to realize if a source is trustworthy.
To help students with the issue of being misinformed, teachers and parents should take this as a learning opportunity. In Fake News: Overview Points of View: Fake News, the author Tracey DiLascio-Martinuk mentions teaching a way to spot a reliable source might be a way to help students and the issue of fake news. There would be less issues revolving around misinformation and fake news. It would not solve the problem entirely, but it would slow the spread of misinformation.
In conclusion, social media clearly helps spread fake news because of how fast information travels, how algorithms promote attention grabbing content, and how easily users can be misled. While social media can be a powerful tool for sharing information, it also allows false and misleading content to spread at a very quick rate. To reduce the spread of fake news, both platforms and users must take responsibility. Social media companies should continue improving fact checking systems while users need to think critically, check sources, and avoid sharing information just because it is popular or emotional. If everyone plays a role social media can become a place for reliable information rather than misinformation.
Sources:
Burton, Douglas. The State of the Fake News. Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture, vol. 45, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 10–14.
EBSCOhost, https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=74dcd5c5-6071-39b9-83e3-9c75cdcc75a4.
DiLascio-Martinuk, Tracey M. Counterpoint: Information Providers Should Stop the Spread of Fake News. Points of View: Fake News, July 2025.
EBSCOhost, https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=311c58d7-2848-3167-927c-e9d2d0b669cd.
Dorau, Bethany Groff. Free Speech and Social Media: Overview. Points of View: Free Speech & Social Media, June 2025.
EBSCOhost, https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=dad942b5-159a-307c-b447-68423e72ae05.
Pennycook, Gordon, and David G. Rand. “The Implied Truth Effect: Attaching Warnings to a Subset of Fake News Stories Increases Perceived Accuracy of Stories Without Warnings.” Management Science, vol. 66, no. 11, 2020, pp. 4944–4957.
Shearer, Elisa, and Amy Mitchell. “News Use Across Social Media Platforms.” Pew Research Center, 7 Jan. 2021, www.pewresearch.org.
DiLascio-Martinuk, Tracey M. “Fake News: Overview.” Points of View: Fake News, July 2025, pp. 1–6. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=bcf19ea3-4202-36fc-aa6d-d0dda0a287f9.