Investigative journalism and fake news via social networking sites Importance, mechanisms and Examples

Abstract

Social networking sites constitute an open space for the dissemination and exchange of information between many individuals across different regions of the world. Thus, they differ from traditional media in terms of the uniqueness of the source of news and bearing moral and legal responsibility in case it is proved incorrect. Indeed, this shift from traditional means to new media was accompanied by a clear shift in how the news is formulated and its process of reaching the public. There are also new actors involved in its drafting - often anonymous -, which sometimes led to the spread of inaccurate and erroneous information called fake News. Hence, the need arose for the importance of Investigative Journalism, which role is mainly focused on investigating and verifying the source of the news and the degree of its authenticity in order to ensure its objective access to the public