Steve Cardownie: Nothing to like about Facebook’s fake news

There is no doubt that social media platforms have been playing an ever increasing role in ­attempts to influence voters throughout the world, whether it is alleged Russian interference in the United States presidential elections to the spread of unsubstantiated ­reports of wrongdoing in the current Nigerian polls. In other words the spreading of ‘fake news’ is a tactic that is here to stay.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was castigated in a recent report on social media by MPs. Picture: APFacebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was castigated in a recent report on social media by MPs. Picture: AP
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was castigated in a recent report on social media by MPs. Picture: AP

The use of fake news through social media outlets has provided interested parties with the opportunity and means to meddle in foreign politics with the goal of moulding opinion in favour of the candidate of their choice, or of influencing government policy decisions such as its alleged use when reporting on the current internal ­conflict in Venezuela.

Back here it is Facebook that is in the firing line as a House of Commons committee has deemed that it needs far stricter regulation, with tough and urgent action required to end the spread of disinformation on its social media platform.

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Indeed, MPs have gone so far as to say that untrue stories from foreign powers were risking the UK’s democracy. The committee has stated that Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerberg, has failed to show “leadership or personal responsibility” over fake news.

School dinners shoult not contain processed meat, says Steve Cardownie. Picture: Ian RutherfordSchool dinners shoult not contain processed meat, says Steve Cardownie. Picture: Ian Rutherford
School dinners shoult not contain processed meat, says Steve Cardownie. Picture: Ian Rutherford

So, when did this all first come to public attention and who coined the phrase fake news?

During the 2016 US presidential elections, journalists noted that there were a glut of stories that had gone viral on Facebook. What made it more intriguing was that many of them seemed to be posted by citizens of the Balkans and in particular from a small town called Veles in Macedonia.

The primary purpose of the stories were to boost support for Donald Trump at the expense of the Democrat candidate, Hillary Clinton, and included rumours about alleged past illegal activities and also that she had serious health problems which would have an impact if she was elected.

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She was so concerned at the time that she warned that “so-called fake news” can have “real world consequences” and she launched a scathing attack on the epidemic of “fake news and propaganda” that had appeared in social media that year.

The term “fake news” was later taken up by Donald Trump to largely denigrate and dismiss any story that he disagreed with, especially if it was directly targeting him, his policies and his arbitrary and contradictory statements to the media.

Unfortunately, the practice of spreading fake news is alive and well today and was prevalent in the Nigerian presidential election, where both main candidates claim they were the victims of videos shared online ­containing unsubstantiated or inaccurate information. It is clear that this tactic appears to achieve some ­success. In close-fought elections in particular, even a small margin can prove to be crucial.

In an effort to curb its use and influence, the Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s report concludes: “Democracy is at risk from the malicious and relentless targeting of citizens with disinformation and personalised ‘dark adverts’ from unidentifiable sources, delivered through the major social platforms we use every day.”

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It goes on to call for, amongst ­other things, “a compulsory code of ethics for tech companies, overseen by an independent regulator, the regulator to be given powers to launch legal action if companies breach the code and the government to reform current electoral laws and rules on overseas involvement in UK elections”.

It is difficult enough for voters in any election to determine which candidate or party to support without being subjected to made up information devised to influence their thinking, which plays fast and loose with democratic values and is an unwelcome intrusion which must be kept in check. Newspapers can be subject to sanction if they fall foul of laid down protocol but not so social media. For now at least, don’t believe everything you read on the web!

Ham should be sliced from menu

The news that almost three quarters of Scottish schools are serving processed meat to pupils in school meals should be a major concern for parents and for the populace in general.

The World Health Organisation declared in 2015 that processed meat causes bowel cancer as it contains a health risk agent which develops during meat processing if the meat has nitrite added to it as a preservative.

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Some of the meats in question are ham, pepperoni, corned beef and bacon, some of which are served on a regular basis in Scottish schools. Referred to as nitro meats they contain the preservative sodium nitrite (E250) and according to leading international cancer experts this poses a real danger to anyone who eats such foods.

Edinburgh’s schools do serve ham that contains nitrites as well as bacon which features on the menu of secondary schools and there does not appear to be a plan to end this practice, which is endangering the lives of our children.

There can be no half-measures, the weight of well-renowned scientific opinion is quite clear, such processed meats should be removed from school meals immediately.

Suppliers should be informed that if they want to continue winning contracts to provide food for school meals they have to ensure that the meats they provide are nitrite-free or the council will look elsewhere.

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Education departments the length and breadth of the country have a duty of care to their young people, they have to take this issue seriously and apply that duty by taking the only action open to them – get this stuff off the menu!

Capital eateries cut the mustard

Edinburgh has more restaurants per head of population than any other city in the UK outside London.

It is well known for the variety and quality of food on offer with a tremendous number of eateries boasting international menus as well as those that provide Scottish fare, particularly fresh sea food.

The city has a number of top class venues opened by ‘celebrity’ chefs that sit alongside more modest establishments ensuring that residents and visitors alike are spoiled by choice. It is no wonder then that Edinburgh is the recipient of glowing accolades from tourist industry organisations, regularly featuring in the top three (if not first) in international surveys as the best place in the UK to visit.

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With more ventures in the pipeline this arm of the hospitality industry has a bright future and deserves all the plaudits it gets.

By the way, I hear that there is a new restaurant about to open called Karma.

It doesn’t have a menu, you get what you deserve!

Spelling jest

Last week my dog Cooper swallowed all the tiles from my Scrabble game. For days he kept on leaving me wee messages around the house.