We bear false witness when spreading fake news; here are some ways we can avoid doing so
With this new normal way of obtaining news has come the rise of the prevalence of fake news. We all love to complain about fake news—at least when said news negatively portrays people or ideas we agree with. And no matter your worldview, there is a lot of fake news to complain about! The Internet has made it easier than ever to spread unfounded rumors, and for liars and conspiracy theorists to gain attention. And what’s the most effective way to get attention? Create clickbait. Spread some wild and crazy story that people just can’t help but click on. Fake news is everywhere.
But for all the complaints we might have about fake news and scorn the media members who propagate it, has each of us thought about how much fake news we are peddling?
Last month, Ed Stetzer wrote an article for Christianity Today on the most recent wave of fake news: coronavirus conspiracy theories. In it, he wryly observes that “gullibility is not a spiritual gift.” Indeed, there are enough conspiracy theories out there about COVID-19 to turn even people who are normally level-headed into wild speculators. Was it a bioweapon created in a Chinese lab? Are agencies conspiring to substantially exaggerate the number of COVID-19 deaths? Is it all just a vast conspiracy by the government or Big Pharma for profit?
It’s not just coronavirus. There have been innumerable conspiracy theories and wild rumors bandied about on social media over the last several years. Unfortunately, a lot of conspiracy theories and fake stories are fueled by Christians on social media who share them with their friends and speak out in favor of them. And this should not be the case. Our holy book says it loud and clear: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Bearing false witness
A lot of people think that this is just a way of saying, “You shall not lie.” And, of course, that is a rough approximation, but that’s not quite enough. Testimony with false information is false testimony—false witness—whether intentional or not. And even if unintentional, the consequences of bearing false witness can be anywhere from irritating to slanderous to devastating. Christians, of all people, should be diligent to do our best not to spread false testimony. And when we spread information that later turns out to be untrue, we should apologize and correct ourselves. Preferably, we should not spread information until we have good and credible evidence of its truth in the first place. Hopefully I myself have done this, but if not, I would like to correct that.
What may make Christians more sympathetic to conspiracy theories
Most of the people reading this are probably Christians. Unfortunately, in the modern world, there are a few factors that I think make Christians disproportionately inclined to sympathize with conspiracy theories. For one thing, as Christians we believe in the fallenness of man. We know that people are sinful and selfish and look out for their own self-interest above all else. So it is easier for us to believe that some powerful entity is misleading or harming the public for their own gain.
For another, many Christians tend to be politically conservative, and as conservatives we distrust big government. It’s not at all far-fetched for us to think that the government, as an entity enthralled with power, will use any means necessary to gain more power. The same often goes for liberal Christians when it comes to conspiracy theories involving corporations and other institutions.
Finally, once again as Christians, many who take a particular interpretation of the end times—characterized by one giant conspiracy leading to the rise of the Antichrist and the mark of the beast—are inclined to see moves toward globalism and invasive technology as moving toward that sinister end.
This doesn’t mean being a Christian makes you more gullible. Other demographics have their own biases that may predispose them to believe fake news of a different kind. But it means we need to be aware of our biases when we read stories. And we need to be exceedingly diligent not to bear false witness by spreading stories just because they confirm our biases.
So how can we do that? First, we need to properly recognize what fake news actually is. “Fake news” is often defined far too simplistically, and as such many people think they’re not purveyors of it. There are multiple types of fake news, and we need to avoid spreading them all.
4 types of fake news we must not spread
#1. False news. These are stories that are simply made up, in full or in part. Often it’s not that simple; usually something that is a complete fantasy won’t get widespread coverage. But occasionally it does. Remember the Birther conspiracy? Pizzagate? The Sandy Hook conspiracy theories? These hoaxes hurt people. They create fear, they fuel hatred, and they are abusive to individuals. They are slander, pure and simple, and Christians should not be slandering people. The commandment “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” does not contain an exception for if your “neighbor” is a presidential candidate or the head of a corporation.
This doesn’t mean you should never talk about a crazy-sounding story. Not every story that sounds crazy is false, nor is every story that sounds credible true. But we are going to give an account of every word we say (or type) at the judgment. Do we really want to have to say that we slandered people in front of hundreds of followers because we couldn’t be bothered to do some careful research and find out if what we are saying is true?
#2. Non-newsworthy news. There is another sense of “fake news,” and that is news that shouldn’t be news. It’s non-news masquerading as news. When Kyrie Irving and Shaquille O’Neal say that they think the Earth is flat, sorry, but that’s not news. That’s someone expressing an uninformed opinion to get attention. Irving’s comment helped spark a wildfire of mostly unserious debate about whether the Earth is truly flat that continued for months afterward because people felt compelled to weigh in on this completely inane discussion on social media. While there are far more harmful conspiracy theories out there than a flat Earth, people have died trying to prove it, and the attention and fame they get only encourages more foolishness. It also fosters an anti-science, anti-authority tendency that might manifest in a far more serious matter—like coronavirus conspiracy theories. Additionally, fanning the flames of even a relatively harmless conspiracy theory damages our credibility and hurts our Christian witness.
#3. Untrustworthy or unverified news. There are some sources that simply should not be trusted, or whose claims do not carry enough weight or evidence to be reported as news. Sources that have been known to spread misinformation in the past and not retract it are generally not credible sources. Individuals who make sensationalistic and fantastical claims that are either demonstrably false or have little or no hard evidence to back them up—such as the one featured in the recent Plandemic video—are generally not credible sources. Yes, it is theoretically possible that what they’re saying is true, but it’s irresponsible to give their claims credence without verification by more credible and reputable sources.
To be fair, many people spread news like this not because they are firmly convinced of its truth, but to spread the word about an intriguing and scandalous possibility. That doesn’t make it okay, though. If you spread news like this, you’re far more likely to be spreading false information than true information.
#4. Unfalsifiable news. Finally, there is “news” that is little more than speculation on the devious motives of the parties involved in an actual story. This kind of fake news may be the most prevalent, because it’s the most subtle and is embedded in real stories all the time. Yet it can’t be falsified because it involves things that can’t be proven or disproven.
For example: It is real news to note that governments are taking extraordinary steps against the coronavirus that could have uncomfortable implications for how far the government believes it can reach in the future. It is fake news to say that the government is treating COVID-19 in this manner for the express purpose of being able to justify asserting such power again in the future.
Further examples of this kind of fake news are legion. When people claim that some piece of real news demonstrates that anti-abortion activists just want to subjugate women throughout the world, Christians harbor hatred for LGBT people, gun control advocates want to institute a totalitarian government takeover, or some person or group is like Adolf Hitler, these are all examples of this form of fake news. So is suggesting that people are secret white supremacists, misogynists, communists, or the Antichrist, without hard and unambiguous evidence. It can’t be disproven, so many people feel they are justified in making such claims. But it is no less slanderous if it is untrue, and because most people are not comic book supervillains, it is almost certainly untrue. The news items themselves may not be false, but if we unjustifiably attribute secret nefarious motives to people, that is slanderous.
So how can we be sure that we are not spreading fake news?
3 ways to make sure we’re not spreading it
#1. Be skeptical of everything—especially things that support your own ideology. It’s easier for us to believe a story that comports with our worldview than to believe one that doesn’t. But we need to make sure that we have the facts right. If we come across some story that fits perfectly into our worldview, then we’re probably not getting the whole story. It’s more likely that the source of the story is someone who agrees or sympathizes with our worldview and is interpreting the story that way. So we need to look very hard and get multiple perspectives before we simply leap to the conclusion we like best. In general, when two different media outlets on opposite sides of the political spectrum report the same facts, then it’s probably true. When someone credible and respected in their field reports specifically on things they would be expected to know, there is good reason to believe that’s true.
#2. Use credible, accurate sources. Although mainstream media gets a well-deserved bad rap for being biased, they are usually more diligent than the fringe websites at doing their homework and collecting verifiable facts. If a mainstream media outlet is not reporting a story, there’s good reason to be skeptical of its truth or at least its newsworthiness.
More specialized media outlets or organizations that report on issues relevant to their field are also generally credible. If you want to find accurate information about weather and climate, NOAA and the Weather Channel are a good place to go. If you want to find accurate information about what’s going on in the worldwide church, outlets like Christianity Today are a good place to go.
In addition, note the difference between reporting and editorializing. Reporting is when an outlet reports the facts. Editorializing is when an outlet articulates an opinion or interpretation of the facts. Every outlet, even the most reputable, editorializes to some degree; you have to editorialize to craft a good story that people will want to read. It should not, however, be mistaken for factual reporting.
Also, check the date on every article. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone post an article on social media as though it were a current event, and the article is actually five years old.
#3. Interpret charitably. Most people are not comic book supervillains. They generally have reasons for doing things that are quite similar to the reasons you or I would do such things. When Governor Whitmer announces that she’s extending the stay-at-home order in Michigan (again!) to May 28, is it more likely that she’s a wannabe dictator who relishes in the pleasure of being able to keep people locked in their homes? Or is it more realistic that she is hoping the disease will die out by the summer and she has opted for taking the route of not letting thousands of people die in the meantime? Whether you think that’s a wise strategy, that’s certainly the more likely explanation.
That doesn’t mean people don’t have ulterior motives. Most people do. And it’s not always wrong to suggest on what someone’s ulterior motives might be, if there is good reason to believe it. For example, it’s not fake news to suggest that the November election plays a strong factor in Governor Whitmer’s and President Trump’s actions. But carelessly interpreting the actions of someone you don’t like in the worst possible way is very likely slanderous.
Concluding thoughts
In this age where outrage is the norm and everyone wants to get a word in, we should stand out and refuse to engage in the slander of others or the reckless propagation of falsehood.
Pushing false stories ruins our credibility and makes people less likely to take us seriously when the next thing we say is true and really matters. Perhaps even worse, fake rumors and harmful misinformation will spread in part due to our words. And unlike the careless words we speak in the company of friends and family, the words we share on the Internet will be preserved in plain letters for years or decades. Yet that’s often the place where we have the tendency to be most careless with our speech.
Posting news stories is good. Getting informed and considered opinions out there is good. Clearly, as a blogger, I don’t think we should never air our opinions or convey newsworthy things. But we should be sure they are true and well-informed, so that when it really matters, people will trust us as reliable sources of information and a well-reasoned way of thinking.
