The perceived accuracy of fake news: Mechanisms facilitating the spread of alternative truths, the crisis of informational objectivity, and the decline of trust in journalistic narratives

Abstract

We inspect the relevant literature on the perceived accuracy of fake news, providing both quantitative evidence on trends and numerous in-depth empirical examples. Using data from Alexa, Edelman, eMarketer, Gallup, Pew Research Center, SNCR, Statista, and Visual Capitalist, we performed analyses and made estimates regarding distribution of traffic sources for fake news in the U.S.A., sources that should take the lead in solving the problem of fake news ads according to U.S. marketers, perceived frequency of online news websites reporting fake news stories in the U.S.A., and extent to which users trust in journalism or platforms for general news and information.