Harm

To harm is to hurt. But how do the Internet and harm have anything to do with each other? Does the Internet cause more harm than good?

The Internet is a wonderful tool that allows for people from all around the globe to spread and share information. News travels fast. Unfortunately, not all of the information is true. The consequences that come from the spreading of fake news, or when somebody messes up, are extremely harmful.

According to an article on MarketWatch, it is said that false news stories are 70% more likely to be retweeted on Twitter than true ones.

When a fake news story appears on someone’s feed, it usually grabs their attention. But what are the negative outcomes that arise from these types of stories?

For the reader, they are becoming manipulated by the information that is being given to them. Donald Trump is no stranger to the fake news scene; in fact, some would argue he almost invented the term.

Trump takes to Twitter quite often, and Tweets out statements that are blatantly wrong. Below are some of his wackiest Tweets about fake news, spreading fake news.

Crazy Joe Biden is trying to act like a tough guy. Actually, he is weak, both mentally and physically, and yet he threatens me, for the second time, with physical assault. He doesn’t know me, but he would go down fast and hard, crying all the way. Don’t threaten people Joe!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 22, 2018

The new Fake News narrative is that there is CHAOS in the White House. Wrong! People will always come & go, and I want strong dialogue before making a final decision. I still have some people that I want to change (always seeking perfection). There is no Chaos, only great Energy!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 6, 2018

After having written many best selling books, and somewhat priding myself on my ability to write, it should be noted that the Fake News constantly likes to pore over my tweets looking for a mistake. I capitalize certain words only for emphasis, not b/c they should be capitalized!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 3, 2018

Those who read his Tweets either agree or disagree. Along with those Tweets, Trump is known for spitting out false information. By doing so, he is causing a lot of harm.

People who believe everything that comes out of his mouth are receiving false information, and that is harmful to society as a whole.

Over the past few years, politics has been greatly impacted by fake news. CBS News discusses the impact of fake news on politics in a YouTube video.

Although fake news can be harmful, it can also be used for humor.

The Onion, a very popular website, uses satire to create funny fake news stories. But what happens when someone believes a headline?

When The Onion declared North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, the “sexiest man alive for 2012,” the a Chinese online news site took it seriously.

The Chinese site that published the story added a 55 page photo gallery of Kim Jong Un, but was no longer available after they realized the story was satire.

Although the Internet causes harm, it does do us a lot of favors. What do you think? Do you think the Internet causes more harm than good?