{"id":2201986,"date":"2023-08-15T17:00:01","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T08:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201986"},"modified":"2023-08-16T18:02:34","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T09:02:34","slug":"political-echo-chambers-lead-to-rising-concerns-of-fake-news-in-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/08\/political-echo-chambers-lead-to-rising-concerns-of-fake-news-in-south-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"Political echo chambers lead to rising concerns of \u2018fake news\u2019 in South Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"
South Korea stands as one of the world\u2019s most digitally active societies. However, recent studies suggest that it is ill-equipped to tackle the burgeoning challenge of online misinformation. Deep-seated political divides have only compounded the problem, as many seem unwilling to address the challenge head-on.<\/span><\/p>\n At a conservative rally in late June, President Yoon Suk-yeol highlighted the threats that \u201c<\/span>false instigations, fabrications and fake news<\/span><\/a>\u201d present to South Korea\u2019s freedom. However, these warnings were largely <\/span>veiled criticisms<\/span><\/a> of the policies of the preceding Moon Jae-in administration.<\/span><\/p>\n But the politicization of the term \u201cfake news\u201d in South Korea is not new or one-sided. The Moon administration itself faced <\/span>backlash<\/span><\/a> in 2021 when it proposed a controversial bill, which critics argued could stifle media freedom.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThese days politicians, or even just laypeople, just use the terms \u2018fake news\u2019 or \u2018misinformation\u2019 to attack the other side,\u201d Sangwon Lee, an assistant professor in communication studies at New Mexico State University, told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n The freedom to question those in power is vital for democracy, and allowing only cherry-picked opinions creates an echo chamber that helps actual misinformation propagate, he warned.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn this political environment, people unfairly label information they don’t like as fake news, which hinders further deliberation on political matters,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n At its core, this politicization of news mirrors a society deeply polarized, where many individuals instinctively reject narratives that clash with their pre-existing beliefs. This reluctance perpetuates and amplifies growing concerns about misinformation.<\/span><\/p>\n