How dubious 'local news' sites are feeding US misinformation by rleverafp
The new Twitter owner eventually deleted his tweet linking to the false article by the Santa Monica Observer, but millions had already digested and re-circulated a smear that went viral on Facebook and other social networks.
Hundreds of newspapers have shuttered since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, but there are plenty of imitators popping up in their stead. A Northwestern University report in October revealed the huge newspaper dropoff. It also showed more than a fifth of Americans live in"news deserts" or in communities at risk of losing local outlets.
But Waldman and other experts say the relative deficit of credible reporting -- about one in four US newspapers has disappeared since 2005, and another third are likely to be gone by 2025 -- makes it harder for voters to separate fact from fiction.
The sites get readers by delivering content in paid ads on social media platforms, which allow targeting of specific groups by geography or demographics. This can mislead readers into thinking the articles are"organic" content from established news outlets, researchers say.
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