The BBC is launching an international initiative to combat, expose and educate people about so-called "Fake News", with multiple programmes on BBC World News that will help educate, investigate, and discuss the growing phenomenon and impact of fake news on politics, people and countries.
The BBC says its Beyond Fake News project aims to fight back with a major focus on global media literacy.
Jamie Angus, Director of the BBC World Service Group, says "In 2018 I pledged that the BBC World Service Group would move beyond just talking about the global 'fake news' threat, and take concrete steps to address it".
"Poor standards of global media literacy, and the ease with which malicious content can spread unchecked on digital platforms mean there's never been a greater need for trustworthy news providers to take proactive steps."
"We have put our money where our mouth is and invested in real action on the ground in India and in Africa."
"From funding in-depth research into sharing behaviours online, to rolling out media literacy workshops globally, and by pledging to bring BBC Reality Check to some of the world's most important upcoming elections, this year we're carving our path as a leading global voice for spotting the problems, and setting out ambitious solutions."
"We have put our money where our mouth is and invested in real action on the ground in India and in Africa."
"From funding in-depth research into sharing behaviours online, to rolling out media literacy workshops globally, and by pledging to bring BBC Reality Check to some of the world's most important upcoming elections, this year we're carving our path as a leading global voice for spotting the problems, and setting out ambitious solutions."
Operation Infektion, by The New York Times, is a fascinating history of fake news, or what the KGB used to call "active measures".
With testimony from former Russian spies and US officials, the film deconstructs some of the most successful "fake news" operations of recent times, from the 1980s lie that Aids was created by the CIA, to the so called pizzagate conspiracy during the last presidential election.
Operation Infektion will be on BBC World News on Saturday, 10 November at 17:10 (South African time), Sunday 11 November at 11:10 and 22:10.
Beyond Fake News: Tech Giants will have the tech giants Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Google together in Delhi, India, to discuss the fake news crisis and the roles their platforms play in the problem, and the solution. Matthew Amroliwala is the presenter.
Beyond Fake News: Tech Giants will be on BBC World News on Saturday, 17 November at 04:30 and 10:0:30; Sunday, 18 November at 16:30 and 23:30; Monday, 19 November at 05:30; Tuesday, 20 November at 12:30.
The following programmes don't have specific times, since the BBC says BBC World News programming may vary.
Global: From Delhi
12 - 15 November
Matthew Amroliwala takes BBC World News’ Global on the road through India, exploring what happens in a world where fake news goes viral, and trust is the victim. He’ll be talking to tech giants, politicians, school children and Bollywood actors.
The She Word: Fake Me
10 November
From Insta-face to jeeps and bling to full-on faking it, millennials in Africa are living on "likes" as the social media world expands, sometimes going to extreme lengths to clock up the clicks.
Using the Instagram look, the content, the followers and the tech to transform her online profile, a 21-year old Kenyan student goes from private to public, to see if she can fake it in just 5 days.
BBC Click: Kosovo's Fake News Factories
10 November
Eighteen months ago Kosovo's fake news factories were running at full steam - fuelled by the country's excellent connectivity and its young tech-savvy population with few other job opportunities. Since then, Facebook has been aggressively targeting such operations. The BBC looks at how successful this crackdown has been and how the fake news game has changed.
"Fake Video" with Matthew Amroliwala
14 November
Matthew Amroliwala picks up new languages the easy way, but not without a little help from video reanimation software that turns fiction into reality, making 'fake video'. This technology could present opportunity but also dangers.
Explainer: Why a Fake News Story Spreads
12 November
How does fake news get onto your feed? Zoe Kleinman explores how fake news goes viral, the role of social network algorithms in its spread and how automated bots push false stories to millions. How easily are legitimate publishers tricked into repeating false news, and why are we the public so willing to share stories we see on social media?
Fake News and the Philippines
12 November
Howard Johnson travels to the remote archipelago of Batanes to understand how supporters of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos have been exploiting Facebook to spread fake news and help his family stage a political comeback.
Somalia: Media Freedom Under Attack
12 November
Somalia is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist and media outlets are being closed down for publishing information, or what their critics call "fake news". Fergal Keane reports on the fallout.
