ABSTRACT
Fake news is news that is verifiably false, usually disseminated with an intent to deceive. Fake news is often associated with the political realm, but is not confined to politics; marketing, journalism, and science are all confronted with the notion that misinformation and facts blur, and are intentionally blurred. By discrediting traditional sources of reliable information, fake news is further used as a means of political propaganda. This introductory chapter discusses conceptual issues, presents some examples of fake news in the context of changing technological dissemination opportunities, and offers a bird’s eye view on the topics covered in this volume.
