A slide deck discussing the results of my semester-long analysis on the hashtag "fake news". Within the deck is a compilation of statistical charts to offer ideas on the significance of this hashtag, as well as a deep dive into the social dynamics attached to this topic.

1. Brian Grasso
Data Driven Cultures
May 2017

2. THE AGENDA FOR TODAY
Hashtag Importance
#FakeNews
Data Visualization 2
Tweets by Day
Connection to Text
Tufte
Summary
General Conclusion
1
Data Visualization 1
Tweets by Language

3. 2
Power of Persuasion
1) Availability Heuristic
2) Divisiveness
3) Elections
4) Trustworthiness
IMPORTANCE Data Visualization
Two
Agenda
Importance
Data Visualization
One
Summary
Text Connection Citations

4. ANALYZING THE PROBLEM 3
Availability
Heuristic Division
Elections Trust
Availability
Heuristic
Elections
Globally
Division
Among Population
Trustworthiness
Globally
People generate irrational fears and
general opinions based on information
they are presented with.
30,000 Fake News accounts were shut down
by French government in light of its
upcoming election.1 14 percent of Americans
calling social media their “most important”
source of election news.2
People choose what information they want
to believe, regardless of veracity.
Population will grow increasingly skeptical
of information, leading to confusion and
distrust in the system.
FakeNews
Data Visualization
Two
Agenda
Importance
Data Visualization
One
Summary
Text Connection Citations

5. 4
ANALYSIS ONE
Major Uptrend
ANALYSIS TWO
Quick downtrend
Conclusive Analysis
• Mother of All Bombs was dropped right in the
heart of the trend and all news will draw ‘fake
news’ outcries from the population
• France cracked down on 30,000 Fake News
Accounts on April 14th in pursuit of their
upcoming election1
• United Airlines employees slapped a baby
TWEETS BY DAY Data Visualization
Two
Agenda
Importance
Data Visualization
One
Summary
Text Connection Citations

6. 5
ANALYSIS ONE
Majority of tweets are based in the United States
ANALYSIS TWO
Majority of tweets are transcribed in English
Conclusive Analysis
There is unceasing, persuasive power hosted by the
media in the US, reinforcing our domestic divide
TWEETS BY LANGUAGE Data Visualization
Two
Agenda
Importance
Data Visualization
One
Summary
Text Connection Citations

7. 6CONNECTION TO TUFTE
“Superior methods are
more likely to produce
truthful, credible, and
precise findings.” (1997, 27)
à Tufte3
Having multiple sources of
information creates a filter
bubble for those who want
to decide what information
to believe
These bubbles are
discursively regulated and
create divisiveness within
the country
Ex: Election
Data Visualization
Two
Agenda
Importance
Data Visualization
One
Summary
Text Connection Citations

8. 7SUMMARY
Issue
Fake news accounts are designated to
generate biased opinions through the
exploitation of the availability
heuristic.
Trump reinforces the population’s
belief in fake news by publicly taking
a stance against certain networks. (Ex:
Trump not showing at dinner for Press
Sat. Night)4
Result
1. Certain populations gravitate
towards news they can support
regardless of its veracity.
2. There is a growing population of
media consumers who do not trust
these news providers.
3. Elections are unethically decided
through false campaign methods.
4. Changes knowledge and influences
public opinion.
Solution
Cut off distribution channels for fake news
providers (ex: Facebook).5 If fake news is
labeled, people will be able to associate
influential information with trusted
sources.
Data Visualization
Two
Agenda
Importance
Data Visualization
One
Summary
Text Connection Citations

9. 8CITATIONS Data Visualization
Two
Agenda
Importance
Data Visualization
One
Summary
Text Connection Citations
1Kottasová, Ivana. "Facebook Targets 30,000
Accounts In Crackdown On Fake News In
France". CNNMoney. N.p., 2017. Web. 2 May 2017.
2Ordway, Denise-Marie.” Fake news and spread of
misinformation. Journalistsresource.org. N.p., 2017.
Web. 2 May 2017.
3Tufte, Edward R. Visual and Statistical Thinking:
Displays of Evidence for Making Decisions.
4"Tucker Carlson: White House Correspondents'
Dinner 'An Extended Middle Finger' To Trump".
Fox News. N.p., 2017. Web. 3 May 2017.
5"Google's Fake News Problem Could Be Worse
Than On Facebook". Fortune.com. N.p., 2017. Web.
2 May 2017.
Images
http://i2.cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/160201
150128-trump-clinton-split-portrait-super-tease.jpg
Trump Vs. Clinton
http://static.diffen.com/uploadz/9/97/Dem-rep-
hero.png
Democrats Vs. Republicans
http://www.chicagonow.com/intellectual-chicago-
suburbs/files/2016/03/TRUST.png
Trust