The spread of misinformation and fake news has become a major concern in the media landscape due to how easily and quickly information can be spread across all kinds of digital platforms. One case of fake news and misinformation is that of a widely circulated story on the cancellation of the NBA All-Star Game in North Carolina (Zanger, 2016). This particular case is a clear example on how fast a fake news story can be spread throughout digital platforms. It also shows that when fact checking is neglected it leads to chaos across media platforms and confusion for all readers. Exploring the origins of this fake news story, investigating the impact it had, and the ethical implications of this story are necessary to understand in order to best know how to combat future fake news stories that may be published and to help promote media literacy as a whole. It is extremely crucial to have strategies to combat fake news stories like this NBA story in order to prevent similar incidents in the near future.
The NBA had at one point implied that North Carolina’s new law, requiring the individuals to use public bathrooms that aligned with the gender on their birth certificate, could potentially force the league to move their 2017 All-Star game out of Charlotte (Reimer, 2016). A hoax website with the address, “abcnews.com.co,” which used the logo of the real ABC news, published the bogus story that this game was canceled (Reimer, 2016). This fake page and site reached millions upon millions of people (Reimer, 2016). Another fake site, that claimed to be CBS News picked up the story as well (Zanger, 2016). In addition, the story was picked up by other news outlets including that of a legitimate site called cleveland.com; however, they deleted the story after discovering that it was in fact fake and untrue (Zanger, 2016). The NBA ended up having to address the spreading of this misinformation on the cancellation of the All-Star Game, by using their X account (previously Twitter), to make a statement saying that there was no truth to be found on the fake ABC News account concerning the 2017 NBA All-Star Game (Zanger, 2016). It had to reiterate multiple times that no news statements had been made yet addressing the issue of whether to move the All-Star game in North Carolina and that this story was indeed fake (Zanger, 2016).
In response to the pressure from the public to do away with the “bathroom bill,” officially known as HB2, there were a variety of widespread rumors circulating across many digital platforms stating that the NBA had officially canceled the game (Zanger, 2016). Then along came the article that was both published on the fake ABC News site and the unauthorized fake CBS site as well that stated the official cancellation of the All-Star NBA Game in Charlotte (Zanger, 2016). Social media users, bloggers, and even new outlets, like the aforementioned Cleveland Sports News site, got a hold of the story and amplified it to the extreme. This fake news story spread across X (then Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram. It gained traction among millions due to the fact that this story was grounded in the controversial matter of transgenderism. This story lacked official confirmation from the NBA and was based only on speculation and misinterpretations of the league’s prior statements regarding their feelings on the “bathroom bill,” and whether or not to relocate the game to a different state.
The impact of this fake news story caused public confusion, damaged trust in news media, and inflicted damage upon the NBA’s reputation. The widespread of false information on where the location of the game would take place caused confusion amongst fans and the public alike. Many NBA fans had been following the HB2 controversy and the NBA’s response to it. Both fans and the public alike were fed misinformation about the game and were misled to believe that the All-Star Game was either canceled or relocated (Zanger, 2016). This confusion only added to the controversy that surrounded the league's involvement with North Carolina lawmakers and political issues (Zanger, 2016).
This case of fake news also led to the damage of trust in the news media as a whole because when fake news circulates on a large scale manner like this it erodes and dissolves trust in legitimate news sources. This situation reflects the broader issue of how fake news affects the trust that the public has in both traditional news media and digital news media. The correction of the story by credible news sources and news outlets was not in time to prevent the damage that was caused by the initial false story and claims that the story made.
This false story also ended up affecting the reputation of the NBA and placing them in a negative light. They faced reputational fallout due to this fake news story even though they had not officially canceled the game. The fake announcement of the cancellation created an additional pressure to the league as a whole because it intensified the social and political matters that came along with the decision of canceling the game or not. In the end, the NBA ultimately decided to hold the game in Charlotte, but it restricted them from effectively managing the narrative due to the misinformation surrounding the situation and causing them to be placed in a negative light by some (Zanger, 2016).
The ethical implications of spreading fake news are multifaceted in the case of this fake news story. There is a responsibility to be upheld by news outlets, there are harmful effects on public discourse, and there is an impact on certain communities. Digital platforms and news organizations have an important ethical responsibility to make sure that the information they publish is accurate and well-sourced. Because of the failure of many outlets and digital media users to fact check the NBA cancellation story, it proves to be a stark example of how the press can assist in the problem of fake news stories. Sensationalism is a quality that attracts readers and oftentimes if something is even the slightest bit sensational, news outlets will publish it in order to attract clicks and views, but this type of action is something that undermines journalistic integrity (Zanger, 2016).
Harmful effects of public discourse occur when misinformation distorts public discourse and creates an environment in which facts are blurred with falsehood and exaggerated truth. The fake news surrounding the NBA’s stance on HB2 caused more debate over the law itself and the implications of this law (Zanger, 2016). Instead of focusing on meaningful discussion about the HB2 law, the media diverted to the NBA’s alleged actions (Zanger, 2016). As a journalist or a media organization it is crucial to maintain ethical responsibility and to prioritize accuracy and context in order to prevent any such misdirections.
In the case of this story, the people most affected by its spread across many social platforms and news outlets were the LGBTQ community (Reimer, 2016). The false reports about the cancellation of this game misrepresented the NBA’s actions and their beliefs as an organization (Reimer, 2016). It was viewed by some as an act of solidarity with this particular community of people. This story ultimately just caused confusion for all parties involved.
In order to stop the growing problem and the spread of fake news and misinformation, strategies needed to be implemented by both media organizations and individuals alike. A more intense fact-checking mechanism and verification of sources should be invested in by media companies. Journalists as a whole need to have a more strict type of training in order to be able to critically evaluate sources and assess whether certain information is credible or not before choosing to report on it. The public needs to be better educated on media literacy. There are many programs offered by both universities and nonprofit organizations that provide people with resources and understanding through workshops on how to recognize fake news. Another way to combat fake news and promote media literacy is by encouraging the social platforms that people across the globe use everyday to take responsibility and control the rapid spread of fake news. An algorithm that prioritizes sensational content could be reconstructed in order to make sure accuracy and truth are upheld.
The overall fake news story surrounding the NBA’s 2017 All-Star Game in North Carolina shows how quickly misinformation can spread and the confusion it can cause amongst millions of people (Zanger, 2016). The origins of this fake news story can be traced back to rumors that circulated around the HB2 controversy (Zanger, 2016). The impact of the spread of the story that reported the cancellation of the game could be seen in public confusion, damage to the credibility of the media, and reputational harm to the organization of the NBA (Zanger, 2016). Fact checking processes need to be strengthened, the promotion of media literacy needs to be amplified, and the encouragement of ethical journalism needs to occur in order to help stop the spread of misinformation.
References
Reimer, A. (2016, April 11). A Hoax News Story About The NBA Moving The 2017 Charlotte All-Star Game Fooled The Media. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexreimer/2016/04/11/a-hoax-news-story-about-the-nba-moving-the-2017-charlotte-all-star-game-fooled-the-media/
Zanger, D. (2016, April 16). Story about canceling 2017 NBA all-star game in North Carolina over anti-LGBT law was hoax. The Drum. https://www.thedrum.com/news/2016/04/11/story-about-canceling-2017-nba-all-star-game-north-carolina-over-anti-lgbt-law-was
Commentaires