9. Short Debate: Fake News: How do you spot it, how do you beat it?

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:57 pm on 24 October 2018.

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Photo of Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas Independent 5:57, 24 October 2018

(Translated)

Yes, well, one could argue that much of the mass media has been doing that over many years. I don’t think that one can rely on analysing the motives of an individual, but one can analyse the motives of an institution and an organisation and the need to respond to that motive by creating a critical community.

So, we need to raise awareness that every message conveyed on any medium is a message that people, on receiving it, should question. I think that’s crucial to what I'm trying to develop.

Secondly, detailed training is required in the discipline of news gathering for citizens, particularly young citizens, so that people understand the nature of the process of generating news, creating the message, and conveying news, to understand what the meaning of the principles of dealing with information are and that that should be clear and should encourage a greater understanding.

I recall one story that perhaps I shouldn't repeat, but I do feel like repeating it this afternoon. I was part of a debate many years ago with someone who worked for a broadcasting corporation in Wales, and I was seeking to make the argument that there wasn’t enough Welsh news, and the response of the journalist to me was—and the discussion was in English: