Fake news hostile to Donald Trump will boom in popularity as the Left credulously swallows untrue stories to fit their political biases, experts have predicted.
The tide of fake news – predominantly Right-leaning under President Obama – is beginning to turn dramatically as the new White House administration takes shape.
As fake news targets like Hillary Clinton – whose circle was at the heart of the Pizzagate non-story – recede from view, the new powers that be will take the flack instead.
According to a report in the Guardian, the soaring anxieties of frustrated liberals mean they are likely to relax their guard and believe anything about their political foes.
Claire Wardle, a research director from the debunking website First Draft News, said: “It’s unsurprising to me that we’re seeing a growth of disinformation on the left … People want information that makes them feel better.”
Recent debunked tales include claims that Melania Trump was using the White House website to sell jewelry, fabricated horror stories about the victims of Trump’s immigration ban, and outrage over invented faked quotes from Mike Pence.
Running commentary from unverified outlets – like the extremely popular @RoguePOTUSStaff – claiming to offer damning insights into the White House have also gained traction despite nothing suggesting they are legitimate.
Even supposed beneficiaries of these stories – for example, protesters in Standing Rock – told the Guardian that the articles actually do them no good.
Indigenous protest leader Dallas Goldtooth said: “You don’t need to [exaggerate]. Tell the story as it is.”
