A panel of experts will try to define what is “fake” news and what is just “bad” news, explore the impact of fake news on mainstream journalism and geopolitics, and offer tips on how to identify fake news.

SEMINOLE – “Fake news,” a term and concept that barely existed three years ago, has morphed into an industry of malicious fabrication that undermines honest debate and, some fear, threatens the foundation of Western democracy that is built on an informed electorate arriving at consensus.

The Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions at St. Petersburg College will address this new force in politics and communication at a forum titled Fake News: Seeking Truth in a Post-Factual World.

The forum, another in the Institute’s dinner series of topical programs, will be from 6 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Oct. 24 in the Conference Center at the Seminole Campus, 9200 113th St. N. Advance registration is required.

Originating in then-presidential candidate Donald Trump’s complaints about news coverage of his campaign, the term “fake news” now encompasses everything from robot-generated messages that influence elections to any report with which one disagrees.

Though incentivized by the modern internet, where media outlets are rewarded with ad dollars by the number of people viewing their content, fake news is as ancient as 13th century BCE Egypt. There, Ramses the Great spread lies and propaganda portraying the Battle of Kadesh as a stunning victory for the Egyptians, when it was actually a stalemate. In more modern times, Snopes.com has been exposing false “facts” for years.

The forum will feature a panel of experts who will attempt to define what is “fake” news and what is just “bad” news, explore the impact of fake news on mainstream journalism and geopolitics, and offer tips on how to identify fake news. The panelists are

Alexios Mantzarlis, faculty member and director, the International Fact-Checking Network, the Poynter Institute

Hiwot Hailu, multi-media reporter, the Poynter Institute

Dr. John Duff, baccalaureate chair, College of Computer and Information Technology, St. Petersburg College

Christopher (Chris) Ingram, political commentator and president, 411 Communications

Moderator will be David Klement, executive director of the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions.

Tickets for the dinner and program are $25 and must be reserved at solutions.spcollege.edu/. Students and educators may register for $20.

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