16 Jun 2025 All the lies, distortions, and fake news fit to print

“All the news that’s fit to print” was a motto adopted by American newspaper publisher Adolph S. Ochs – an immigrant from Germany – when he took over The New York Times in 1895. It signified the newspaper’s commitment to accurate, impartial, and ethical news reporting.

Since then, newspapers the world over have run the gamut from government propaganda to liberal-minded editorial freedom. Yet, in the age of digital communications, democratic notions of fairness and balance have been turned on their head by misinformation, disinformation, and fake news.

One of the consequences of this reversal has been the rapid rise of hate speech. In July 2021, the UN General Assembly highlighted its “exponential spread and proliferation” around the world, adopting a resolution on “promoting inter-religious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech”.

International Day for Countering Hate Speech is celebrated on June 18. This year the Council of Europe is pressing to “Enhance legal and non-legal measures against hate speech through a multi-stakeholder approach”. Special attention will be given to collecting insights into existing knowledge, practices, and challenges.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has thrown his MAGA cap into the ring with The White House, a digital newsletter whose aim, judging by its content, is to skew public perception against any criticism of the administration’s policies or actions and to flaunt Trump’s America First dictatorship.

Here’s an example from May 12, 2025: “President Donald Trump ripped legacy and establishment media reporters on Monday, saying they refuse to cover the ‘genocide’ taking place against farmers in South Africa.”

Another from May 1, 2025: “Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order ending the taxpayer subsidization of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).”

And another from April 28, 2025: “Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to enforce federal law with respect to sanctuary jurisdictions to protect their citizens from dangerous illegal aliens.”

The wording aims to deceive. Genocide against farmers in South Africa, but not against Palestinians? Taxpayers “subsidising” public broadcasting which highlights inconsistencies and injustices? Sanctuary jurisdictions protecting “illegal aliens”? Trump’s propaganda machine includes staged White House events, in which briefings by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and statements by Trump’s agent provocateur J.D. Vance are intended to mislead public opinion.

What can be done? According to the United Nations, “As online environments have become echo chambers for hateful rhetoric, strengthening digital literacy as part of global citizenship education has become even more important than ever. Audiences need to know how to critically analyse and counteract hate speech – both offline or online.”

And, as A.G. Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times, underscored in a recent article, we must support free press and democracy by seeking out news sources worthy of our trust. After all:

“Without a free press, how will people know if their government is acting legally and in their interest? How will people know if their leaders are telling the truth? How will people know if their institutions are acting to the benefit of society? How will people know if their freedoms are being sustained, defended and championed – or eroded by forces that seek to replace truth and reality with propaganda and misinformation?”

Only commonsense and decency can stop the Donald Trumps of this world. Learning to question news and information, reading between the lines, recognising deception, and actively countering hate speech will help.

Photo: Joshua Sukoff/Shutterstock