Pope Francis on Wednesday said the earliest instance of fake news probably took place in the Garden of Eden, where the “crafty serpent” tricked Adam and Eve into eating the forbidden fruit.
In a papal message, the Pope referred to the Book of Genesis to talk about fake news and warn people against believing everything they read.
“This was the strategy employed by the crafty serpent in the Book of Genesis, who, at the dawn of humanity, created the first fake news,” he wrote.
His message goes on to describe the ways in which people can recognise fake news.
“This is no easy task,” the pontiff said, “since disinformation is often based on deliberately evasive and subtly misleading rhetoric and at times the use of sophisticated psychological mechanisms...We need to unmask what could be called the ‘snake-tactics’ used by those who disguise themselves to strike at any time and place.”
He said identifying disinformation called for “a profound and careful process of discernment”.
While the Pope highlighted the impact of fake news on society and spoke about the responsibility of journalists and social media giants, he did not talk about how political leaders, including United States President Donald Trump, have often used the phrase to dismiss reports that criticise them, The New York Times reported.
The pope’s message suggested ways to solve the problem of fake news. “We can recognise the truth of statements from their fruits,” he said. Do they “provoke quarrels, foment division, encourage resignation; or, on the other hand, promote informed and mature reflection leading to constructive dialogue and fruitful results”.
He said people need to be “ready to listen” and make an effort to “engage in sincere dialogue so truth can emerge”.
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