"Google 'What is fracking?' and one of the top results will be what-is-fracking.com,
a cleanly designed website that explains that extracting natural gas
through hydraulic fracturing does not contaminate drinking water, does
not pollute the air to a significant degree, and helps raise wages in
local communities.
"What the site doesn't explain is who published
it. The only hint is a copyright notice, in 10.5-point font at the
bottom of each page, linking to 'api.org.'
"'I don't care what you
think of fracking,' says journalist, lawyer, and entrepreneur Steven
Brill. But, he says,'you should know that this website, which reads like
The Economist, is owned and operated and published by the American
Petroleum Institute.'
"Whether created by spammers, grifters, conspiracy theorists, or
propagandists, sites that conceal or play down their ownership and
financing, blend news with advertising, and routinely publish
misinformation are widespread on the internet. And it's not always easy
to distinguish these sites from the ones operated by those acting in
good faith."
A recent article in The Christian Science Monitor explored ways to address the issue of "fake news."
To access the complete Christian Science Monitor report, please visit:
Christian Science Monitor: Can old-fashioned journalism combat fake news? (7 FEB 19)
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