Fake news is categorized as a piece of information which lacks truth or fact, tends to be misleading and spread to the public as news that seems to come from a reliable source. Fake news is also known literally or linguistically as rumors.Fake news is of no doubt through researches, studies and observations on the increase side.With the adoption and rise of social media, internet, television and radio stations the concept of fake news is can be easily and rapidly spread and easily influence the public thought which may likely result to societal chaos, agony and destruction beyond control and imagination. Fake news is not a newly invented concept, it has been used as a manipulative tool to inject untruthful information to the mind of the citizens or the masses since time immemorial. Although, in the pre-social media and internet periods, fake news is less significant, less destructive compare to the present period and era of social media because in those pre-social media and pre-internet days, pieces of information are spread through manual means such as making announcement through the adoption of town criers. Man then, was the only carrier of information. The population of the world then was scanty and people were distant to themselves so much that information may take a long duration and process to reach the people in living in the remote area. Therefore, this reduces the destructive effect fake news could have then. Obviously, this is the era and period of social media as well as internet of which it is estimated that nearly seventy percent of the world's population are social media or internet users.
However, this era of digital life we are experiencing, there has been a lot of channels such as social media platforms, television and radio stations which have accelerated the rate at which fake news could be spread and the rate at which it could reach the remote part of the world.
Amazingly, of all the channels of spreading news be it factual or fake news, social media is the most significant which aid the fast spread of deceptive and fake news due to its high numbers of users couple with the rate at which its users believe in its news to be genuine. Furthermore, social media is also said to be a sophisticated tool for spreading fake news and rumours algorithm to generate and spread false news can be implemented and easily priotize which can make the news to be fascinating and factual so that it can more likes and share. The increase in the likes and share will eventually lead to the increase in the numbers of followers and the higher such a news tends to spread faster.
There are many intentions and reasons by which individuals or group of individuals spread fake news.
One of the reasons for fake news can be traced to political reason or political agenda, in a country or location where dirty politics is being played and where individuals gets involved in politics for selfish interest, mismanagement, looting public fund and the likes, fake news are used as an instrument to create partisan belief and sway people away from there opponent in their favor.
Moreover, fake news may be spread for social influence by which individuals or group of individuals who have some hidden and are seriously searching for fame may decide to create some fake content and news inorder to gain followers and attractions.
The impact of fake news on public thought has countless consequences.
Firstly, fake news creates massive destruction of both government and individual properties which can eventually lead to the death of masses.
Secondly, fake news easily creates enmity and hatred especially when it's being used as a tool by political individuals to create partisan belief.
Thirdly, it increases immoral act and behavior such as murder, tribalism, robbery and a few to mention.
In conclusion, the impact of fake on public opinion is an important issue which should be addressed and dealt with in this digital era. Plans should be made by the government in combating it through different efforts especially by scrutinizing the media houses and by having total control of social media because its aftermath is every situation is always negative.