The fact-checking director of The Washington Post, Glenn Kessler, during an interview with the EFE Agency, highlighted that what happened in Spain is a real case of the impact of misinformation, fake news, the weakening of journalistic institutions, and the anger of the population. Kessler mentioned that the lack of accurate information and the influence of social media occurred in a context of climate change that has not been adequately reported on or addressed in a timely manner.
He emphasized that when The Washington Post publishes important news exposing corruption, they receive a high number of readers. However, he pointed out that the newsrooms of traditional media are shrinking in size and resources, especially impacting local journalism. For Kessler, the only way to defend the truth and restore trust in the media is by doing accurate journalism and publishing detailed reports that add value.
Regarding social media, Kessler opined that journalistic institutions cannot ignore the conversation that takes place in these spaces, which are becoming increasingly essential in public debate. He highlighted the importance of diversifying sources of information and following diverse media to avoid a biased view of the world. Additionally, he mentioned that the algorithm of platforms like Twitter can limit traffic to external media.
The case of the Dana storm in Valencia was described by Kessler as a "perfect storm of misinformation," underscoring that the lack of access to accurate information by governments can have tragic consequences. Finally, Kessler warned that we are at the beginning of the era of misinformation, highlighting the consequences of not having solid journalism and robust journalistic institutions.
