Teufelskreis Fake News

Fake News are omnipresent. They influence our daily life especially since the social media boom. But what happens with those ‘alternative news when they get disproved? Do they still get viral or maybe the total opposite happens they disappear? In this case study we look into Fake News on Facebook and Twitter and what happens if quality newspapers disprove these posts will they end or will they still live on? The Facebook and Twitter accounts of the political parties AfD and NPD were examined before the German federal elections in 2017. The authors chose these parties because they expected that they polarize the most. The scientific study was made with a qualitative and quantitative content analysis. The results are supported through Luhmanns ‘Spiegeltheorie which says that the environment will be looked at through the mass media. Because of that we develop a parallel world. Furthermore, thoughts from Brechts ‘Radiotheorie are also implemented in this case study. As a result of this study one can say that fake news at least live two more weeks after they get disproved. Followers still share, like and comment them even if the rectification in quality newspapers appear on the same day.(VLID)245477