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Ciku Kimeria
Writer, Adventurer, Development Consultant, Travelblogger
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piqer: Ciku Kimeria
Tuesday, 18 July 2017

The Zimbabwean Robin Hood Of Fake News

In the age of fake news, it was just a matter of time before someone realized that the average reader is more interested in sharing sensationalist stories than deep insightful pieces. One Zimbabwean journalist is using fake news networks to pay for his real news networks. 

"If you’re an idiot on the internet, and you say stupid shit, you’re going to make a lot of money."

His assertion is backed by fact. His main fake news channel earns him around $5,000 a month while he is lucky to make a couple of hundred dollars on his page covering real political news. 

"There aren’t that many people interested in politics. I can earn a few hundred dollars a month from my news site, it performs so badly. But stuff about gay baboons, stuff about pastors saying they went to heaven, that goes viral."

It's hard to judge him for his actions given that there are so many fake news outlets that cannot claim to have noble reasons for their existence. Without him, there would still be thousands of articles daily about the most improbable things, outlandish stories, celebrity gossip, etc. What is. however, worrying, is the global growth of fake news and the fact that many people the world over are not able to discern what is real and what is fake. Are we creating a new world order where there will be fake news for the masses and real news for the more sophisticated readers?

The number of forwards I get daily on social media about people getting cancer from bottled water that they left in their car, dead dictators who always turn out to still be alive, or messages that I need to send to everyone in my contact lists lest I get kicked off a certain app are proof to me that this world already exists. One in which, while information will be easier for all to get, knowledge will still be the preserve of the few. 

The Zimbabwean Robin Hood Of Fake News
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Comments 1
  1. Frederik Fischer
    Frederik Fischer · Created nearly 2 years ago ·

    This is brilliant:)