What'sTrending

Gaming the system to spread falsehoods

While bots may be used to spread fake news, users' lack of media literacy is worrying too

Facebook user Laura Wolf posted a photo of 18-year-old Evoni Williams, a waitress at Waffle House in Texas, helping an elderly customer cut the ham in his breakfast meal as he had difficulty doing so.
Facebook user Laura Wolf posted a photo of 18-year-old Evoni Williams, a waitress at Waffle House in Texas, helping an elderly customer cut the ham in his breakfast meal as he had difficulty doing so. PHOTO: LAURA WOLF/FACEBOOK
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Showing up on Twitter's trending topics list, which alerts users to what's going viral in real time, is a dream for many businesses and organisations.

And in some countries, such fame can be attained briefly for as little as $300.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on March 11, 2018, with the headline Gaming the system to spread falsehoods. Subscribe