Alternative Health Websites and Fake News: Taking a Stab at Definition, Genre, and Belief

Terms like “fake news” and “alternative facts” are a part of everyday life now, but what do these terms mean to folklorists? In this paper, I consider types of fake news, where fake news occurs, and what motivates people to create fake news. I also address fake news by looking at alternative health...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of American folklore 2018-10, Vol.131 (522), p.405-412
Main Author: Kitta, Andrea
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AFS ETHNOGRAPHIC THESAURUS
Alligators
Ambiguity
Anthropology
Autism
Belief
belief systems
Beliefs, opinions and attitudes
contemporary legend
Criticism and interpretation
Disinformation
Electronic news gathering
Ethnic Studies
False information
Folklore
Folklorists
Health
Ideology
Immunization
Literary devices
Media coverage
Medical misconceptions
Misogyny
Narratives
News media
Publishing
Publishing industry
rumors
Social networks
Vaccines
Websites
Word meaning
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Summary:Terms like “fake news” and “alternative facts” are a part of everyday life now, but what do these terms mean to folklorists? In this paper, I consider types of fake news, where fake news occurs, and what motivates people to create fake news. I also address fake news by looking at alternative health belief sites, including anti-vaccination sites, as precursors to other types of fake news and as a way to understand the intersection of fake news and belief. Additionally, I ask that we, as folklorists and folk, consider our own belief systems and how they affect our research.
ISSN:0021-8715
1535-1882
DOI:10.5406/jamerfolk.131.522.0405