Fake news and disinformation ranked as top global risk by 2025, surpassing even economic recession - Photo: UNSPLASH
From concern to industry
Today, toxic fake news or intentionally spread fake news (disinformation) is no longer just a worrying social phenomenon, but has become a thriving profitable industry.
According to research by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and the Oxford Internet Institute, today's malicious fake news networks exploit users' attention as a source of profit, turning online interactions into effective money-making tools.
Fact-checking organization Misbar on June 15 cited the World Economic Forum's Global Risks 2025 research report, saying that toxic fake news and false news are currently ranked among the most worrying risks facing the world.
Social networks like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are seen as the center of the fake news ecosystem as their algorithms prioritize attention-grabbing content over accuracy, thereby promoting the spread of fake information and increasing advertising revenue.
According to global statistics platform Statista (Germany), the digital advertising industry is forecast to reach a size of 483.55 billion USD by 2029, with an estimated annual growth rate of 8.3% in the period 2025 - 2029.
The development of AI algorithms and machine learning technology helps segment users more accurately, leading to attention-grabbing content being prioritized for dissemination, regardless of whether it is accurate or not, according to Misbar.
Profit or social responsibility?
According to Misbar, content that is controversial or creates negative emotions often attracts a large amount of interactions, causing platforms to prioritize spreading it.
Meanwhile, many advertising units unintentionally support fake news because they only focus on the number of interactions.
Additionally, many online influencers receive money to promote products or opinions without disclosing that this is advertising.
Last May, Miss Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien was prosecuted for falsely advertising Kera Supergreens Gummies, a dietary supplement that was advertised as containing the same amount of fiber as a plate of vegetables, but in reality used poor quality vegetable powder.
Also prosecuted were two other social media personalities, Quang Linh Vlogs and Hang Du Muc - who participated in founding related businesses.
In Italy on January 29, fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni was prosecuted in Milan for promoting Pandoro cakes with packaging that misleadingly stated that a portion of the proceeds would go to charity.
According to Misbar, virtual account networks are no longer spontaneous and individual in nature but are systematically organized to intentionally spread fake news, exploiting social tensions to profit from high levels of interaction.
Professor José van Dijck of Utrecht University (Netherlands) told Misbar that financial motivation is the main reason driving the spread of fake news, although sometimes it also serves political goals.
According to Misbar, in early 2025, many Instagram users reported seeing shocking, violent, or deadly images on Reels.
The platform's parent company Meta later explained that this was just a "technical error" after the company reduced content moderation and removed its fact-checking department.
However, child protection organizations such as Molly Rose say this is a direct consequence of a strategy to profit from shocking content, regardless of its authenticity or the consequences for viewers.
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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khi-tin-gia-tro-thanh-mot-nganh-cong-nghiep-sinh-loi-20250616130324249.htm
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