Macron: We must fight 'ever-growing virus of fake news'
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday said the world must "fight against the ever-growing virus of fake news," spurring a rousing ovation during his speech to a joint meeting of Congress.
"To protect our democracies, we have to fight against the ever-growing virus of fake news, which exposes our people to irrational fear and imaginary risk,” Macron said. “And let me attribute for a copyright for fake news, especially here."
"Without reason, without truce, there's no real democracy," the 40-year-old leader continued. "Because democracy is about true choices and rationale decisions. The corruption of information is an attempt to corrode the very spirit of our democracies."
The term "fake news" has become a frequent soundbite since the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
In his speech, Macron appeared to be referring to false stories published on questionable online publications that attempt to appear legitimate in an attention to dupe voters with misinformation.
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Macron's comments come as Reporters Without Borders dropped the United States to No. 45 in its annual ranking of press freedom for 180 countries around the world in a report released Wednesday.
The ranking continues a downward trend for the U.S. in recent years, with the U.S. finishing No. 43 in 2017 and No. 41 in 2016.
The report suggests President Trump is one of the reasons for the decline.
http://thehill.com/homenews/media/384820-macron-we-must-fight-ever-growing-virus-of-fake-news
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