fake news

70 results arranged by date

Police officers are seen in Cotonou, Benin, on March 9, 2018. Beninese authorities recently launched a fake news investigation into Casimir Kpedjo, editor of the privately owned daily Nouvelle Economie. (AFP/Yanick Folly)

Journalist Casimir Kpedjo detained, facing false news accusations in Benin

Goma, Congo, April 30, 2019 — Beninese authorities should drop their investigation into Casimir Kpedjo, editor of the privately owned daily Nouvelle Economie, and allow him to report and publish news without fear of harassment or being jailed, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

Singapore's Parliament House is seen on March 20, 2019. The country is currently considering a law that poses a threat to freedom of speech online. (Roslan Rahman/AFP)

Singapore ‘fake news’ legislation endangers press freedom

Bangkok, April 2, 2019 — The Committee to Protect Journalists called today on the Singapore parliament to reject legislation that would force online platforms to take down or amend news or information authorities deem as false.

Read More ›

Soldiers of the Mauritanian Army are pictured on an off-road vehicle on November 19, 2018. Two bloggers have been detained in the country on false news charges. (Thomas Samson/AFP)

Mauritania jails bloggers Abderrahmane Weddady and Cheikh Ould Jiddou on false news charges

New York, March 28, 2019 — Mauritanian authorities should immediately release bloggers Abderrahmane Weddady and Cheikh Ould Jiddou and stop detaining journalists on false news charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Read More ›

This screenshot of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website shows how the government labels critical reports as 'fake news.'

Russia advances legislation on ‘fake news’ and ‘disrespecting authorities’

New York, March 7, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalist today called on Russia to drop proposed legislation advanced in the country’s parliament that would allow courts to jail and fine people who use the internet to spread “fake news” or disrespect government officials and state symbols, including President Vladimir Putin. The bills would also allow…

Read More ›

A young man looks through a book at the Hargeisa International Book Fair in the Somaliland capital of Hargeisa on July 21, 2018. Somaliland authorities recently issued a one-year suspension of the privately owned Foore newspaper. (Mustafa Saeed/AFP)

Somaliland court suspends newspaper for one year for publishing ‘false news’

Nairobi, February 15, 2019–The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed deep concern about a one-year suspension imposed by a Somaliland court on the privately owned Foore newspaper, and called on authorities to drop the charges on appeal.

Read More ›

A woman looks at the Twitter feed of President Donald Trump in November 2018. Trump uses Twitter to make policy announcements and also to rail against critical press coverage. (STF/AFP)

From fake news to enemy of the people: An anatomy of Trump’s tweets

Since announcing his candidacy in the 2016 presidential elections to the end of his second year in office, U.S. President Donald Trump has sent 1,339 tweets about the media that were critical, insinuating, condemning, or threatening. In lieu of formal appearances as president, Trump has tweeted over 5,400 times to his more than 55.8 million…

Read More ›

Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Lo Chih Cheng poses with copies of Hong Kong's Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po newspapers after a news conference, in Taipei, Taiwan, on January 18, 2019. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

Taiwan accuses Beijing-sponsored Hong Kong newspapers of disseminating misinformation, opens immigration investigation into journalists

On January 17, 2019, Taiwan’s presidential office issued a statement on Facebook accusing Ta Kung Pao, a Hong Kong newspaper funded by Beijing, of fabricating a story alleging that Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen secretly sent an envoy to advise three Hong Kong independence activists. The Taiwan government is currently investigating whether the journalists violated immigration…

Read More ›

Brazil's new president, Jair Bolsonaro, right, talks to the press in Brasília on November 27. Journalists in Brazil say they expect the hostile climate experienced during the election to continue as Bolsonaro takes office. (AFP/Evaristo Sa)

Ahead of inauguration day, Brazilian media braces for Bolsonaro

Long before one of their photographers was harassed on election night in Brazil, the editors at Fortaleza newspaper O Povo were meeting with their readers and staff to discuss the increasingly polarized environment and how to deal with it.

Read More ›

CPJ, RSF call on Philippines to end its persecution of Rappler and Maria Ressa

CPJ and RSF call on the Philippine prosecutor general to end the legal harassment of Rappler and the website’s founder and executive editor, Maria Ressa.

Read More ›

An audience member protests the news media during a President Donald Trump campaign rally in Washington Township, Michigan, on April 28, 2018. (AP/Paul Sancya)

CPJ’s backgrounder on US press freedom

In recent weeks CPJ has noticed an uptick in interest from editorial boards of U.S. publications on issues related to press freedom in the United States. In light of this, the following data and reporting may be helpful. CPJ systematically tracks the killing and imprisonment of journalists around the world, and reports on threats and…

Read More ›