China Dealing with the Impact of Fake News : Roles of Governments in the “Post-truth” Predicament

With the advancement of communication technology and increasing number of people turning to their mobile devices for news and information, social media is functioning as both the platform as well as content provider. However, fake news could also travel faster and wider, while the traditional gatekeeping process of media diminishes. In the context of the Brexit referendum and the U.S. presidential campaign in 2016, the spike of “post-truth” in the headlines spurred heated discussions of the tension between “appeals to emotion” and “objective facts”. Based on a review of anti-fake news measures, case analysis, and expert consultations, this study examined the government’s roles from three dimensions, as public sphere guarantor, constrained moderation provider and knowledge production facilitator in the efforts to create a news ecosystem that values and promotes truth.