The Social Market Foundation's recent report reveals a troubling trend in the Makerfield by-election campaign: a surge in anti-Burnham fake news on local Facebook groups. The study analyzed over 1,800 posts across four Facebook groups, finding that nearly 1 in 6 pieces of news shared during the campaign was false, with misinformation heavily targeting Labour and its candidate, Andy Burnham. This four-fold increase in misinformation is particularly concerning, especially as social media platforms lack fact-checking and editorial guidelines. The report highlights the impact of engagement-driven feeds, where user interaction boosts the visibility of misinformation. The findings underscore the need for stronger enforcement by social media companies and sustained investment in local news and reporting to combat the spread of harmful misinformation.
