| ID | 177211 |
| Title Proper | Macedonian Fake News Industry and the 2016 US Election |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Hughes, Heather C |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | During the 2016 US presidential election, Americans were exposed to an onslaught of disinformation on social media. Many of the most viral posts originated from Veles, a small town in central Macedonia. During fieldwork in Veles, where we interviewed several residents and disinformation creators, we found that the epicenter of this viral phenomenon was Mirko Ceselkoski, an autodidact social media expert, teacher, and mentor to Veles’ fake news operators. We interviewed Ceselkoski and registered and attended his online course—the same course numerous Veles residents took offline. Our research confirms (1) the pivotal role Ceselkoski had in the creation of this industry; (2) the economic motivation driving the fake news disseminators; and (3) the manner in which the mostly young people in their early twenties with little English fluency were able to generate so much traffic and disseminate so much disinformation. |
| `In' analytical Note | Political Science and Politics Vol. 54, No.1; Jan 2021: p.19 - 23 |
| Journal Source | Political Science and Politics 2021-03 54, 1 |
| Key Words | Macedonian Fake News Industry ; 2016 US Election |