Pope Francis chose ‘The truth will set you free » (Jn 8:32). Fake news and journalism for peace’ as the theme for the 52nd World Day of Social Communications, contributing to reflection on the causes, logic and consequences of media disinformation.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The Church has decided to join the fight against ‘fake news’.
Pope Francis chose ‘The truth will set you free » (Jn 8:32). Fake news and journalism for peace’ as the theme for the upcoming 52nd World Day of Social Communications, which is celebrated in many countries, as recommended by the world’s bishops, on the Sunday before Pentecost (in 2018, 13 May).
In communicating the pope's choice, the Secretariat for Communication stressed that the topic "relates to so-called ‘fake news’, namely baseless information that contributes to generating and nurturing a strong polarisation of opinions. It involves an often misleading distortion of facts, with possible repercussions at the level of individual and collective behaviour.”
"In a context in which the key companies of the social web and the world of institutions and politics have started to confront this phenomenon, the Church too wishes to offer a contribution, proposing a reflection on the causes, the logic and the consequences of disinformation in the media, and helping to promote professional journalism, which always seeks the truth, and therefore a journalism of peace that promotes understanding between people."
“World Day of Social Communications [is] the only world day established by the Vatican Council II (“Inter Mirifica”, 1963). [. . .] The text of the Holy Father’s Message for the World Day of Social Communications is traditionally published on the feast day of Saint Francis de Sales, patron of journalists (24 January).”