World News Daily Report
{{Short description|Fake news website}}
{{Infobox website
| name = World News Daily Report
| type = Satirical fake news
| launch_date = November 2013
| editor = Janick Murray-Hall,{{cite web|last=Silverman|first=Craig|title=Here Are 50 Of The Biggest Fake News Hits On Facebook From 2016|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/top-fake-news-of-2016|publisher=BuzzFeed|date=December 30, 2016|access-date=December 6, 2017}} Olivier Legault,{{cite web|last=Yates|first=Jeff|title=Interview with a Québécois responsible for one of the worst sources of disinformation in the world|url=http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1024190/entrevue-quebecois-responsable-pires-sources-desinformation-monde-world-news-daily-report-journal-mourreal|publisher=Radio Canada|date=March 27, 2017|access-date=February 14, 2018}}
| headquarters = Quebec, Canada
| staff =
| foundation =
| website = {{URL|http://worldnewsdailyreport.com}}
}}
World News Daily Report (WNDR) was a satirical fake news website{{cite report|title=Lies, Damn Lies and Viral Content|last=Silverman|first=Craig|publisher=Tow Center for Digital Journalism|date=2015|page=43|doi=10.7916/D8Q81RHH|quote=But a new breed is emerging: websites that often don’t disclose the fake nature of their content and aren’t engaged in satirical commentary at all. {{nbsp}}... These sites have official sounding names, such as The Daily Currant, National Report, Civic Tribune, World News Daily Report, and WIT Science. 'These sites claim to be satirical but lack even incompetent attempts at anything resembling humor,' wrote Josh Dzieza in an article about Ebola hoaxes for The Verge.}}{{cite journal|title=Aging in an Era of Fake News|last=Brashier|first=Nadia M.|journal=Current Directions in Psychological Science|date=2020|volume=29|issue=3|pages=320|doi=10.1177/0963721420915872|quote=Reanalysis of work by Pennycook and Rand (2019a) suggests that discernment between mainstream (e.g., NPR) and fake (e.g., World News Daily Report) outlets may not change with age{{nbsp}}...|doi-access=free|pmid=32968336 |pmc=7505057}} purporting to be an American Jewish Zionist newspaper based in Tel Aviv and dedicated to covering biblical archeology news and other mysteries around the globe.{{Cite news|url=https://worldnewsdailyreport.com/about-us/|title=ABOUT US|access-date=2018-11-18|language=en-US|archive-date=2023-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125071727/http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/about-us/|url-status=dead}}
It is run by Canadians Janick Murray-Hall and Olivier Legault and follows the old-school tabloid-style faux-journalism of its predecessors, such as the Weekly World News.{{Cite news|url=https://realorsatire.com/worldnewsdailyreport-com/|title=worldnewsdailyreport.com - Real or Satire?|date=2014-02-17|work=Real or Satire?|access-date=2018-11-17|language=en-US}}
Snopes.com reports that the website perpetrates hoaxes and rumors to prey on credulous readers. The website combines religious and scientific fakery, political conspiracy theories, and "the occasional seed of truth" to create its false reports.{{cite web |url=https://www.snopes.com/news/2016/01/14/fake-news-sites/ |title=Snopes' Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors |first=Kim|last= LaCapria |date=December 8, 2017 |publisher=Snopes.com |access-date=May 26, 2018}}
The Washington Post describes the World News Daily Report as a website that "delights in inventing items about foreigners, often Muslims, having sex with or killing animals".{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2015/12/18/what-was-fake-on-the-internet-this-week-why-this-is-the-final-column/|title=What was fake on the Internet this week: Why this is the final column|first=Caitlin|last=Dewey|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en|access-date=2018-11-18}}
The website carries this disclaimer: "WNDR assumes however all responsibility for the satirical nature of its articles and for the fictional nature of their content. All characters appearing in the articles in this website even those based on real people are entirely fictional and any resemblance between them and any persons, living, dead, or undead is purely a miracle."{{Cite news|url=https://worldnewsdailyreport.com/disclaimer_/|title=Disclaimer|access-date=2018-10-03|language=en-US|archive-date=2023-01-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109232946/https://worldnewsdailyreport.com/disclaimer_/|url-status=dead}}
History
Since September 2013,{{cite web |url=https://www.journaldemourreal.com |title=Archived copy |website=www.journaldemourreal.co |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130908120939/https://www.journaldemourreal.com |archive-date=8 September 2013 |url-status=dead}} Murray-Hall had been involved in creating a French-language site called Journal de Mourréal, intended to spoof the real Journal de Montréal. The Journal de Mourréal (a colloquial/slang name for the city) was ordered to stop using a similar logo as a trademark violation of the Journal de Montréal.{{Cite web|url=http://montrealrampage.com/fighting-for-satire-journal-de-mourreal/|title=Fighting For Satire : Journal de Mourréal|website=montrealrampage.com|date=18 August 2016 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-02-12}}
Interviewed about the Journal, Legault said that "our main goal is to have fun with this medium, but we still want to get a message through. It is a criticism of sensationalism in the media".{{Cite web|url=https://www.exemplaire.com.ulaval.ca/reportages/fausses-nouvelles-et-satires-quen-est-il-au-quebec/|title=Fausses nouvelles et satires : Qu'en est-il au Québec ? {{!}} L'exemplaire – Média-école des étudiants en journalisme|website=www.exemplaire.com.ulaval.ca|date=15 December 2016|access-date=2018-02-14}}
Murray-Hall and Legault founded World News Daily Report in November 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.thatsfake.com/worldnewsdailyreport-com-real-fake/ |title=WorldNewsDailyReport.com - Real of Fake? - ThatsFake.com |website=www.thatsfake.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816022550/http://www.thatsfake.com/worldnewsdailyreport-com-real-fake/ |archive-date=2017-08-16}} {{cite web|url=https://worldnewsdailyreport.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131118082224/https://worldnewsdailyreport.com/|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 November 2013|title=World News Daily Report - News you can trust|date=18 November 2013}} Most fake news sites started after Facebook made significant changes to their newsfeed in March 2013, allowing fake news to proliferate.
Radio Canada interviewed Olivier Legault about the Journal de Mourréal and World News Daily Report. They asked if he was concerned that people would believe the stories on the second site. Legault replied that the site was intended to encourage self-criticism, but also that it was people's fault if they wanted to believe fake stories. He continued, saying:
"The people who take it seriously are people who want to take it seriously. It's stupid to say, but… We preach to converts. The majority of people who share it understand that it's a joke, and others share it because they want to believe it, not because they really believe in it… You can invent everything and anything and people will believe it. Honestly, it's a little disturbing when you realise that. As long as you confirm what they want to believe, they will share it. If you go against their opinion, they will immediately think that this is false news. But if you go in the direction of their opinion, they will share it right away. They lose their critical spirit."{{Cite web|url=http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1024190/entrevue-quebecois-responsable-pires-sources-desinformation-monde-world-news-daily-report-journal-mourreal|title=Entrevue avec un Québécois responsable d'une des pires sources de désinformation au monde|last=ICI.Radio-Canada.ca|first=Zone Société -|website=Radio-Canada.ca|date=27 March 2017 |language=fr-ca|access-date=2018-02-14}}
Legault claimed that since Google had reduced advertising revenue to Fake News sites at the beginning of 2017, the site had become less profitable. "The worst thing is that you're doing 100,000 or 200,000 page views a day, but you're not making money on it", Legault said. Radio Canada estimated using HypeStat that "WNDR would generate some 21,593 page views and $120.80 per day" in advertising revenue.
Murray-Hall also told Buzzfeed in 2017 that Google's move to reduce advertising revenue to fake news sites had reduced their revenues considerably: "Presently we aren't making any money at all, which is a real bummer so we don't know where WNDR is going to go from here. It's just a shame because WNDR is a monster, it can create major traffic like most sites could only dream of with only one post.”{{Cite news|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/janelytvynenko/nap-in-the-morgue|title=The Viral Story About A Man Getting Cremated While Taking A Nap Is Total Bullshit|work=BuzzFeed|access-date=2018-02-14|language=en}}
Reception
In 2015, listing WNDR ninth among "The 9 Worst Fake News Sites," Gizmodo said "the site doesn't always seem intent on deceiving people. But it's still not very good. Not very good at all."{{cite web|last=Novak|first=Matt|title=The 9 Worst Fake News Sites|url=https://gizmodo.com/the-9-worst-fake-news-sites-1681729157|publisher=Gizmodo|date=January 26, 2015|access-date=December 6, 2017}} Later that year, The Independent included WNDR among sites that "play fast and loose with the word 'news' while delivering material that's completely fabricated."{{cite news|last=Marsden|first=Rhodri|title=Websites can create outrageous lies just for clicks, but why and how is this legal?|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/websites-can-create-outrageous-lies-just-for-clicks-but-why-and-how-is-this-legal-10379088.html|work=The Independent|date=July 9, 2015|access-date=December 6, 2017}}
In 2016, fact-checking website Snopes.com said WNDR "often take[s] advantage of politically, socially, or religiously divisive issues to drive outrage-based traffic".{{cite web|last=LaCapria|first=Kim|title=Snopes' Field Guide to Fake News Sites and Hoax Purveyors|url=https://www.snopes.com/2016/01/14/fake-news-sites/|publisher=Snopes.com|date=January 14, 2016|access-date=December 6, 2017}} That same year, however, ABC News identified WNDR as "a satirical entertainment news site,"{{cite web|title=Woman Says Newborn Photo Stolen for Satirical Fake News Story|url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/woman-newborn-photo-stolen-satirical-fake-news-story/story?id=37110471|publisher=ABC News|date=February 22, 2016|access-date=December 6, 2017}} and reproduced its online disclaimer{{cite web|title=Disclaimer|url=http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/disclaimer_/|publisher=World News Daily Report|access-date=December 6, 2017|archive-date=January 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230109232946/https://worldnewsdailyreport.com/disclaimer_/|url-status=dead}} reading, "WNDR assumes all responsibility for the satirical nature of its articles and for the fictional nature of their content. All characters appearing in the articles in this website—even those based on real people—are entirely fictional and any resemblance between them and any persons, living, dead, or undead is purely a miracle."
Also in 2016, the Columbia Journalism Review labeled WNDR as a fake news site despite having a legitimate-sounding name.{{cite web|last=Murtha|first=Jack |title=How fake news sites frequently trick big-time journalists|url=https://www.cjr.org/analysis/how_fake_news_sites_frequently_trick_big-time_journalists.php|work=Columbia Journalism Review|date=May 26, 2016|access-date=December 6, 2017}} At year-end, BuzzFeed recognized WNDR for scoring five times among the year's top 50 Biggest Fake News Hits On Facebook.
In 2017, fact-checking website PolitiFact deemed WNDR "a satirical news site,"{{cite web|last=Tobias|first=Manuela|title=It's fake news that a 3,000-pound shark was caught in Lake Michigan|url=http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2017/jul/12/blog-posting/its-fake-news-3000-pound-shark-was-caught-lake-mic/|publisher=PolitiFact|date=July 12, 2017|access-date=December 6, 2017}} as did the Burlington County Times,{{cite news|last=Hanejko|first=Melissa|title=Library presentation in Chesterfield will delve into fake news|url=http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20171127/library-presentation-in-chesterfield-will-delve-into-fake-news|work=Burlington County Times|date=November 27, 2017|access-date=December 6, 2017|archive-date=May 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515234205/https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20171127/library-presentation-in-chesterfield-will-delve-into-fake-news|url-status=dead}} while the Toronto Star cited WNDR as an example of "satirical sites posing as real news outlets."{{cite news|title=Look before you share: How to spot fake news on social media|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2017/08/05/look-before-you-share-how-to-spot-fake-news-on-social-media/|work=Toronto Star|date=August 5, 2017|access-date=December 6, 2017}}
Snopes regularly debunks WNDR articles, calling the site 'dubious',{{Cite news|url=https://www.snopes.com/greenpeace-activist-get-arm-bitten-off-hugging-white-shark/|title=FACT CHECK: Did a Greenpeace Activist Get His Arm Bitten Off After Hugging a Shark?|date=2018-02-02|work=Snopes.com|access-date=2018-02-16|language=en-US}} with 'a long record of entirely fabricated and sensationalist stories'.{{Cite news|url=https://www.snopes.com/tiger-woods-paternity/|title=FACT CHECK: Tiger Woods Ordered to Take 137 Paternity Tests?|date=2017-11-03|work=Snopes.com|access-date=2018-02-16|language=en-US}} It also described its content as 'hate-baiting'{{Cite news|url=https://www.snopes.com/400-pound-woman-sue-paris-zoo-escaped-hippo-tried-rape/|title=FACT CHECK: Did a Woman Sue a Paris Zoo After a Hippo Tried to Rape Her?|date=2018-01-30|work=Snopes.com|access-date=2018-02-16|language=en-US}} and that its staff have a preoccupation with bestiality.{{Cite news|url=https://www.snopes.com/zookeeper-arrested-molest-gorilla/|title=FACT CHECK: Was a Zookeeper Arrested for Trying to Molest a 500-Pound Male Gorilla?|date=2017-12-07|work=Snopes.com|access-date=2018-02-16|language=en-US}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/ World News Daily Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103092128/https://worldnewsdailyreport.com/ |date=2022-01-03 }}