What is "fake news"?
Just what, exactly, is "fake news"? According to Mirriam-Webster:
"Fake news is, quite simply, news ('material reported in a newspaper or news periodical or on a newscast') that is fake ('false, counterfeit')."
The term actually dates back to the late 18th century, though was rarely used even then. Spreading false propaganda, lies, rumors, and misinformation dates back much further, to the 13th century BC, where we find Rameses the Great spreading false propaganda and lies in regards to the Battle of Kadesh. Even Benjamin Franklin wrote fake news about murderous "scalping" Indians working with King George III in an effort to sway public opinion in favor of the American Revolution. There are written records of such famous people as Marie Antoinette, Joseph Pulitzer, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.