The recent surge in anti-Burnham fake news on Makerfield Facebook accounts has sparked concern, particularly in the context of the upcoming by-election. A report by the Social Market Foundation reveals that nearly one in six pieces of news shared in local Facebook groups during the campaign is false, with misinformation heavily targeting Labour and its candidate, Andy Burnham. This alarming trend has significant implications for the integrity of local politics and the role of social media in disseminating information. The study, which analyzed over 1,800 posts across four local Facebook groups, found that the share of misinformation jumped from 4% before the by-election to 16% during the campaign, a four-fold increase. This highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement from social media platforms and sustained investment in local news and reporting to combat the spread of harmful misinformation.
