Faking it

Fake news might feel like the sort of concept that belongs in US presidential election campaigns or international diplomatic disputes, but it is something gradually having an effect on the world of optics and can pose a threat to everyone’s businesses.

Although the term fake news was popularised by Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential election campaign, the concept has existed for decades under the umbrellas of propaganda, sensationalism and misinformation. The digital age of fast-moving publishing and social media, where everyone has a voice, has stepped up the pace of misinformation in recent years. But it is not just social media, high profile newspapers and magazines have also claimed that traditional retail optics is facing ‘extinction.’