Trolling America

Lesson objectives

1. Realize the impact of media on our decision-making.
2. Differentiate and decipher media messages.
3. Not let oneself be manipulated.

Did the managers of the most powerful social media know it had been used to affect the US presidential election? Some theories claim that Facebook not only knew but even profited from fake news relating to the election of Donald Trump. This short documentary aims to explore the centre of fake news – Macedonia, where there is a so-called clickbait coach, Mirko Ceselkoski, who teaches people how to create content that looks trustworthy. Also, he shows them how to attract Americans to this questionable content. According to him, there are two key components in each viral hit: a shocking title and a picture. For Macedonians, fake news can be a fast way to make money. They are not quite preoccupied with ethics, as one of them claims that he can “write anything that Americans want to hear”. The film depicts real causes connected to fake news because of the power of social media. It also warns about elections in 2020.