Fake News: Why Lies Spread Faster Than the Truth

During the past two years, accusations of “fake news” have dominated national news, social media, and in the political process, undermining people’s trust in digital media. But what exactly is fake news and would you know if you saw it? Join the World Affairs Council and the Goethe Pop Up Seattle for a panel discussion on spotting fake news, mitigating the rapid spread of misinformation, building a consensus on truth, and the consequences of fake news.

Reception to follow from 7:30 PM-8:30 PM and is open to all attendees. This event is sponsored by the Goethe Pop Up Seattle.

About the Speaker
Alexander Sängerlaub leads the Measuring Fake News project. The project focuses the phenomenon based on an interdisciplinary approach. One major aim is to understand and explain scope and effects – together with experts from the US election campaign and over here. In 2014, the publicist founded the political magazine Kater Demos. The magazine devotes itself to pressing social questions in the sense of "Constructive Journalism." He worked as a research associate at the Freie Universität Berlin, as well as at the University of Hamburg, and still teaches in the field of political communication. He also worked as a consultant for corporate and political communication during the federal and the European elections at Blumberry. Alexander studied Journalism & Communication Science and Psychology, as well as Media and Political Communication at the Freie Universität Berlin. He worked as student assistant in the department of Empirical Communication Science. (photo credit: Kater Demos/Me Chuthai)

About the Moderator

Jacqueline Miller is president and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Seattle. She also serves on the Mayor’s International Affairs Advisory Board; is a board member and chair of the membership committee of Global Ties U.S.; is a member of the Civic Council for UW’s Master of Arts in Applied International Studies (MAAIS) program; and serves on the Washington State Advisory Committee for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She previously held senior positions in policy organizations in Washington DC, including the Council on Foreign Relations and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where she was deputy director of the Russia and Eurasia program. She has been a commentator for various news sources, including the New York Times, the BBC, CBC, and Voice of America. Her honors include being named a Truman Security Fellow as well as receiving a Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS) for Russia. She was also an International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) Visiting Scholar in Kyrgyzstan.

About the Panelists

Jevin West is an Assistant Professor in the Information School at the University of Washington and co-founder of the DataLab. With his colleague, Carl Bergstrom, he developed a new course on Calling BS, which helps students and the public combat fake news and misinformation wrapped in data, figures, visualizations and statistics.

Mellina White Cusack is a Seattle resident who writes about how politics and culture impact our society. She blogs at The Seattle Conservative and has contributed her thoughts locally on The Evergrey and KUOW. She is curious about why our country has grown more and more divide d in recent years, and how the lack of data-driven news and information has contributed to this national divide. In the past, Mellina has also contributed to DapperQ, a queer fashion site, and most recently served as Campaign Director for Christopher Rufo for City Council.

About Goethe Pop Up Seattle

Located in Capitol Hill’s iconic Chophouse Row building, the Goethe Pop Up Seattle will stage a variety of events for the “Year of German-American Friendship” (Deutschlandjahr USA) from November 2018 to November 2019 – including art exhibits, film screenings, lectures, and panel discussions revolving around culture, education, and business.

Goethe Pop Up Seattle strives to create an innovative international program in collaboration with local Seattle organizations and others to give you the opportunity to experience outstanding works by acclaimed artists and speakers related to Germany. The Goethe Pop Up Seattle will be a creative destination that inspires you to discover how Germany and the U.S. can be Wunderbar Together.

This is an event within the Year of German-American Friendship 2018-2019. The campaign Wunderbar Together will travel across the entire U.S. to highlight the unique importance of transatlantic relations.

The Boeing Company is an underwriting sponsor of all World Affairs Council Community Programs.