Navigating a World of Misinformation: Coping Strategies When Truth Seems Elusive

In a media landscape increasingly dominated by disinformation, playwright James Bartlett argues that the roots of our “fake information” crisis stretch far deeper than recent technological developments. His new BBC production explores how society’s relationship with truth has evolved through entertainment, politics, and media over several decades.

Bartlett challenges the notion that artificial intelligence alone is responsible for today’s crisis of authenticity. Instead, he traces the lineage of acceptable fakery back to professional wrestling’s popularity surge in late 1970s Britain. The industry term “kayfabe” – describing staged elements that audiences knowingly accept as real – became an early template for blending fact and fiction in entertainment.

This evolution continued through the early 2000s with the rise of structured reality television. Shows like “The Only Way Is Essex” and “Made in Chelsea” featured real individuals playing heightened versions of themselves in manufactured scenarios, further normalizing a blurred line between authentic and contrived content for mainstream audiences.

The cultural shift accelerated dramatically following two watershed moments: the 2008 global financial crisis and the 2009 MPs’ expenses scandal in the UK. These events, according to Bartlett, triggered unprecedented public distrust in established institutions.

“There was an increasingly pervasive idea that everyone in power’s cheating, everyone’s lying, so why should you believe anyone?” Bartlett explains. This widespread cynicism created fertile ground for dismissing legitimate criticism as fabricated. “It makes it easier for people who are criticised by [the professional media] to say it’s all a load of fake news.”

The playwright’s analysis points to a troubling feedback loop. As public trust in traditional information gatekeepers eroded, alternative media sources emerged to fill the void. Podcasts, social media influencers, and partisan news sites gained traction by positioning themselves against establishment sources, often without the same editorial standards or accountability mechanisms.

Bartlett takes aim at both traditional and alternative media ecosystems. He criticizes mainstream outlets for sometimes reinforcing existing worldviews rather than challenging assumptions, while noting that emerging platforms often operate with minimal oversight or fact-checking protocols.

The consequences of this shift extend beyond media consumption habits. Political polarization has intensified as citizens retreat into information bubbles that confirm pre-existing beliefs. Research shows that false information now spreads faster and reaches more people than verified facts on many social platforms, creating parallel realities where basic truths are contested.

While Bartlett acknowledges he doesn’t have comprehensive solutions to the problem, he believes professional journalism must play a critical role in rebuilding public trust. “Journalists have to understand we like reporting stories that fit our worldviews, and we have to report the stories that might make us a bit uncomfortable,” he says.

He specifically challenges the BBC to maintain coverage that reflects diverse perspectives across the UK, even when topics might prove controversial to certain audiences. This approach, he suggests, could help rebuild credibility among demographics that have grown skeptical of mainstream reporting.

As artificial intelligence tools make distinguishing between authentic and generated content increasingly difficult, Bartlett’s historical perspective serves as a reminder that technology merely accelerates existing social trends rather than creating them from scratch.

The exploration of these themes is available in Bartlett’s program “Everything is Fake,” now streaming on BBC Sounds. The production offers a timely examination of how entertainment conventions, institutional failures, and technological advances have collectively reshaped our relationship with truth in public discourse.