Sky Arte documentary 'La post verità' explores fake news history and impact

The documentary 'La post verità – Il prezzo delle fake news', directed by Andrew Rossi, airs on Sky Arte on Sunday, November 8. It investigates the ongoing threat of fake news in the United States, focusing on how disinformation and conspiracy theories affect ordinary citizens. While concern over fake news became widespread after Donald Trump's 2016 presidential victory, the film shows signs of the crisis emerging well before the election. In an era where Trump and his imitators use 'fake news' to dismiss legitimate reporting, the documentary reclaims the term's true definition: 'disinformation' as the intentional spread of falsehoods that addict individuals, fueling their anger while reassuring them. The film identifies technology as an amplifier of a phenomenon with deep historical roots. It features multiple testimonies and examines case studies, including the panic over Jade Helm—a U.S. military exercise falsely believed to be a cover for rounding up political dissidents in former Walmart stores—and conspiracy theories about the murder of Seth Rich, a Democratic National Committee staffer.