Pope Francis decries ‘fake news’

Pope Francis denounced “fake news” on Friday in a tweet announcing that he had made the theme of World Communications Day 2018 “the truth will set you free.”

“I have chosen this theme for World Communications Day 2018: ‘The truth will set you free’ (Jn:32). Fake news and journalism for peace,” the pope tweeted.

I have chosen this theme for World Communications Day 2018: “The truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32). Fake news and journalism for peace.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) September 29, 2017

Francis chose the theme from the New Testament verse, John 8:32, which says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The pope’s tweet comes as U.S. federal investigators are uncovering more instances of fraudulent media accounts with suspected to ties to Russia, used to spread propaganda and fake news in the 2016 election. 

{mosads}Twitter announced on Thursday that it found 201 accounts on its platform linked to potential Russian interference in the 2016 election on its platform.

The company said that 22 of the accounts were linked to Facebook pages and profiles that Facebook had turned over as a part of its analysis of foreign influence on its social media platform. Twitter noted that it immediately deleted the linked accounts that were not already suspended.

President Trump often rails on the media, blasting stories and networks as “fake news.”

The Vatican’s Secretariat of Communication said to Vatican Radio that “the Church would like to make its contribution by proposing a ‎reflection on the causes, logic and consequences of misinformation in the media and helping to promote ‎professional journalism, always seeking the truth, and thus a journalism of peace that promotes ‎understanding among people.” 

World Communications Day will take place on May 13, 2018.

The day was observed under Pope Paul VI in 1967, and is observed in recognition of the Archangel Gabriel, the patron saint of telecommunications.