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The Documentary Podcast

Detours 1: Doctor Fake News

Sep 4, 2019
Elena, a struggling medical student, joins friends in North Macedonia to write fake news stories for cash. They discuss the impact of fake news in the US election, clickbait tactics, collaboration in the industry, and consequences of misinformation.
27:19

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Quick takeaways

  • Financial success in fake news surpassed Elena's medical aspirations, revealing moral dilemmas.
  • Exploitation of social media algorithms and human emotions drove the profitable fake news industry.

Deep dives

The Rise of Fake News Industry in Vellis, Macedonia

In Vellis, Macedonia, Elena Demetrieva, a medical student, turned to creating fake news articles to pay for her tuition. Amidst the 2016 US election, Vellis gained notoriety for hosting sites publishing pro-Trump fake news. Elena ventured into this lucrative industry, surpassing her income from working in Germany. Despite her medical aspirations, she faced the reality that fake news brought more financial success than medicine, highlighting the moral dilemmas and financial incentives associated with producing false information.

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