Global 'fake news' fight to focus on online platforms

Significance Fake news is not a new phenomenon, but it has burgeoned since the emergence of social media. The issue has taken centre stage since 2016 because of reports that Russia interfered in the US presidential election through fake news and disinformation campaigns, and concern that it will do so in Europe’s upcoming elections. Impacts Public pressure to respond to fake news is likely to continue amid forthcoming European elections. Regulation may turn to the economics of online advertising to stifle fake news that aims to attract online traffic. Greater attention to the structure of online advertising could shed light on perverse incentives that encourage fake news.

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Zimmer

Purpose – The US Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 introduced optional prescription drug coverage, beginning in 2006, widely known as Medicare Part D. This paper uses up-to-date nationally representative survey data to investigate the impact of Part D not only on drug spending and consumption, but also on the composition of drug consumption. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Specifically, the paper investigates whether Part D impacted the number of therapeutic classes for which drugs were prescribed, and also whether Part D lead to increased usage of drugs for specific medical conditions that typically receive drug-intensive therapies. Findings – In addition to confirming findings from previous studies, this paper shows that Part D increased the number of therapeutic classes to which seniors receive drugs by approximately four classes. Part D also lead to increased usage of drugs used to treat upper respiratory disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Originality/value – While mostly concurring with previous studies on the spending impacts of Part D, this paper is the first to shed light on other impacts of Part D, specifically with respect to its impact on therapeutic classes for which drugs are prescribed.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dalia Hamed

Purpose The purpose of this study is to apply a corpus-assisted analysis of keywords and their collocations in the US presidential discourse from Clinton to Trump to discover the meanings of these words and the collocates they have. Keywords are salient words in a corpus whose frequency is unusually high (positive keywords) or low (negative keywords) in comparison with a reference corpus. Collocation is the co-occurrence of words. Design/methodology/approach To achieve this purpose, the investigation of keywords and collocations is generated by AntConc, a corpus processing software. Findings This analysis leads to shed light on the similarities and/or differences amongst the past four American presidents concerning their key topics. Keyword analysis through keyness makes it evident that Clinton and Obama, being Democrats, demonstrate a clear tendency to improve Americans’ life inside their social sphere. Obama surpasses Clinton as regard foreign affairs. Clinton and Obama’s infrequent subjects have to do with terrorism and immigration. This complies with their condensed focus on social and economic improvements. Bush, a republican, concentrates only on external issues. This is proven by his keywords signifying war against terrorism. Bush’s negative use of words marking cooperative actions conforms to his positive use of words indicating external war. Trump’s positive keywords are about exaggerated descriptions without a defined target. He also shows an unusual frequency in referring to his name and position. His words used with negative keyness refer to reforming programs and external issues. Collocations around each top content keyword clarify the word and harmonize with the presidential orientation negotiated by the keywords. Research limitations/implications Limitations have to do with the issue of the accurate representation of the samples. Originality/value This research is original in its methodology of applying corpus linguistics tools in the analysis of presidential discourses.


Subject The implications for Japan of the US presidential election. Significance US presidential election campaign rhetoric has sparked serious concerns in Japan about Washington's commitment to the East Asia region in the context of a long-term rise in geopolitical tensions. Republican candidate Donald Trump has publicly questioned the value of the US-Japan alliance, while Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton has muted her previous support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, seen as the economic component of the US 'rebalance' to Asia under President Barack Obama's administration. Impacts Doubts about the US commitment to the region work to Beijing's advantage. The US government's likely failure to ratify the TPP will damage perceptions of Washington's commitment to the region. Though occasionally mooted, the idea of developing nuclear weapons is a non-starter in Japan.


Significance The lira’s collapse is fuelling outflows from Turkey’s local currency government debt market, as foreign investors reduce their purchases of emerging market (EM) domestic debt amid a sharp sell-off in bond markets following Donald Trump’s upset victory in the US presidential election. Both Hungary and Poland -- hitherto two of the most resilient EMs -- suffered net outflows last year and are likely to come under further pressure as the ECB starts to scale back, or ‘taper’, its programme of quantitative easing (QE) in April. Impacts The dollar’s rise against a basket of other currencies since the US election will put severe strain on EM assets. The surging price of Brent crude is improving the inflation and growth outlook. Higher international oil prices will also reduce the scope for further easing of monetary policy in developing and developed economies.


Subject Private equity trends. Significance With global interest rates close to record lows, new private equity (PE) firms are opening at record rates, raising the most money since the 2008 financial crisis. However, with banks facing stricter supervision and higher capital requirements, PE firms are less able to use leverage to increase their returns. Impacts More PE funds will mean heightened competition and higher prices for new investments. The surge in PE investment may mean the top of the cycle is near. The upcoming US presidential election could affect carried interest taxation, decreasing the net returns to PE GPs. Increased PE investment in the US petroleum industry should prevent a significant dip in US oil production.


Subject The non-appearance of an expected EU anti-corruption report. Significance The European Commission’s cancellation of its second report on anti-corruption efforts across member-states and EU institutions removes a key benchmark against which to hold European governments to account at a time when several are attempting to roll back anti-corruption reforms and disable checks and balances. Given the political sensitivity of the first report, the move also feeds populist criticisms that the EU itself is prone to corruption and unwilling to expose itself to scrutiny. Impacts Populist governments appear to be learning from one another that they can remove limits on their power. This will allow interest groups to entrench their political and economic dominance, hindering economic growth in the long run. The US president’s attacks on parts of the media for ‘fake news’ may encourage use of anti-establishment rhetoric to discredit critics.


Subject The marked improvement in sentiment towards Turkish assets since mid-January. Significance Despite the uncertain outcome of Turkey’s crucial constitutional referendum on April 16, the lira has risen against the dollar while foreign investors have resumed their purchases of domestic Turkish debt, after months of heavy outflows from the local bond market. The sharp improvement in sentiment towards emerging markets (EMs) this year and the tightening in liquidity by the Central Bank (TCMB) are easing the strain on the country’s financial markets, despite significant domestic and external risks. Impacts Fears of a sharp sell-off in global bond markets following Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election have not materialised. This is partly because aggressive monetary stimulus in Europe and Japan is continuing to suppress yields. Recent rising oil prices are sustaining the commodity price recovery that has underpinned improved sentiment towards EMs since 2016. EM currencies’ strong performance is partly due to gradual improvement in economic fundamentals in many developing economies.


Subject Bond markets outlook. Significance Eurostat today reported that the euro-area economy grew by 0.6% quarter-on-quarter in October-December 2017, and by 2.6% in the whole of 2017, outpacing growth of 2.3% in the United States and 1.8% in the United Kingdom. The yield on benchmark 10-year US Treasury bonds has surpassed the level it reached after Donald Trump’s US presidential election victory when investors positioned themselves for higher growth and prices. The tax bill and modestly rising prices have reinvigorated the ‘trumpflation trade’ of investors shifting from bonds to equities. Signs that the ECB may start withdrawing monetary stimulus faster than expected, coupled with robust global GDP growth, are putting further upward pressure on global yields. Impacts The US treasury secretary’s Davos remarks that a weaker dollar helps US activity could fuel further euro strength, challenging ECB policy. This month’s IMF update upgraded its global growth forecasts but warned of risks, especially asset bubbles and financial vulnerabilities. Global equity fund inflows are surging, fuelling dangerous overvaluations in certain sectors including technology.


Significance He leaves office having failed to achieve his ambition to reform Japan’s constitution, and is widely seen as having mismanaged the most serious public health crisis in decades. Impacts New foreign policy initiatives are unlikely until after the US presidential election. Abe could make a decision before leaving office on whether Japan should acquire pre-emptive strike capabilities. No moves on constitution revision are likely for the next twelve months at least. Japan would be at a disadvantage if a foreign policy crisis were to occur in the next twelve months, and the next few weeks in particular. Whether the Olympics next summer go well will have some influence on whether Suga stays on as leader.


Significance Signs that Democratic candidate Joe Biden is likely to secure a narrow victory in the US presidential election will boost the Commission’s hopes for global consensus and better transatlantic dialogue on digital taxes. Impacts Despite Brexit, the United Kingdom will support EU calls for a digital tax. The list of countries imposing unilateral digital taxes will continue to grow as pandemic-induced recession bites. The precise bipartisan balance of the US Senate will determine the extent of tech-related policy changes under Biden.


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