These Celebrities Are The Subject Of The Most Fake News

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Ever since Donald Trump first coined the term "Fake News" we've heard it used almost daily. Exactly what constitutes fake news? Well depends on who you ask. Dictionary.Cambriage.com defines the term as "false stories that appear to be news, spread on the internet or using other media, usually created to influence political views or as a joke". And the internet is full of that whether intended as click bate or to intentionally harm the subject. And celebrities are always susceptible to fake news, but some are bigger targets than others.

Our friends with the privacy and security company ExpressVPN conducted research to determine which celebrities are the subject of the most fake news. They looked at how often the most popular celebrity's names were mentioned on social media alongside the term "fake news". The analysis includes posts from January to October 2022. Below are the top 10 celebrtites.

(Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images); (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame); (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Rare Impact Fund); (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue); (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images); (Photo by Mason Poole/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images); (Photo by Catherine Powell/Getty Images for MTV/Paramount Global ); (Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images); (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Imagesfor Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 presented by Prime Video); (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Shakira is the clear-cut leader of the pack with 3.78 million posts. This comes after her very public divorce and cheating allegations. Rounding out the top 3 were Rihanna and Taylor Swift. Fake news while not always done with ill intent does more than sway public opinion. It can have real consequences for the subject. Make sure to verify your sources before you believe unsubstantiated rumors you see online. Here's to hoping fake news is one trend that dies out in 2023.

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Melanie DayWriter

Melanie Day is a graduate of North Carolina State University. She has worked for Beasley since 2012 in a variety of behind-the-scenes roles in both digital and promotions. Melanie writes about a diverse range of topics some of her favorites include travel, restaurants, Taylor Swift, and college athletics. When not at work you'll find her at a country concert or NC State sporting event.