Theresa May gets behind News-backed campaign to fight fake news

This week, we highlighted the damage fake news and unsubstantiated rumour peddled by social media and unregulated websites was having on the public’s right to know.

On a visit to Eastbourne in Sussex - where she was born - Mrs May said: ‘We need to be very wary of this concept of fake news. We have got a situation with social media and different outlets where anybody can put something on social media site as if it’s real without anybody checking. People need to recognise that and recognise you can’t trust everything you see on social media.

‘We know newspapers have a responsibility that they take seriously in terms of what they are reporting. A free press is a very important, it underpins our democracy. It’s also important for [politicians] to make sure the statements we make are upfront and transparent for people.’