Pointy Hat Guy Condemns Fake News' Use of "Snake Tactics"

VATICAN CITY, Jan 24 - Reuters - Pope Francis on Wednesday condemned the "evil" of fake news, saying journalists and social media users should shun and unmask manipulative "snake tactics" that foment division to serve political and economic interests.

"Fake news is a sign of intolerant and hypersensitive attitudes, and leads only to the spread of arrogance and hatred. That is the end result of untruth," Francis said in the first document by a pope on the subject. The document, called "The truth will set you free - Fake news and journalism for peace", was issued in advance of the Catholic Church's World Day of Social Communications on May 13. Francis compared the use of fake news to the Bible story of the devil, who, disguised as a serpent, persuaded Eve to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree.

"We need to unmask what could be called the 'snake-tactics' used by those (purveyors of fake news) who disguise themselves in order to strike at any time and place," he said. "The role of journalists was "not just a job, it is a mission" and they had particular responsibility to stem fake news."

Pointed Hat Guy Takes Shot at Fake News Media

Pope Fran is Obviously Not a Fan of Fake News Purveyors Like CNN Either

According to NPR News, Pope Francis weighed in on the issue of freedom of the press and fake news as he delivered a sermon to a group of journalists Saturday about “the sins of communication."

The Pope made his comments to members of the Italian Periodical Press Union and the Italian Federation of Catholic Weeklies. Franics said  journalism is a field “dominated by the anxiety of speed” and is driven by sensationalism. Reliable information, he said, is at a premium. "There is an urgent need for news communicated with serenity, precision and completeness."  The Pope also spoke about the perils of disinformation and slander. 

“You shouldn’t fall into the ‘sins of communication:’ disinformation, or giving just one side, calumny that is sensationalized, or defamation, looking for things that are old news and have been dealt with and bringing them to light today.  They are very grave sins, which damage the heart of the journalist and harm people.”

This is not the first time the Fran has waded into media issues and the world can expect to hear similar sermons from the pope in the future. Francis made “fake news and journalism for peace,” the topic of his 2017 World Communications Day speech. NPR reported last year that the pope told “journalists and media consumers” that an interest in dredging up scandals is similar to “the sickness of coprophilia."  You'll have to look that up yourself if you really want to know......