Satire and Parody (continued)

It is important to note that studies include satire and parody under the category of fake news because of their formatting. Unlike other types of misinformation, satire and parody have no intention to cause harm which significantly separates the two from other types of fake news. Because of this, there is some controversy surrounding the spread of this type of information. On one hand, scholars like Tandoc, Lim and Ling (2018) claim humorous articles and trendy social media headlines can help people become aware of cultural events.

Yet, at the same time, research also proves that satire and parody sites can have a strong influence on a person’s belief system and may be more persuasive than people might think (Tandoc, Lim and Ling, 2018). When criticized for encouraging “fake” satirical sites, like The Babylon Bee, by mainstreamed journalists, The Babylon Bee’s Editor in Chief, Kyle Mann, responds to his critics, ironically, through satire (Andros, 2020).