Pope Francis: Fake news leads to the spread of 'arrogance and hatred'

Pope Francis on Wednesday bemoaned the spread of fake news, calling it "evil" and saying it leads to "arrogance and hatred."

”Fake news is a sign of intolerant and hypersensitive attitudes, and leads only to the spread of arrogance and hatred," the pope said in a document about the issue, according to Reuters.

"That is the end result of untruth."

The pope writes in the document, called “The truth will set you free — Fake news and journalism for peace,” that spreading fake news can "serve to advance specific goals, influence political decisions, and serve economic interests," according to the news service.

He also criticized the "manipulative use of social networks."

”This false but believable news is ‘captious’, inasmuch as it grasps people’s attention by appealing to stereotypes and common social prejudices, and exploiting instantaneous emotions like anxiety, contempt, anger and frustration,” he said.

And he talked of the importance of being able to recognize the "sly and dangerous form of seduction that worms its way into the heart with false and alluring arguments," Reuters reported

“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.

He also called for journalists to be “less concentrated on breaking news than on exploring the underlying causes of conflicts ... a journalism committed to pointing out alternatives to the escalation of shouting matches and verbal violence.”

Earlier this month, Trump announced he would present "the most dishonest & corrupt media awards" to highlight fake news.