AN expert panel has discussed the dangers of “fake news” at an event at the National Science and Media Museum.

The museum is currently running an exhibition on the phenomenon, which has come to increased prominence in the era of Donald Trump.

The sold-out Fake News On Trial event included freelance journalist Samira Ahmed, John Lubbock, Communications Coordinator at Wikimedia UK and Natalie Kane, Curator of Digital Design at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Among the discussions were how fake news could include both blatantly false information and news designed to distract from real issues. They gave an example of Boris Johnstone's recent call for a bridge over the English Channel as news that diverted the media from any real issues facing the country.

Mrs Ahmed also raised the recent story about Canadian PM Justin Trudeau being seen wearing Star Wars socks, a story that diverted media away from more serious issues regarding his political record.

They discussed how fake news could come from a wide variety of backgrounds - the town of Veles in Macedonia became home to 100 pro-Trump websites during the 2016 US election. Many of the town's unemployed youth had realised they could rake in advertising money by publishing pro-Trump stories they had made up, which went on to be shared millions of times on social media.

They also discussed former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and his "alternative facts," including the attendance at Donald Trump's inauguration.

Dr Gabor Batonyi, from the University of Bradford, spoke of his experiences growing up in the Soviet Block, and how the only news available to people was government sponsored propaganda.

He said people had to grow up to “read between the lines” to get to the truth, and said that in many ways it was easier to dismiss news as fake when you knew it was all propaganda.

The group discussed how many people had turned to fake news because they had lost faith in the mainstream press.

Mrs Ahmed said the biggest mistake made by newspapers was setting up websites where people could access their stories for free. She said: "If people pay for news, then they value it. If they don't , then they don't value it."

The Fake News exhibition ends on Sunday.