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In the 18th and 19th Centuries, newspapers and journalists were less regulated than they are today, and had a habit of fabricating or publishing unverified news stories. Sometimes it was to increase sales, often it was to support the agendas of political parties. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were targets of the press during their presidencies. Jefferson also used the press to his advantage when he hired James Callender to write the now famous Reynolds paper attacking Alexander Hamilton. Although today news organizations have higher ethical standards and oversight from organizations and the public, the Internet also allows for false stories to be spread faster than ever.
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