Hillary Clinton warns of fake-news dangers after shot fired in pizza parlor

(CNN)Hillary Clinton, speaking in public Thursday for one of the first times since losing the presidential election a month ago, called the proliferation of fake news "an epidemic."

So-called fake news -- often blatant falsehoods passed off online as the truth and spread by conspiracy theorists -- rose to prominence around the 2016 campaign and since Clinton's defeat millions have read "Pizzagate," a false report spread online that erroneously accused Clinton and her campaign of running a child sex ring at a pizza shop.

Clinton said the spread of fake news, which has "flooded social media over the past year," is a trend that "can have real world consequences."
She made the comments at a portrait unveiling and retirement ceremony for outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

Clinton did not mention "Pizzagate," but her comments appeared to directly reference the fake news story that lead to a man with an assault rifle firing a shot in Comet Ping Pong, the Washington shop that has been falsely accused in the fake news stories.

"This is not about politics or partisanship. Lives are at risk, lives of ordinary people just trying to go about their days to do their jobs, contribute to their communities," Clinton said. "It is a danger that must be addressed and addressed quickly."

Clinton backed "bipartisan legislation" that looks to give Congress more power to respond to "foreign propaganda." an apparent reference to Russia's role in funding some of the fake news, according to two studies, with the goal of influencing US politics.