British politician Jo Swinson has spoken about the danger of fake news after a satirical story about her sling-shotting rocks at squirrels went viral.
The story, published by The Mirror, claimed it had seen "harrowing" footage of the Liberal Democrat leader terrorising squirrels in her garden while calling them "pleb bunnies".
She told talk radio show LBC the story was "very fake news" but "quite sophisticated".
She says it's part of a wider culture of satirical news pieces.
"They're quite sophisticated and people do believe them," she told host Lain Dale.
The article quoted a fake RSPCA spokesperson condemning the non-existent footage.
"I've never seen anyone so alive with twisted pleasure at the thought of harming another living creature. The glee is palpable," read the quote.
It also quoted Swinson as saying "I'm a crack shot. I don't go for the head because that's too clean a death."
The politician says she does find it worrying.
"There are questions about the role of publishers in circulating these things that aren't true," she said.
"It's very difficult to prevent its spread."
The article has since been deleted.
