As defined by Wikipedia, fake news websites are "websites that publish hoaxes, propaganda, and disinformation to increase web traffic through sharing on social media. Unlike news satire, where humor is the object, fake news websites seek to increase their traffic by knowingly circulating false stories". The New York Times gives a similar definition: "'fake news' means a made-up story with an intention to deceive, often "geared toward getting clicks". A part of this definition is that the "fake news" is often presented to resemble "real" news publications in an effort to deceive the people receiving the information.

So there are four main components to "fake news" stories: (1) the information is "published" or made available to online viewers only by a specific individual or individuals; (2) The person passing along the information knows the information is false; (3) the person passing along the information is doing so with the intent of deceiving someone into thinking the false information is true; (4) the information is presented as a "real news" publication to help accomplish the deception.

This label cannot be applied to "pizzagate". First of all, all the information passed along on these websites is submitted by multiple users. Users can present their opinion based on evidence found online. Other users are then allowed to verify the information presented, and can comment, like, or dislike based of the veracity of the information or its perceived importance. The content of the information is entirely left up to the discretion of the individual user. There are no editors or "publishers" influencing what the individual user decides to publish online.

Most of the information published by online users is not knowingly false. Most users submit information they believe to be true, and often support their assertions with links to assist other users in verifying the information. Other users can vet the information through online research, and their responses to the online post can help authenticate the veracity of the information for other users viewing the information. Similarly, false information often receives negative attention and responses from other online users, further helping online viewers to distinguish between false information and true information.

Similarly, the information is not often presented with the intent to deceive other viewers. However, if the information is presented with the intent to deceive online viewers, such information is often met with negative attention and feedback from users. This helps ensure that intentionally deceitful information is identified and discredited.

The overwhelming majority of the information submitted by users is thought to be true at the time of submission, and is not intended to deceive other users.

Finally, websites that discuss pizzagate often do not hold themselves to be news organizations. The majority are user based platforms that allow individuals to submit information and opinions, much like online chat rooms. Most of the information is not presented under the guise of being a news publication.

Pizzagate is not "fake news". "Fake news" is a misnomer meant to discredit the information presented without addressing any of its merits.