How easy is it to spread misinformation…

zinfamous said:

the internet was such a wretched idea. Across a population of people, it is the most dangerous weapon imaginable. To a person, none of this stuff really matters. But you start dealing with groups and large populations, the amount of destruction that can be done to human thinking, progress, health and safety is just unmatched by anything we can do to stop it.

That's what we are.

Click to expand...

zinfamous said:

the internet was such a wretched idea. Across a population of people, it is the most dangerous weapon imaginable. To a person, none of this stuff really matters. But you start dealing with groups and large populations, the amount of destruction that can be done to human thinking, progress, health and safety is just unmatched by anything we can do to stop it.

That's what we are.

Click to expand...

ivwshane said:

I just saw a segment on Chris Hayes (msnbc) and he talked about Jared Goff of the Detroit lions having a bad game with 4 interceptions. Well during that game a Twitter user tweeted that Goff has had 6 gashes where he threw 4 interceptions and he was 6-0 when that happenes.

The tweet took off and the stat was repeated on a network sports show where one pundit asked the other, “is that stat true?”, to which they said, “Yes”.


Turns out the guy who tweeted that later tweeted out, “if you ever wondered how fast disinformation spreads, I complete made up that last tweet”. (Or something to that effect).

If I find the clip I’ll post it but it really hits home just how bad it is.

Anyone else see it?

Click to expand...

nakedfrog said:

A hundred years ago: "A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth can get its boots on" and various permutations thereof

Quote Origin: A Lie Can Travel Halfway Around the World While the Truth Is Putting On Its Shoes – Quote Investigator®

quoteinvestigator.com

Click to expand...

[DHT]Osiris said:

I've said this before, the internet was a great idea. Letting everyone on it was terrible. It should have stayed a niche thing for nerds to do nerd shit on.

Click to expand...

ivwshane said:

I disagree. It just needs better safeguards.

I think social media should offer a setting that will automatically mute misinformation or at the very least give a notification. The reason it should be an option is because you know there will be push back if it’s automatic (how else will our adversaries topple our democracy).

Click to expand...

compcons said:

The sad thing is the people who get to control if there are safeguards are the ones who benefit from there being no safeguards. They will claim freedom even if it just a flag of some sort stating the thing is a lie.

We shouldn't need "user addeded context." That shit should be automatic. But calling out bullshit hurts the feelings of the shitty people who vote for the shitty people.

Click to expand...

zinfamous said:

the internet was such a wretched idea. Across a population of people, it is the most dangerous weapon imaginable. To a person, none of this stuff really matters. But you start dealing with groups and large populations, the amount of destruction that can be done to human thinking, progress, health and safety is just unmatched by anything we can do to stop it.

That's what we are.

Click to expand...

ivwshane said:

I just saw a segment on Chris Hayes (msnbc) and he talked about Jared Goff of the Detroit lions having a bad game with 4 interceptions. Well during that game a Twitter user tweeted that Goff has had 6 gashes where he threw 4 interceptions and he was 6-0 when that happenes.

The tweet took off and the stat was repeated on a network sports show where one pundit asked the other, “is that stat true?”, to which they said, “Yes”.


Turns out the guy who tweeted that later tweeted out, “if you ever wondered how fast disinformation spreads, I complete made up that last tweet”. (Or something to that effect).

If I find the clip I’ll post it but it really hits home just how bad it is.

Anyone else see it?

Click to expand...