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In Depth Study of 'Fake News' And How It Spreads

PureX

Veteran Member
There is a new in-depth study out on the dissemination of fake news vs real information, and sadly, it turns out that on every metric the lies travel further, faster, and deeper into our social consciousness than the truth does. And it's not because of on-line bots. It's because we like the lies better, and so we spread them around.

Here is the Article ... MIT Study
 

Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.
Premium Member
It's because we like the lies better, and so we spread them around.

From: Brutal Honesty

People say they want brutal honesty.

But actually they really don't.

People claim to be brutally honest.

But actually they are not.

Take it from a social pariah hermit man like myself. The only thing brutal honesty achieves is alienating yourself from the rest of the world.

People want to be lied to.

They crave the vanity and glory lies bring.

Truth is often ugly and unattractive. And people do not like that.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
There is a new in-depth study out on the dissemination of fake news vs real information, and sadly, it turns out that on every metric the lies travel further, faster, and deeper into our social consciousness than the truth does. And it's not because of on-line bots. It's because we like the lies better, and so we spread them around.

Here is the Article ... MIT Study
I think it's a direct result from the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine.

It's getting to a point where people can't really tell anymore because reporting should be a trusted and reliable source.

Journalistic Integrity seems to be a thing of the past with some rare exceptions.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
The capitalist greed machine is using this media chaos to tear us apart as a people and swallow up everything as 'profit'. Do you think there is any way for us to stop it? To reestablish some degree of honestly and trust in the news media?
 

ecco

Veteran Member
I think it's a direct result from the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine.
Did you bother to even glance through the article?

It is obvious you either did not read the article or that you did not understand it. I'd bet on the former.
 

ecco

Veteran Member
The capitalist greed machine is using this media chaos to tear us apart as a people and swallow up everything as 'profit'. Do you think there is any way for us to stop it? To reestablish some degree of honestly and trust in the news media?

It seems you didn't bother to actually read the article you used to create your OP.

I'm not surprised that you and Nowhere Man jumped on a headline and ran with it without truly understanding what was written.
 

beenherebeforeagain

Rogue Animist
Premium Member
There is a new in-depth study out on the dissemination of fake news vs real information, and sadly, it turns out that on every metric the lies travel further, faster, and deeper into our social consciousness than the truth does. And it's not because of on-line bots. It's because we like the lies better, and so we spread them around.

Here is the Article ... MIT Study
I hope they study how their article is handled through peoples' Twitter accounts...:p
 

HonestJoe

Well-Known Member
It's because we like the lies better, and so we spread them around.
I think that’s slightly misleading, if only unintentionally. The key point is that fake news is specifically designed to be more appealing (not surprisingly). In reporting real news, they’re largely limited to the facts, however bland, boring or incomplete they might be. In create fake news, they have pretty much no limitations and are free to spin whatever angles will best serve the purpose, which generally includes getting it to go viral.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I think that’s slightly misleading, if only unintentionally. The key point is that fake news is specifically designed to be more appealing (not surprisingly). In reporting real news, they’re largely limited to the facts, however bland, boring or incomplete they might be. In create fake news, they have pretty much no limitations and are free to spin whatever angles will best serve the purpose, which generally includes getting it to go viral.
But you're blaming the mechanisms instead of the fools who buy into it (apparently, most of us).

Propaganda has always been with us. And that's exactly how it works: it tells us what we wanted to believe was true by giving us whatever facts we needed to be convinced, whether those facts were accurate, or not. And even if they were accurate, they become inaccurate through their deliberately incomplete and misleading contextual presentation.
 

HonestJoe

Well-Known Member
But you're blaming the mechanisms instead of the fools who buy into it (apparently, most of us).
I wasn’t blaming anything. I would blame the people who create and knowingly propagate fake news and spin. I’m not sure it’s fair to put too much blame on those who inadvertently fall for it, especially since we all can sometimes, and we all have a responsibility to consider what we read and share.

My main point in replying was only to pick you up on a significant but inadvertent turn of phrase “we like lies better” when the opposite is the case. I agree with what you’re trying to say, I just felt that phrase was potentially misleading.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I wasn’t blaming anything. I would blame the people who create and knowingly propagate fake news and spin. I’m not sure it’s fair to put too much blame on those who inadvertently fall for it, especially since we all can sometimes, and we all have a responsibility to consider what we read and share.

My main point in replying was only to pick you up on a significant but inadvertent turn of phrase “we like lies better” when the opposite is the case. I agree with what you’re trying to say, I just felt that phrase was potentially misleading.
Our belief that greed is an acceptable commercial motive in our culture is ultimately the problem. EVERYTHING is for sale in the name of 'profit' (greed). So it was inevitable that the truth would become just another cheap commodity to be bought and sold and 'consumed' for money.
 

HonestJoe

Well-Known Member
Our belief that greed is an acceptable commercial motive in our culture is ultimately the problem. EVERYTHING is for sale in the name of 'profit' (greed). So it was inevitable that the truth would become just another cheap commodity to be bought and sold and 'consumed' for money.
I agree with everything other than the word “become”. This isn’t a new thing, it’s been the case as long as we’ve had human society. :cool:
 

PureX

Veteran Member
I agree with everything other than the word “become”. This isn’t a new thing, it’s been the case as long as we’ve had human society. :cool:
No, it hasn't. It used to be that a lie was considered a lie. Something to be ashamed of. Now it's called 'infotainment' and sold for money. And as long as there is a profit in it, we accept it as a matter of course. Because profit is the motive that trumps all else.
 

HonestJoe

Well-Known Member
No, it hasn't. It used to be that a lie was considered a lie. Something to be ashamed of. Now it's called 'infotainment' and sold for money. And as long as there is a profit in it, we accept it as a matter of course. Because profit is the motive that trumps all else.
I think you need to take off your rose-tinted spectacles regarding history. Take this as just one random example; The true history of fake news
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Did you bother to even glance through the article?

It is obvious you either did not read the article or that you did not understand it. I'd bet on the former.
It doesn't negate whatsoever the fact that after the fairness Doctrine was eliminated, this kind of crap royally ramped-up to tabloid levels and journalistic integrity went out the window.
 
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