Who spreads fake news?

[RobbyPants]

This isn't a uniform thing, despite the irony of Trump complaining about "fake news" nearly constantly. 60% of fake news visits came from the 10% with the most conservative media diets

Study Shows Americans over 65 share the most fake news

We found a relationship between being more conservative or more Republican and also on average sharing more fake news articles. And that was a clear relationship as well and one that we weren't necessarily as surprised by because we know that most of the false content that was being disseminated during this period was strongly pro-Trump and anti-Clinton in orientation. And it makes sense that people would be more likely to share and engage with content that they're predisposed to agree with.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I had to block an aunt who sent out showers of total BS to everybody she knows. She was in her 80s at the time.

[Aegon]

The generation who told my generation not to believe everything you read on the internet believes everything they read on the internet! Wonderful.

[Alan V]

I consider the charge of "fake news" to be a projection from the worst offenders. It's a propaganda move that simply begs the question.

[Dom]

Who spreads fake news?  Rainy does!

[Fireball]

It is my take that the above comments about being old and conservative holds to a great extent. In my carving class, I hear people talking about the latest idiocy they saw on "InfoWars". I shit you not. When they start talking about fake news, I ask them, "Didn't you hear what came out of Trump's mouth, yourself?" How can it then be fake news? The look of people trying to reconcile having seen the truth and then still claiming "Fake News" is painful to see. Usually they just back off and say that they don't want to argue. They're dug in, they're not going to move off that position. It's really sad, and a bit unnerving.

[brewerb]

The right/conservative/alt media seems to fill a comfort need for many of the elderly. It also seems to have something to do with feeling protected, many elderly feel vulnerable.

[Fireball]

How does Lush Rimjob ranting about "Obama's Totalitarian Regime" make anyone comfortable? I hear these two gals in their late 70s (one) and early 80s going back and for sotto voce about all the "true news" they see on InfoWars. If I was old enough to believe that tripe, I'd be shitting in a diaper.

[SYZ]

As someone well beyond 65 I'd have to disagree with this...

This week, we're going to focus on a new study out of Princeton and New York Universities that found older Americans are more likely to share fake news on social media than their younger counterparts. So if you've noticed it's your great aunt or uncle who most often shares dubious news stories on Facebook, well, you might be onto something.

People over 65 are the least likely to be using Facebook, here in Australia at least.

And some current US statistics:

   51% of 13-17 year olds use Facebook,
   81% of 18-29 year olds use Facebook,
   78% of 30-49 year olds use Facebook,
   65% of 50-64 year olds use Facebook,
   41% of 65+ year olds use Facebook.

62% of all-ages males use Facebook,
74% of all-ages females use Facebook.
                        —Sproutsocial, 15 Facebook stats every marketer should know for 2019, 19 April.

Simple logic would then indicate the demographic most likely
to be spreading fake news is the 19-29 year-old females.

Sorry ladies.   

[Thumpalumpacus]

In other breaking news, water is wet, and gravity tends to hold objects with mass together. No doubt that's fake news, too.

Also, old folks might be more likely to support a guy who sells them a "vision" of the future based upon an idealized past.

[Deesse23]

It is my take that the above comments about being old and conservative holds to a great extent. In my carving class, I hear people talking about the latest idiocy they saw on "InfoWars". I shit you not. When they start talking about fake news, I ask them, "Didn't you hear what came out of Trump's mouth, yourself?" How can it then be fake news? The look of people trying to reconcile having seen the truth and then still claiming "Fake News" is painful to see. Usually they just back off and say that they don't want to argue. They're dug in, they're not going to move off that position. It's really sad, and a bit unnerving.

We are at a point where Trump gets in front of camers and openly asks China for dirt on biden. Then some FoxNews interwiews are made and you hear them say "of course he wasnt serious when he wa ssaying that".

Thats the point we have arrived at. Ca. 1943 that point was called "If the Führer only kew!". Its a point beyond the point of no return. In 1961 that point was reached when Ulbricht said in front of cameras: "Nobody has the intention of building a wall", a mere few weeks before the wall was built. Facts have become irrelevant to some, and you wont get these people back into a shared reality, not unless and after something cataclysmic happens.

[RobbyPants]

And some current US statistics:

   51% of 13-17 year olds use Facebook,
   81% of 18-29 year olds use Facebook,
   78% of 30-49 year olds use Facebook,
   65% of 50-64 year olds use Facebook,
   41% of 65+ year olds use Facebook.

62% of all-ages males use Facebook,
74% of all-ages females use Facebook.
                        —Sproutsocial, 15 Facebook stats every marketer should know for 2019, 19 April.

Simple logic would then indicate the demographic most likely
to be spreading fake news is the 19-29 year-old females.

You're talking about raw use and I'm talking about which demographic spreads the most fake news. These things aren't mutually exclusive.

So, just looking at the rates of 18-29s and 65+s (if we assume they're similar-sized populations), the 65+s would be spreading more fake news stories if they merely did so twice as often as the 18s - 29s.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

If people do more fact-checking and less passive acceptance of information things would be different.

And if pigs had wings...

[RobbyPants]

If people do more fact-checking and less passive acceptance of information things would be different.

And if pigs had wings...

My best friend's mom used to do this a lot. She might still; it's possibly she just took me off her list or blocked me. She'd send some link about something that was always scary, and always provably wrong on the first Google result. Each time, I'd show her the link about it being a hoax.

I shit you not: one time, her excuse was "Well, better to be safe than sorry.". I'm like "No, Sandi, it's not safer to spread accusatory shit about people because it might be true."

[Gawdzilla Sama]

If people do more fact-checking and less passive acceptance of information things would be different.

And if pigs had wings...

My best friend's mom used to do this a lot. She might still; it's possibly she just took me off her list or blocked me. She'd send some link about something that was always scary, and always provably wrong on the first Google result. Each time, I'd show her the link about it being a hoax.

I shit you not: one time, her excuse was "Well, better to be safe than sorry.". I'm like "No, Sandi, it's not safer to spread accusatory shit about people because it might be true."

"Better safe than sorry" is in the same category as jumping off a cliff to avoid a bear.

[Dānu]

If people do more fact-checking and less passive acceptance of information things would be different.

And if pigs had wings...

My best friend's mom used to do this a lot. She might still; it's possibly she just took me off her list or blocked me. She'd send some link about something that was always scary, and always provably wrong on the first Google result. Each time, I'd show her the link about it being a hoax.

I shit you not: one time, her excuse was "Well, better to be safe than sorry.". I'm like "No, Sandi, it's not safer to spread accusatory shit about people because it might be true."

"Better safe than sorry" is in the same category as jumping off a cliff to avoid a bear.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"Wheee" is the first in the list of Famous Last Words Nobody Heard.

[Tres Leches]

I don't think anyone is immune from spreading fake news. It's easy to point fingers but I've seen memes created and shared by liberals (ETA: Or maybe created by Russians eager to sow discord any way that can) on facebook with faulty and or/ exaggerated facts that are easily debunked. We all need to be on the lookout for it.

-Teresa

[Dancefortwo]

A couple days ago, on hubby's facebook page someone posted a fantastic Monica Lewinsky tweet....

 "I'd take be willing to take one for the team and give Trump a blowjob in the Oval Office.  Apparently that's the only thing that will convince Republicans to impeach". 

I was going to post it here because I thought it was hysterical but I wanted to make sure she actually tweeted this.  Turns out she never did.  It's fake news.  Dammit!  It's such a funny line!

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Easy to spot. She should have said "give one for the team". She speak more better English then I do.

[RobbyPants]

I don't think anyone is immune from spreading fake news. It's easy to point fingers but I've seen memes created and shared by liberals (ETA: Or maybe created by Russians eager to sow discord any way that can) on facebook with faulty and or/ exaggerated facts that are easily debunked. We all need to be on the lookout for it.

-Teresa

Yeah, the Russians exploited the Clinton/Sanders rift in 2016 to great effect against Clinton. My wife was (is) a huge Bernie bro. I'm sure she read some Russian spam.

[Dānu]

I don't think anyone is immune from spreading fake news. It's easy to point fingers but I've seen memes created and shared by liberals (ETA: Or maybe created by Russians eager to sow discord any way that can) on facebook with faulty and or/ exaggerated facts that are easily debunked. We all need to be on the lookout for it.

-Teresa

Interesting informal poll I read a while back, it seemed to indicate that 9/11 truthers were more numerous on the left than on the right.

[RobbyPants]

Interesting informal poll I read a while back, it seemed to indicate that 9/11 truthers were more numerous on the left than on the right.

That wouldn't surprise me. Bush was president at the time. The GOP used the fear of 9/11 to push the Patriot Act, expanding government powers and restricting oversight. I can see the attraction for some to say "what if the government orchestrated the whole thing?" A few years later, we go to war with Iraq because of WMDs... only to find out later that it was complete BS. So, you get enough "kernels of truth" to feed the conspiracy.

[grympy]

What has happened? The IT Revolution and and the ability to check facts? via the internet ? My perception is that's an illusion; we can never be sure of such sources; much of it is "fake news" . How much?

In the US, imo most of the print media has been corrupt for at least a century. People just didn't know it.

Broadcast new was trusted for a generation, with such people as Edward R Murrow and Walter Cronkite. That no longer seems to be the case

Today in my country, the commercial news is seen as untrustworthy. Public channels, such as PBS in the US and SBS in Oz are seen as relatively trustworthy .

Have things really changed so much, or are people simply sbetter informed generally and/or more cynical?


The link below is to a list of 25 most influential journalists in US history. Comments ?

https://journalismdegree.org/2009/25-mos...n-history/

[TheGulegon]

Idk, but I heard forecasters are calling for weather on Monday, cows are losing their jobs due to falling milk prices, and the miracle cure just killed it's 5th victim.