A fine resolution here: Don't pass on misinformation on the Internet. Especially hoaxes. Especially malicious ones.
Unless it's a relatively innocuous bit of fluff ("Cutest kitten ever to wander the set of 'Firefly'!"), I give the stuff I post or share forward at least a bit of research. The more controversial or inflamed the claims ("Newt Gingrich advocates poor eat cute kittens!") the more validation I try to give things. That usually (when it's a blog or opinion site) means drilling down into the source links. (No source links? That's a red flag. Time to break out Google.) I try to get to a legitimate news site when possible. If it's an outrageous sound bite and there's video, I try to watch the video.
Yeah, it makes some extra work, and there are certainly places where my own confirmation biases blind me. But I've rarely had to retract some over-the-top bit of news I've passed on (and when I do, I try to make a note of it).
We all have the right to our opinions, but not to our facts (as Abraham Lincoln said (no, it was Ben Franklin (no, of course it wasn't))). There's plenty to disagree about and debate even if we try to stick to common reality to debate about. I'll continue to try and be sure that the stuff I natter on about has at least a passing resemblance to the facts.
(h/t +Les Jenkins)
Originally shared by +Neil Turner:
You may have already come up with some new year’s resolutions – it is the 2nd January today after all – but if you’re still looking for ideas, here’s one from me: stop spreading hoaxes on the internet. People can be fooled really easily, which is why…
Do the internet and your friends a favour in 2015 – Neil Turner’s Blog
You may have already come up with some new year’s resolutions – it is the 2nd January today after all – but if you’re still looking for ideas, here’s one f
I think the problem is that people who pass this stuff along have complete trust in their sources. Any research they did (hah!) that cast doubt on the hoax would be discarded as a "disinformation campaign" or some such.
I wish everybody would think critically, but those who don't are very unlikely to start, as critical thinking is so at odds with they way they have been brought up to think (or at least with the thinking habits they have developed).
Maybe we could implant something in everybody's brains that… Hang on. Critical thought engaged… Yeah, no. Forget I said that.
(See how easy it is?)
Tell it to Fox News.
+Paula Moore They are certainly frequent offenders (though too often it seems the "litter" is intentional), but sources and individuals on the Left do it, too.
+Dave Hill Yes indeed.