How Big Is The Fake News Problem?
Discussion
Seems like the Germans are taking it very seriously.
German officials have proposed creating a special government unit to combat fake news in the run-up to next year's general election, reports say. A document quoted by the Spiegel news website calls for an "anti-disinformation centre" in Chancellor Angela Merkel's administration.
Germany reacts to misleading 'Breitbart' New Year's Eve report. The right-wing publication has falsely reported that Arab men set fire to Germany's oldest church while shouting "God is great." Dortmund police described the evening as "rather average to quiet."
Germany has threatened to crack down on the fake news scandal plaguing Facebook by levying hefty fines for posts that aren't removed immediately amid mounting fears that disinformation could influence the country's upcoming elections. The head of Germany's second-biggest political party has suggested Facebook could face fines of up to €500,000 (£419,000) for each post containing fake news or hate speech that isn't removed from the network within 24 hours.
It always amazes me how many otherwise-intelligent people share such health/medical crap on Facebook.
The widespread circulation of fake health news on social networks is misleading and potentially dangerous, health officials have warned. Misinformation published by conspiracy sites about serious health conditions is often shared more widely than evidence-based reports from reputable news organisations, according to analysis by The Independent. Of the 20 most-shared articles on Facebook in 2016 with the word “cancer” in the headline, more than half purport claims discredited by doctors and health authorities or – in the case of the year’s top story – directly by the source cited in the article.
German officials have proposed creating a special government unit to combat fake news in the run-up to next year's general election, reports say. A document quoted by the Spiegel news website calls for an "anti-disinformation centre" in Chancellor Angela Merkel's administration.
Germany reacts to misleading 'Breitbart' New Year's Eve report. The right-wing publication has falsely reported that Arab men set fire to Germany's oldest church while shouting "God is great." Dortmund police described the evening as "rather average to quiet."
Germany has threatened to crack down on the fake news scandal plaguing Facebook by levying hefty fines for posts that aren't removed immediately amid mounting fears that disinformation could influence the country's upcoming elections. The head of Germany's second-biggest political party has suggested Facebook could face fines of up to €500,000 (£419,000) for each post containing fake news or hate speech that isn't removed from the network within 24 hours.
It always amazes me how many otherwise-intelligent people share such health/medical crap on Facebook.
The widespread circulation of fake health news on social networks is misleading and potentially dangerous, health officials have warned. Misinformation published by conspiracy sites about serious health conditions is often shared more widely than evidence-based reports from reputable news organisations, according to analysis by The Independent. Of the 20 most-shared articles on Facebook in 2016 with the word “cancer” in the headline, more than half purport claims discredited by doctors and health authorities or – in the case of the year’s top story – directly by the source cited in the article.
An interesting way to put it.
"Pope Francis: Fake news is like getting sexually aroused by faeces
God's representative on Earth excused himself for any offence caused by his terms"
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.independent.co.uk...
"Pope Francis: Fake news is like getting sexually aroused by faeces
God's representative on Earth excused himself for any offence caused by his terms"
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.independent.co.uk...
Politicians launching an inquiry into propaganda and untruths. 
MPs are launching a parliamentary inquiry into the "growing phenomenon of fake news". The Culture, Media and Sport Committee said it would investigate concerns about the public being swayed by propaganda and untruths.
MPs are launching a parliamentary inquiry into the "growing phenomenon of fake news". The Culture, Media and Sport Committee said it would investigate concerns about the public being swayed by propaganda and untruths.
The boss of Apple wants us to tackle fake news like we did environmental issues.
telegraph said:
Tim Cook, the boss of Apple, is calling for governments to launch a public information campaign to fight the scourge of fake news, which is “killing people’s minds.”
In an impassioned plea, Mr Cook, boss of the world’s largest company, says that the epidemic of false reports “is a big problem in a lot of the world” and necessitates a crackdown by the authorities and technology firms.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph, he calls for a campaign similar to those that changed attitudes on the environment to educate the public on the threat posed by fabricated online stories.
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/02/10/fake-news-killing-peoples-minds-says-apple-boss-tim-cook/amp/?client=safariIn an impassioned plea, Mr Cook, boss of the world’s largest company, says that the epidemic of false reports “is a big problem in a lot of the world” and necessitates a crackdown by the authorities and technology firms.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Telegraph, he calls for a campaign similar to those that changed attitudes on the environment to educate the public on the threat posed by fabricated online stories.
Mr GrimNasty said:
BBC goes full fake-nutjob.
"Was Britain’s EU referendum hijacked by the American alt-right using a technique known as psychographics?"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-40423629/what-was-...
Loved the way newsnight used stupid spooky music and whacky graphics to warn us all about these people. "Was Britain’s EU referendum hijacked by the American alt-right using a technique known as psychographics?"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-40423629/what-was-...
Also I can't remember the media making a big deal about it when Obama used behavioural scientists as part of his campaign.
George Soros and others are going to help tackle the fake news problem. That should trigger a few people.
Broadcast, print and online journalists are to begin using an automated fact-checking system that quickly alerts them to false claims made in the press, on TV and in parliament. An early version of the system, dubbed the “bulls
t detector” by its creators, will be rolled out for testing from October as part of a global fightback against fake news. It is being developed by researchers at the Full Fact organisation in London with $500,000 (£380,000) of funding from charitable foundations backed by two billionaires: the Hungarian-born investor George Soros, and the Iranian-American eBay founder Pierre Omidyar.
Broadcast, print and online journalists are to begin using an automated fact-checking system that quickly alerts them to false claims made in the press, on TV and in parliament. An early version of the system, dubbed the “bulls
t detector” by its creators, will be rolled out for testing from October as part of a global fightback against fake news. It is being developed by researchers at the Full Fact organisation in London with $500,000 (£380,000) of funding from charitable foundations backed by two billionaires: the Hungarian-born investor George Soros, and the Iranian-American eBay founder Pierre Omidyar.This was doing the rounds recently.
When Fake News is Actually Fake News. That people shared the photo thinking it was real shows how far we’ve fallen.
When Fake News is Actually Fake News. That people shared the photo thinking it was real shows how far we’ve fallen.
‘'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'........Government to step in and tackle fake news.
Theresa May is set to authorise the creation of a rapid response unit to stop fake news spreading online. The team, which will be based in the Cabinet Office, will be tasked with monitoring social media to identify and challenge disinformation. It follows a slew of false stories that were distributed on the internet even after they were shown to be false, many of which were damaging to the Conservative Party, the government or both. The new unit will set itself the ambitious target of seeking to “reclaim a fact-based public debate
Non paywall link...
http://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/01/21/uk-governme...
Theresa May is set to authorise the creation of a rapid response unit to stop fake news spreading online. The team, which will be based in the Cabinet Office, will be tasked with monitoring social media to identify and challenge disinformation. It follows a slew of false stories that were distributed on the internet even after they were shown to be false, many of which were damaging to the Conservative Party, the government or both. The new unit will set itself the ambitious target of seeking to “reclaim a fact-based public debate
Non paywall link...
http://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/01/21/uk-governme...
11 MPs have flown from London to NY, before travelling to DC to spend three hours questioning Google, Facebook and Twitter executives who had offered to come to the UK to be questioned. All in the name of tackling fake news.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/markdistefano/we-...
https://www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/markdistefano/we-...
“The German news magazine Der Spiegel has been plunged into chaos after revealing that one of its top reporters had falsified stories over several years.
The media world was stunned by the revelations that the award-winning journalist Claas Relotius had, according to the weekly, “made up stories and invented protagonists” in at least 14 out of 60 articles that appeared in its print and online editions, warning that other outlets could also be affected.
Relotius, 33, resigned after admitting to the scam. He had written for the magazine for seven years and won numerous awards for his investigative journalism, including CNN Journalist of the Year in 2014.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/19/top-...
The media world was stunned by the revelations that the award-winning journalist Claas Relotius had, according to the weekly, “made up stories and invented protagonists” in at least 14 out of 60 articles that appeared in its print and online editions, warning that other outlets could also be affected.
Relotius, 33, resigned after admitting to the scam. He had written for the magazine for seven years and won numerous awards for his investigative journalism, including CNN Journalist of the Year in 2014.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/19/top-...
The Der Spiegel story continues to run and run. The writers irrational hatred of American led to his downfall.
The German reporter Claas Relotius, accused by top news magazine Der Spiegel of faking stories, could now face embezzlement charges. Der Spiegel says it is filing a criminal complaint alleging he solicited donations for Syrian orphans from readers with any proceeds going to his personal account.
Germany’s Leading Magazine Published Falsehoods About American Life. A reporter with Der Spiegel fabricated information in more than a dozen articles—most of which were meant to reveal America’s brutality.
The German reporter Claas Relotius, accused by top news magazine Der Spiegel of faking stories, could now face embezzlement charges. Der Spiegel says it is filing a criminal complaint alleging he solicited donations for Syrian orphans from readers with any proceeds going to his personal account.
Germany’s Leading Magazine Published Falsehoods About American Life. A reporter with Der Spiegel fabricated information in more than a dozen articles—most of which were meant to reveal America’s brutality.
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