How do we fight against dangerous misinformation?

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > How do we fight against dangerous misinformation?

Ardennes: May 12, 2002

DrSunshine posted:

Well, I wasn't worried about them.

At any rate, I would not consider the rumors about it being sonic / electromagnetic superweapons to be dangerous misinformation per se. I would classify misinformation as dangerous if it causes people to behave in ways that are dangerous either to themselves or others. For example, the Rohingya massacres in Myanmar are being caused by dangerous misinformation spreading online on Facebook about the what that Muslim minority group is doing. And the measles epidemic is being caused by dangerous misinformation about vaccines.

The more I think about it, the more I feel that we need to somehow contain these types of memes, because of the risks they pose to society. It's okay to be skeptical, but when people begin to doubt the very processes underlying what creates knowledge in the first place, such as the scientific process, or to doubt all experts and people in positions of expertise or authority, it opens up society to disarray. Democracy can't function if there is no consensus on what constitutes reality.

You know the US used those �attacks� as an excuse to reserve the gains that has occurred in Cuban-US right?

Btw, this whole thread is and will be �how to stop the spread of misinformation...from people I don�t like.�

# ¿ Jun 24, 2019 14:27

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# ¿ May 9, 2024 21:04

Ardennes: May 12, 2002

DrSunshine posted:

I'm not quite sure if I understand what you mean by "reserve the gains", and no, I wasn't aware of what the US has used the supposed sonic attacks to do. I've definitely read and followed the stories about the sonic attacks, but I was more curious about the mystery of what happened (I'm a big X-Files fan) than anything else.

Well, you'd agree that misinformation spread on the right has definitely led to actual violence, right? Pizzagate comes to mind, though fortunately no one was killed in that. Countering far-right extremism is a good, overall, I think we'd all agree.

It was just crickets, and you probably should read up on the US and Cuba because it is kind of important.

Misinformation of types from every angle has led to violence, death, and general misery.

Solkanar512 posted:

This is a really lazy analysis of why people are concerned about record measles outbreaks, among other things. I don’t know where you live, but it’s hitting where I live and it’s not just a matter of me “not liking those people”.

The issue is much bigger than Pizzagate and anti-vaxx stuff.

# ¿ Jun 24, 2019 15:08

Ardennes: May 12, 2002

Solkanar512 posted:

It most certainly is, but your characterization that it�s just about �not liking people� seriously diminishes the harm being done.

But if issue is bigger than the anti-vaxx movement, then the issue of harm needs to be more specific.

If you want to talk about anti-vaccination being stupid, sure, I won�t stop you but it is reductive.

# ¿ Jun 24, 2019 15:20

Ardennes: May 12, 2002

SMILLENNIALSMILLEN posted:

That's not what was reported. A noise recorded by some sufferers turned out to be just crickets but noises were not associated with every case, this was in the 9th paragraph of the story.

So some were hearing crickets and others we�re being blasted with sonic devices but both showed similar symptoms?

I will cut to the chase and say it isn�t believable unless there is some actual evidence at hand. Btw that goes for other types of �misinformation.�

Ardennes fucked around with this message at 17:19 on Jun 24, 2019

# ¿ Jun 24, 2019 17:16

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > How do we fight against dangerous misinformation?