Truth or Internet? Why are they often mutually exclusive?

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If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you will recognize that I provide primary sources for any facts that are not developed directly by me.  And, you will recall I have discussed “fake” news on at least two occasions.

(The Chicago Tribune photo I had used is no longer available.  Sorry.)

And, yet, there are those (especially those in politics) that desire to distort the news.  To convince you of their  point of view- regardless of its true merits.  (Surely you can recall the recent Shirley Sherrod scandal [love that alliteration and homonymical phrase]!)  What can we do to stop this?

We already know the velocity of rumor.  It has been hypervelocitized by the power of the  internet.  You take 100 folks spreading falsities on the internet- whether it is about supposed defective products (Don’t give this vaccine to your kids- it will make them autistic!) or corruption (Shirley Sherrod refuses to help White farmers!), the netizens read the posts and spread them via geometrical amplification. (It’s worse than an epidemic).  The internet is a haven for these crime- plenty of opportunity and no police.

Should we do what China does?   China (yes, like most totalitarian regimes, it attempts to censor the internet, but it also), has a “State Council Information Office”.  It examines information on the internet.  It has found that companies are paying people to flood message boards and post blogs with defamatory information about their competitors.  (Could you imagine what could have happened if there were an internet when CREEP was around?)  The goal of these endeavors is to cause the some 420 million folks in China with access to the internet to believe things that are not true.  Last year, Mengniu (equivalent to– or maybe larger than- our Dean Foods [also not without its own scandals]) hired a marketing company to spread a rumor about its competitor, Yili.  The “news” stated that if one bought Yili’s milk, your children would attain puberty way too early.  Even after the perpetrators were found, arrested, and stopped- the issue persisted.  Why?  Because the mis-information was now being passed along by others, who had been goaded to action by the false information, and were warning others (incorrectly) about the purported dangers (or might have had their own agendas to support.  SZ- are you listening?).  As a matter of fact, this past week,  China arrested one rumor-monger who was scaring the populace about the “nuclear fallout” over China due to the Fukushima disasters (so he could sell his remedies).

(Please note that I am NOT naïve.  I know that there are plenty of nefarious reasons for which the China State Council Information Office exists.  This concept is probably its only “real” purpose.  It has many other “false” purposes- specifically to shut down dissent before others learn of the facts.  Hmm.  Certainly sounds like certain “non-profit” political groups here, does it not?)

I personally don’t want a government agency determining what is acceptable on the internet.  In my ideal world, there would be easily accessible courts to prosecute those who deliberately misstate facts.  A fine of $ 5 for each occurrence- such as each eMail that is sent from their computers, would be a very expensive deterrent.

But, given that “Erehwon” does not exist, my simple answer is that each of us has to become truth squads.Don’t pass along information that you have not vetted.  I receive some 50 to 100 pieces of “news” each and every day that seem to be part of some unauthorized mail chain.  All demanding that I be convinced of something or another.  All (or most of them) are full of crap.  The trick- use your eMail to click to respond to ALL (and, yes, there are multitudes on those lists) that the information is incorrect- and forward that information to no one else- unless you provide the refutation, as well.Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A.

(If you want samples of these sorts of chicanery, let me know.  I have been a truth squad member for a very long time.  Amazing, I still get the same BS submissions as brand new every six months- even if that information is old and has been refuted.  The inflammatory subject is meant to propel me- and you- to action on this canards.)
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17 thoughts on “Truth or Internet? Why are they often mutually exclusive?”

  1. This is news to me about China but I think you’re right. The government should not be interfering with the Internet and we need to be responsible about what we pass on to others. My method is to ignore the odd emails I get(I only read the subjects) and usually I get one later on, saying that the first one was false. That method saves a lot of time!
    Jeannette Koczela recently posted..A Simple Time Management Tip

  2. Intrigued by the truth squad. For many years, I have sincerely believed that 99% of other people’s truths are just their opinions. Politicians only spout what they are told by others to be the truth because they have little time to think for themselves. Censorship exists in every country’s media and the internet is a fast way to spread BS. Interesting though the number of people who start off with this is not BS and then spout it.
    I agree, never ever pass on what you don’t know to have validity and even then especially if bad news. Only pass on the fluffy stuff is my motto
    Roberta recently posted..Emotions and Reactions are Important to Get out of Stuck

    1. We gotta get out of stuck!!! If we allow these big lies to promulgate and perpetuate, we will never be able to make any headway, because we won’t be sure if the route we plan to trod is secure or chimeric.

  3. Rumour mongering has long been problamatic. The difference today is the speed at which these bits of ‘news’ can be shared. Couple that with people generally foregoing the concept of questioning and you have a society ripe to be lead into some out there places. I remember learning about tricks advertisers used (air-brushing, camera angles, subliminal messages) when I was younger and that forever changed my view of print media. We need to step up and take responsibility for asking questions, checking facts and using some common sense.
    Great topic and article Roy. I’m sure it will bring some interesting discussions with it.

    1. Yup. It used to be just the Soviet rulers used to create new photographic history. Now, with the technology at everyone’s fingertips, we can’t even trust the photos we see. Or, taking bodies from the morgue and placing them contiguous to a bombsite to imply civilian casualties. (This was actually done during several Middle Eastern wars, when the photographers doctored photographs. It was only the plumes of smoke that gave them away.) OK, I could go on- unfortunately- but the idea is clear.

  4. Hi Roy,

    I think your advice should be shared with everyone. We need to truth squads and check out the truth of the information before passing them along. If everyone took on this responsibility instead of blindly becoming part of this chain mail, we would have a lot less junk mail!

    When I get chain mail, I just delete it now even without taking the time to look at it. It has unfortunately come down to that. I know that everyone has good-intentions. I am a cancer-survivor and today many people forward me emails about how to stay well, what to eat to prevent cancer and the whole load. Some maybe useful but I don’t take time to read them anymore because it’s really difficult to decipher what truth or internet 🙂
    Diana recently posted..Lighten Up And Smile

    1. I know. One of our “group” members just posted something in FB that set me off. I am sick and tired of these folks creating fake science posts and scaring people, hoping they will buy their suggested remedies. Have a great day.

  5. It’s hard to know what’s true. If you think about it, we are probably manipulated in every area. That’s why I try not to think about it too much! We have to be careful about trying to do our own due diligence. That’s all you can do.

  6. Roy,

    I’ve heard of the China State Information Office, but didn’t realize it had anything to do w/ the internet, but I can see it. NO I do not want our government involved in our internet. You are right we need to be the ‘truth squads’ as you stated.

  7. I hear your frustration Roy and I agree with you. There is so many ways we can check things out to be sure it is fact, rather than sharing or putting out information just because your neighbor told you so it just has to be right, or it sounds good.

    What’s worse, it is hard to remove or change any information that has been submitted on the internet.

    In this hurry up, high tech world – we need to take our time, research the facts, before we hit that submit button!
    Lynn Brown recently posted..LinkedIn Secrets – 3 Reasons Why Most Small Business Owners Fail To Attract Clients Using LinkedIn

  8. I love the classic photo! I’ve read about it before and it’s just funny how rumor or make-believe stories spread so fast.

    While I don’t wanna have an agency that would prevent freedom in the internet, I hope this will serve as a reminder for all of us to become more vigilant and responsible with what do click and pass around.

    1. I, too, don’t want an agency or government to control the information, Jonha. But, I don’t see any group “bellying up to the bar”. And, if that doesn’t happen, government will swoop in to take control.
      Roy

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