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You think the users are too stupid to fact check. But what makes you think the users care about the truth anyway? More often than not they double down with "we

You think the users are too stupid to fact check. But what makes you think the users care about the truth anyway? More often than not they double down with "well it's emblematic of the greater problem" or something to that effect. They then look for new evidence to support their views. Like it or not, some sites are designed to build echo chambers and are not for general discourse.

travmatt 10y ago
When playing identity politics, agreeing with a blatant lie is expected when you need to affirm the narrative of your tribe. If you don't, you're a heretic and not a true believer.
faet 10y ago
A lot of people don't care. They believe an image on facebook that reaffirms their belief. You try to counter with statistics from the FBI, DOJ, BLS, DOL, or any other organization and the numbers are 'made up'. And studies have been done that when presented with counter arguments it strengthens the original misperceptions. Corrections also don't get much traction. I've seen many conspiracy theories pop up for a week, then die down. While the correct gets no traction at all. >As a result, the corrections fail to reduce misperceptions for the most committed participants. Even worse, they actually strengthen misperceptions among ideological subgroups in several cases. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~nyhan/nyhan-reifler.pdf http://www.dartmouth.edu/~nyhan/nyhan-reifler.pdf People don't want news, they want to hear what they already 'know'.
- tomjen3 10y ago
  The problem is that there are no organizations that can give out unbiased facts. This includes the FBI, DOJ, etc. If you have grown up in a household that were in opposition to either of these organizations (and that could be either democract or republican, I can't imagine a poor black person in the Ghetto likes the FBI more than a Montana rancher), why should you trust their statistics? Heck even if you do trust them, don't forget the old saying: lies, damned lies and statistics.

travmatt 10y ago

When playing identity politics, agreeing with a blatant lie is expected when you need to affirm the narrative of your tribe. If you don't, you're a heretic and not a true believer.

faet 10y ago

A lot of people don't care. They believe an image on facebook that reaffirms their belief. You try to counter with statistics from the FBI, DOJ, BLS, DOL, or any other organization and the numbers are 'made up'. And studies have been done that when presented with counter arguments it strengthens the original misperceptions. Corrections also don't get much traction. I've seen many conspiracy theories pop up for a week, then die down. While the correct gets no traction at all. >As a result, the corrections fail to reduce misperceptions for the most committed participants. Even worse, they actually strengthen misperceptions among ideological subgroups in several cases. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~nyhan/nyhan-reifler.pdf http://www.dartmouth.edu/~nyhan/nyhan-reifler.pdf People don't want news, they want to hear what they already 'know'.

tomjen3 10y ago
The problem is that there are no organizations that can give out unbiased facts. This includes the FBI, DOJ, etc. If you have grown up in a household that were in opposition to either of these organizations (and that could be either democract or republican, I can't imagine a poor black person in the Ghetto likes the FBI more than a Montana rancher), why should you trust their statistics? Heck even if you do trust them, don't forget the old saying: lies, damned lies and statistics.