5 ms·

I really worry about the spread of false information. I see more and more people telling me things IRL that (I think) they get on misinformation websites or Fac

by y04nn 10y ago

I really worry about the spread of false information. I see more and more people telling me things IRL that (I think) they get on misinformation websites or Facebook posts. Many people (specially older ones) are not used to check the information that is presented to them.

raarts 10y ago
Funny, I would qualify as old but I'm of exactly the opposite opinion. Young people are not used to paying for content (newspapers, anyone?) and do not realize free content cannot pay for high quality journalism and thus only provides superficial information. Edit: words
- icanhackit 10y ago
  I think what the parent poster implied was that older people who aren't very technologically savvy, as in the kind who would define Facebook as "the internet", don't appreciate how easy it is to publish materials online and so they give any old bullshit that shows up in their feed more credit than it deserves. I believe this might be because they understand publishing on mediums like television and newspapers is hard and requires capital, so they assume that must be true of the internet also. This is in contrast to a younger audience that is more technologically savvy and understands how easy it is to publish and propagate information. But it's dangerous to generalize. I know a lot of older people who are incredibly technologically savvy and younger people who only care about the narcissistic and quick-consumption facets of technology.
ern 10y ago
I have found personally that those who are worst at believing and forwarding misinformation online are in their late 40s and 50s-young enough to use technology, but old enough to have not learned how to deal with a deluge of information. This doesn't apply to all older people, of course. But on aggregate, I would agree with you.

5 ms·

I really worry about the spread of false information. I see more and more people telling me things IRL that (I think) they get on misinformation websites or Fac

by y04nn 10y ago

raarts 10y ago
Funny, I would qualify as old but I'm of exactly the opposite opinion. Young people are not used to paying for content (newspapers, anyone?) and do not realize free content cannot pay for high quality journalism and thus only provides superficial information. Edit: words
- icanhackit 10y ago
  I think what the parent poster implied was that older people who aren't very technologically savvy, as in the kind who would define Facebook as "the internet", don't appreciate how easy it is to publish materials online and so they give any old bullshit that shows up in their feed more credit than it deserves. I believe this might be because they understand publishing on mediums like television and newspapers is hard and requires capital, so they assume that must be true of the internet also. This is in contrast to a younger audience that is more technologically savvy and understands how easy it is to publish and propagate information. But it's dangerous to generalize. I know a lot of older people who are incredibly technologically savvy and younger people who only care about the narcissistic and quick-consumption facets of technology.
ern 10y ago
I have found personally that those who are worst at believing and forwarding misinformation online are in their late 40s and 50s-young enough to use technology, but old enough to have not learned how to deal with a deluge of information. This doesn't apply to all older people, of course. But on aggregate, I would agree with you.