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This has nothing to do with poverty. The US population is just as guilty of believing in fake news, they even elected a president based on rumors. And now the p

This has nothing to do with poverty. The US population is just as guilty of believing in fake news, they even elected a president based on rumors. And now the president himself fabricates and spreads such fake news with support of his propaganda machine.

Waterluvian 9y ago
Is it an education problem? I'd love any links anyone has to studies that examine the relationship between education and skepticism of fake news. My intuition says yes but to such a minor extent that it cannot explain away the phenomenon.
- barrkel 9y ago
  No, I don't think it's education. I think it's tribal, emotional attachments to groups and the group perspective. Trying to fix it with critical thinking is difficult because it's a few steps back in the causal chain for agency. People have to want to question their news sources, but that increasingly conflicts with their need to feel part of a group when they're getting their news via gossip.
gaius 9y ago
The US population is just as guilty of believing in fake news Because it’s pushed to the top of algo-driven newsfeeds, and originates with people with blue checkmarks after their names
- robtaylor 9y ago
  Many of those responsible for that code and even directing the developers are reading these very comments. They are making a £ v moral decision.
- biztos 9y ago
  For anyone else who didn't know what the "blue checkmark" means in this context: Twitter et al. apparently us the blue checkmark to indicate they have vetted the identity of that social media account, and they vouch for @ev[0] being Mr Williams while @finkd may or may not be Mr Zuckerberg.[1] At least on Twitter, it has a "first-prize ribbon" look to it, as if being the blue-checked Mr Williams were an achievement superior to that of the second (red) Mr Williams and the others on down.[2] [0]: https://twitter.com/ev https://twitter.com/ev [1]: https://twitter.com/finkd https://twitter.com/finkd [2]: http://www.trophies2go.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RBB2BS.jpg http://www.trophies2go.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RBB...
  - gaius 9y ago
    Twitter et al. apparently us the blue checkmark to indicate they have vetted the identity of that social media accoun Not anymore - now it means Twitter endorses what they say. I mean does someone stop being themselves once they break the ToS? If not, why withdraw it?
raguuu 9y ago
You elect all your presidents that way.

Waterluvian 9y ago

Is it an education problem? I'd love any links anyone has to studies that examine the relationship between education and skepticism of fake news. My intuition says yes but to such a minor extent that it cannot explain away the phenomenon.

barrkel 9y ago
No, I don't think it's education. I think it's tribal, emotional attachments to groups and the group perspective. Trying to fix it with critical thinking is difficult because it's a few steps back in the causal chain for agency. People have to want to question their news sources, but that increasingly conflicts with their need to feel part of a group when they're getting their news via gossip.

gaius 9y ago

The US population is just as guilty of believing in fake news Because it’s pushed to the top of algo-driven newsfeeds, and originates with people with blue checkmarks after their names

robtaylor 9y ago
Many of those responsible for that code and even directing the developers are reading these very comments. They are making a £ v moral decision.
biztos 9y ago
For anyone else who didn't know what the "blue checkmark" means in this context: Twitter et al. apparently us the blue checkmark to indicate they have vetted the identity of that social media account, and they vouch for @ev[0] being Mr Williams while @finkd may or may not be Mr Zuckerberg.[1] At least on Twitter, it has a "first-prize ribbon" look to it, as if being the blue-checked Mr Williams were an achievement superior to that of the second (red) Mr Williams and the others on down.[2] [0]: https://twitter.com/ev https://twitter.com/ev [1]: https://twitter.com/finkd https://twitter.com/finkd [2]: http://www.trophies2go.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RBB2BS.jpg http://www.trophies2go.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RBB...
- gaius 9y ago
  Twitter et al. apparently us the blue checkmark to indicate they have vetted the identity of that social media accoun Not anymore - now it means Twitter endorses what they say. I mean does someone stop being themselves once they break the ToS? If not, why withdraw it?

raguuu 9y ago

You elect all your presidents that way.