4 ms·

Couldn't this have been easily prevented if they had done proper journalism in the first place? Instead all these "news" outlets(including BoingBoing) mindless

by debt 12y ago

Couldn't this have been easily prevented if they had done proper journalism in the first place? Instead all these "news" outlets(including BoingBoing) mindlessly linked to an untrue story and have potentially ruined a man's career. All for some ad dollars. RIP journalism. EDIT: I love that cflas.org lists more than 10 sources that immediately discredits the claims by this young girl. Obviously, not a single person at any of these "news organizations"(BoingBoing, CBS, etc.) could have been bothered to do any research to fact check this story. Absolutely incredible.

eli 12y ago
"All for the ad dollars" I think mischaracterizes the motives. The people voting up the story on Reddit or sharing it on Facebook aren't doing so for money. It's the same impulse with writing/publishing a feel-good story.
mindslight 12y ago
That pretty much sums it up. This article included: > A month following the announced lionfish ban in Florida [1], a 12-year-old south Florida girl accredited [2] for breakthrough in lionfish research; mistaken accreditation, or plagiarism? [3] Notice how the sentence sets up extremely strong [1], dwarfing its extremely flat passive voice [2]. Then it uses to the standard "reasonable explanation or sensationalism?" linkbait construction [3]. Perhaps this girl should have learned about giving proper attribution for her science fair project, or perhaps an elementary schooler has no fucking ability to judge what is original research versus playing/copying (ie how one learns). Please tell me who was given attribution for the inevitable crop of vinegar volcanoes exhibited concurrently. And I can understand Jud's reaction thinking "that could be my research in the spotlight", but honestly the story isn't about the science, it's a hollow attention-grabbing trope of "You won't believe a 12 year old girl did THIS". Everyone involved in this situation has had their lives worsened by sensationalist attention parasites. IMHO, it's our duty install Adblock (etc) so they will hopefully dry up.

by debt 12y ago

eli 12y ago

"All for the ad dollars" I think mischaracterizes the motives. The people voting up the story on Reddit or sharing it on Facebook aren't doing so for money. It's the same impulse with writing/publishing a feel-good story.

mindslight 12y ago

That pretty much sums it up. This article included: > A month following the announced lionfish ban in Florida [1], a 12-year-old south Florida girl accredited [2] for breakthrough in lionfish research; mistaken accreditation, or plagiarism? [3] Notice how the sentence sets up extremely strong [1], dwarfing its extremely flat passive voice [2]. Then it uses to the standard "reasonable explanation or sensationalism?" linkbait construction [3]. Perhaps this girl should have learned about giving proper attribution for her science fair project, or perhaps an elementary schooler has no fucking ability to judge what is original research versus playing/copying (ie how one learns). Please tell me who was given attribution for the inevitable crop of vinegar volcanoes exhibited concurrently. And I can understand Jud's reaction thinking "that could be my research in the spotlight", but honestly the story isn't about the science, it's a hollow attention-grabbing trope of "You won't believe a 12 year old girl did THIS". Everyone involved in this situation has had their lives worsened by sensationalist attention parasites. IMHO, it's our duty install Adblock (etc) so they will hopefully dry up.