Social Media Makes It Easier Than Ever To Misinform The Masses

[Anonymous]

I saw this editorial and thought how fucking true. In many ways, people are more misinformed than ever.

The lives of most Canadians revolve around social media.



Especially Facebook.



Some 14 million of us check our newsfeeds daily (19 million at least once a month).



Those numbers put us above both the global and U.S. average when it comes to Facebook usage.



So it's no surprise the current prolonged federal election has gotten plenty of play on social media, Facebook in particular.



It has become the No. 1 virtual battleground where the parties, candidates and Joe and Jane Public wage a war to get their message out, attack opponents, sway public opinion and hopefully win votes.



On Facebook, the political meme has become the main tool this campaign.



Half the time, folks are posting memes that (insert asterisk here) extol the virtues and wise policy objectives of their favourite party.



The other half, it's memes that demonize the other guys, skewering party leaders (insert asterisk here) for their stances on issues, their platforms, past record -- and occasionally their hair.



People see these memes in their newsfeeds and if they agree with them, laugh at them or are even angered by them, often share to their timelines. Then so it goes, so-on and so-on, down the line.



And therein lies the rub.



Is the info in that meme true? Did you fact check it before taking it as the truth and passing it along?



Many memes contain outright falsehoods and lies, yet it becomes fact in the minds of many once they read it.



Facebook isn't alone, as Twitter can also be a bastion of misinformation during this campaign. Agree with something you see, true or not, retweet it. Then so it goes, again, down the line.



The sad part in all this is the Internet makes it easier than ever before in history to be informed during an election.



Parties list their platforms on their web-sites and it's easy to find additional reputable information on policy and candidates if you take the time to look.



All the information is there for you to make an informed decision based on what it is important to you.



However, at the end of the day, it's still your responsibility to weed out fact from fiction and do your due diligence to be educated on where to place your X on the ballot.



In this new age of social media, the age-old adage 'don't believe everything you read' rings more true now than ever.  

[Anonymous]

I saw this editorial and thought how fucking true. In many ways, people are more misinformed than ever.

The lives of most Canadians revolve around social media.



Especially Facebook.



Some 14 million of us check our newsfeeds daily (19 million at least once a month).



Those numbers put us above both the global and U.S. average when it comes to Facebook usage.



So it's no surprise the current prolonged federal election has gotten plenty of play on social media, Facebook in particular.



It has become the No. 1 virtual battleground where the parties, candidates and Joe and Jane Public wage a war to get their message out, attack opponents, sway public opinion and hopefully win votes.



On Facebook, the political meme has become the main tool this campaign.



Half the time, folks are posting memes that (insert asterisk here) extol the virtues and wise policy objectives of their favourite party.



The other half, it's memes that demonize the other guys, skewering party leaders (insert asterisk here) for their stances on issues, their platforms, past record -- and occasionally their hair.



People see these memes in their newsfeeds and if they agree with them, laugh at them or are even angered by them, often share to their timelines. Then so it goes, so-on and so-on, down the line.



And therein lies the rub.



Is the info in that meme true? Did you fact check it before taking it as the truth and passing it along?



Many memes contain outright falsehoods and lies, yet it becomes fact in the minds of many once they read it.



Facebook isn't alone, as Twitter can also be a bastion of misinformation during this campaign. Agree with something you see, true or not, retweet it. Then so it goes, again, down the line.



The sad part in all this is the Internet makes it easier than ever before in history to be informed during an election.



Parties list their platforms on their web-sites and it's easy to find additional reputable information on policy and candidates if you take the time to look.



All the information is there for you to make an informed decision based on what it is important to you.



However, at the end of the day, it's still your responsibility to weed out fact from fiction and do your due diligence to be educated on where to place your X on the ballot.



In this new age of social media, the age-old adage 'don't believe everything you read' rings more true now than ever.  

It's ironic you would post this considering you and Gay Boy Bob post so much misinformation.

 

[shin]

I think they noticed this tendency a while back. How does that saying go? "A lie told a thousand times becomes the truth."



Did you know there is such a thing as paid trolls?

[Anonymous]

I think they noticed this tendency a while back. How does that saying go? "A lie told a thousand times becomes the truth."



Did you know there is such a thing as paid trolls?

Nobody is paying the Iron Ch!nk shin. I post here out of the goodness of my fucking heart.

[the shark hunter]

... yes, people are exchanging a lot of stuff on social media.  but the origin of most of the misinformation is still the loyalist news media ...

[shin]

I think they noticed this tendency a while back. How does that saying go? "A lie told a thousand times becomes the truth."



Did you know there is such a thing as paid trolls?

Nobody is paying the Iron Ch!nk shin. I post here out of the goodness of my fucking heart.

Well, we all have to start somewhere, eh? I don't think you quite qualify as a troll on this board, though.



In order to troll effectively, one must go against the grain of the protagonist posters.



To burn fire, one must dance with the bitter frost of winter!



https://38.media.tumblr.com/6c28325c5d1c368aa13bd91df44f3c56/tumblr_mkia30eZL61ruu0syo1_500.gif">

[Aryan]

I think they noticed this tendency a while back. How does that saying go? "A lie told a thousand times becomes the truth."



Did you know there is such a thing as paid trolls?

JIDF



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Internet_Defense_Force">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_In ... ense_Force">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Internet_Defense_Force

[RW]

Are you serious?

[cc]

he is



and as obsessed about the fantasy of being destroyed by a handful of JooOOoos as islamics are

[RW]

I once had a dream that Andy Samberg destroyed me ... sexually.

[Anonymous]

I think they noticed this tendency a while back. How does that saying go? "A lie told a thousand times becomes the truth."



Did you know there is such a thing as paid trolls?

Nobody is paying the Iron Ch!nk shin. I post here out of the goodness of my fucking heart.

Well, we all have to start somewhere, eh? I don't think you quite qualify as a troll on this board, though.



In order to troll effectively, one must go against the grain of the protagonist posters.



To burn fire, one must dance with the bitter frost of winter!

I often swim against the tide. We do not speak with one voice ya know.



Hey this looks like an organization I can really support.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Internet_Defense_Force">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_In ... ense_Force">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Internet_Defense_Force



Thanks Scouse.