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Category: Assertion

Pilots silently demonstrate against "chemtrails" – HOAX

Pilots silently demonstrate against "chemtrails" – HOAX

TL;DR Summary Shared into my FB stream today, purportedly showing that pilots are well aware of the dangers of alleged “chemtrails” but are not permitted to speak out, so they march silently in protest. TOTAL HOAX Photo was doctored from a photo of striking pilots carrying strike posters. You can see the original photo for yourself. STOP! Stop sharing sharing stuff like this that makes the sharer look like a gullible fool.

The most spectacular example of social media propaganda – so far!

The most spectacular example of social media propaganda – so far!

TL; DR Summary This poster is elegant in its design, use of “anchoring” and logical fallacy – but the poster is a work of fiction and an outright lie.  Yet it successfully engaged System 1’s quick and intuitive thinking to lead viewers into a false conclusion, and whose viewers then quickly shared it with their friends, encouraging their friends to reach the same false conclusion. Read through to learn how false this poster is – yet why it worked as…

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Re-using historical photos to assert a false conclusion

Re-using historical photos to assert a false conclusion

TL;DR Summary Making the rounds on FB, this poster supposedly shows Europeans fleeing to North Africa to escape WW II. In reality, the photo is of Europeans (from Albania) seeking refuge elsewhere in Europe in 1991. A simple Google search confirms the story. Re-using historical photos and asserting the photo shows something other than what the photo actually shows is extremely common on social media. This propaganda method works because most people have no familiarity with the photos being used…

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Oregon is not giving free college tuition to everyone

Oregon is not giving free college tuition to everyone

TL;DR Summary This poster was widely distributed on social media propaganda web sites, often in conjunction with Bernie Sanders statement that he would like 4 years of college to be free for everyone. All other states should follow Oregon’s lead, they said. Based on the comments to this poster, as it circulated, most everyone who saw this believed it applied to everyone in Oregon, at any college. Alas, the poster asserts something that is not true.

False Quotes That Spread Like Wildfire on Social Media #Socialmedia #Propaganda

False Quotes That Spread Like Wildfire on Social Media #Socialmedia #Propaganda

TL;DR Summary False quote posters, like this one, appear every day on social media, for and against numerous topics and politicians. Snopes says the quote is completely false. FactCheck.org says the quote is false. These posters work because they convey what the poster wants to believe-if you believe it to be true, than it must be true! (Indeed! I linked to Snopes in a reply to the person who posted this and he replied that he would leave it up…

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False Quotes That Spread Like Wildfire on Social Media

False Quotes That Spread Like Wildfire on Social Media

TL;DR Summary False quote posters, like this one, appear every day on social media, for and against numerous topics and politicians. Snopes says the quote is completely false. FactCheck.org says the quote is false. These posters work because they convey what the poster wants to believe-if you believe it to be true, than it must be true! (Indeed! I linked to Snopes in a reply to the person who posted this and he replied that he would leave it up…

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Appeal to authority, assertion of false quote: Alan Greenspan did not say this

Appeal to authority, assertion of false quote: Alan Greenspan did not say this

TL;DR Summary: Greenspan never said this. Prof. Noam Chomsky said this quote to illustrate what he thought of Greenspan. HOW IT WORKS – This is a fake “Appeal to Authority” using one’s thoughts on Greenspan as leverage. The poster asserts that Greenspan said this and readers want to believe it is true, therefore, it must be true! Methods: Appeal to authority, Assertion (of false quote), transference Goal: To associate or “transfer” dislike of bankers to Republicans. Scorecard: Successful as propaganda….

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