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Category: Pseudo News

“Deluge” of information makes it difficult for social media users to recognize true and false statements

“Deluge” of information makes it difficult for social media users to recognize true and false statements

Mark Zuckerberg argues that more information reaching more people enhances democracy. But, as the adage goes, quantity does not equal quality. Source: Facebook Built Its Vision of Democracy on Bad Math | WIRED The linked article says social media users are under a deluge of information overload – there is now so much information in our news feeds – much of it fake or false – that we are unable to distinguish between the real and the false. This concept…

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Fake-news writer dies in Arizona

Fake-news writer dies in Arizona

Still unsure if this is a real news story or a fake news story. Paul Horner, one of the most famous fake news writers, who made his living writing fake news, is said to have died – in Arizona! I’ve posted a couple items about Paul Horner on this blog in the past. Source: Paul Horner, infamous fake-news writer and hoaxster, dies in Phoenix

Disaster Propaganda Part 2: Is there anything it can’t do?

Disaster Propaganda Part 2: Is there anything it can’t do?

This is not the Part 2 I was planning to post. Guess there will be Part 3! Earthquakes! A 7.1 or 7.2 magnitude earthquake occurred near Mexico City. Mexico is the 7th most seismically active country due to the intersection of 3 tectonic plates. An 8.1 magnitude earthquake took place near there in 1985, causing massive destruction to Mexico City. Large magnitude quakes are very common in Mexico (click for list) Big quakes in Mexico are not unusual and they…

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Exaggerated headline: Cellphone bomb found hidden in passenger luggage

Exaggerated headline: Cellphone bomb found hidden in passenger luggage

An IndiGo flight from Mangalore to Dubai was delayed on Tuesday following a major security scare when a suspicious “clay-like” item was detected by airport scanners Source: Cellphone bomb found hidden in passenger luggage by X-ray machine at Mangalore Airport in India – Mirror Online Read the story – they did not find a bomb. They found a crude, home made battery for a cell phone where the battery was held in place with some clay. This might actually be…

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No they didn’t: “2 Florida students find 6 NASA space suits worth up to $20,000”

No they didn’t: “2 Florida students find 6 NASA space suits worth up to $20,000”

Headline says “space suits“. Lead photo shows astronauts in space suits. But they actually found blue coveralls worn by some Shuttle astronauts, not “space suits”. The headline is fiction. Source: NEW: 2 Florida students find 6 NASA space suits worth up to $20,000 Clicks always outrank accuracy. Journalism has becoming a whopping joke of bull shit.

Eating too much protein will kill you? No, but it grabs the emotions and gets shared on #socialmedia!

Eating too much protein will kill you? No, but it grabs the emotions and gets shared on #socialmedia!

Eating too much protein will kill you? That’s the message left by hundreds of headlines and news stories earlier this week. But the statement was misleading at best and untrue in regards to the individual who died. Yet most stories ran with quotes like this: Meegan Hefford, a mother of two and bodybuilder, died after an overconsumption of protein shakes, supplements and protein-rich foods. Source: Bodybuilder mom dies from too much protein before competition | New York Post or “That…

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Photo said to be from August 12 – Charlottesville, VA, circulating on social media is not from August 12

Photo said to be from August 12 – Charlottesville, VA, circulating on social media is not from August 12

The following photo is now circulating widely on social media as shown in this screen capture from Twitter:  The image used here appears, currently, in Google Image search results spanning an astounding 15 pages. The above tweet has alone been shared 227,000 times on social media. This is not the only social media copy, either. It is likely this has now been shared tens of millions of times on social media. The photo, while from Charlottesville, is of a different…

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Nonsense: “the supervolcano is ready to blow and WIPE OUT life on Earth”

Nonsense: “the supervolcano is ready to blow and WIPE OUT life on Earth”

Really? YELLOWSTONE volcano has been struck by 1,400 earthquakes in recent weeks, leading to fears that the supervolcano is ready to blow and WIPE OUT life on Earth. Source: Fears that deadly Yellowstone supervolcano about to BLOW after 1400 earthquakes hit | Science | News | Express.co.uk Click the link and play the video with am ominous and scary musical sound track to really drive home the point – IT’S GOING TO BLOW AND KILL US ALL! This story does…

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News media creates entirely fictional cause for couple’s suicide deaths

News media creates entirely fictional cause for couple’s suicide deaths

Here is how the story appeared: A New York couple upset over their rising health care costs jumped to their deaths this week, leaving a note that they could no longer pay to treat their medical issues.   The suicide took place in New York City’s Murray Hill neighborhood early on Friday, the New York Post reported. The couple was both in their 50s, the report noted, and they were found dead after having jumped from a building between Park…

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Social media fake propaganda poster

Social media fake propaganda poster

This is a photograph of an animal crossing bridge in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. This bridge has nothing to do with the Netherlands. The photo was stolen from Joel Sartore, a professional photographer for the National Geographic Society, Geo, Smithsonian and others, and the photo is featured on his own page: https://www.joelsartore.com/keyword/greatest-hit/page/3/ Why do people create these garbage posters? And why do people share them? Why do people then add supportive comments to these posts? And why are people…

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