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Do you responsibly avoid sharing misinformation?

In this world of technology, information travels fast with just a click of a button. One thing I feel people are responsible for is to make sure the information they share is as accurate as possible. Everything from news about politicians and celebrities, to health fads and claims. Misinformation can be very damaging not only to reputation but especially someone’s health. Do you check the accuracy of things you share? Are you able to show or at least check reputable sources?

BohoHeathen 8 Apr 23
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19 comments

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0

I Snopes check almost everything, unless it is clearly a humorous piece, which I see someone addressed below.

I've all but given up Facebook, I only use it to follow a few friends and organizations I am a part of, I've turned off most of the newsfeeds, I'll go to several reliable sources outside of Facebook, which I have been able determine are reliable.

I'd prefer to give up Facebook altogether, but organizations I belong to no longer update their web sites, and have all been pushed toward Facebook.

At rhe National Associate of Broacasters conventions speakers told the conferees to give up the web and move to Facebook for the interaction. That's happening in many industries.

I gave up trying to refute claims made by one friend on Facebook. She claimed that Snopes is Biased and I shouldn't believe them. She's into everything from Anti-Vaccine, Big Pharma to GMO conspiracies. People are going to believe what they want.

@Humanity4all You can't argue with an anti-vaxer,

Big Pharma, well let's see, my $30.00 Lyrica prescription is $475.00 in the U.S. with a discount coupon, and if I were on the medical scheme here it would have cost $6.00 That's not hearsay, I picked up my Scrip this morning

GMO, I think the jury is still out on that one, and we will need at least a generation to be 100% sure. GMO's will likely not effect me, I'm too old.

0

I stopped posting memes when I realized a favored Trump quote showing what an ass he is could not be found. I don’t want to be part of the problem.

1

I've all but stopped pointing it out when other people do it -- no matter how gentle you try to be, today's climate of heightened antagonism makes people go from 0 to enraged in a heartbeat.

But on a personal level? That "grain of salt" I typically take with everything has turned into an entire shaker's worth, over the past couple years.

tmaaz Level 5 Apr 23, 2018
0

What about Satire?

3

Yes, and I also actively combat misinformation. It’s not a good way to make friends.

Hurray! There are not many of us lol.

Same here. And not just information that attacks my positions, but also that which supports my position. It's the truth I'm after.

@ellerdor I’m more bothered by misinformation supporting my view, because it lessens the integrity of what I believe.

Agree, I hold my side to a higher standard, and am discouraged when I'm attacked on social media for shooting down problematic statements. "With friends like you, who needs enemies". lol

3

I've worked in science and tech fields too long to not check validity. It only requires between 30 seconds and 5 minutes to do adequate research.

1

If I had a nickel for every hoax I've verified as false and corrected with a link to just Snopes, I'd have enough for a nice lobster dinner. People are gullible, but they do try to be helpful. Those are fertile conditions for the spread of misinformation.

0

I fact check things. And if a FB friend posts something that is totally off beat. I check it for them and then add the info to their post. I don't post anything from another source, not even the weather, which is always incorrect

1

I try to avoid sharing misinformation, and point it out when I see it, including a link to a reliable source. This is also the primary reason I dislike and automatically distrust memes of a more serious nature, or graphics of a twitter post when it's usually feasible to post a link to the twitter post which is viewable even if you're not a member (or really a graphic of any kind of social media post).

0

I always provide a source..

If you see me ever not providing one I am just baiting someone who isn't and I know is wrong lol 🙂

0

I try. I may have been guilty of being too quick to share some things, but I try to check myself.

0

I try not to compound the problem by sharing misinformation, but I suspect that I have been guilty at some point.
Furthermore - if the (mis)information being passed is of any importance or specifically a possible health concern - I would argue that the person receiving the (mis)information is on the line to take some responsibility and check the facts.
If someone says drinking a cup of bleach 3 times a day will help whiten your teeth, I would expect someone to (either know better or) follow up with research of their own before downing a cup of bleach - otherwise... Hello Darwin.
Admittedly, this is all part of being a critical thinker and some folks just aren't there - kids, specifically are at risk ... Tide Pods...

@BohoHeathen It's terrible to think that someone would offer advice without having the authority to give such advise, (although it happens often) and equally terrible to think of someone being is such a desperate way to jump at such advise without thinking it through.
I've seen the former happen (in real life) but fortunately the person receiving the advice was smart enough to check with a reliable source (doctor).

2

Whew! I always submit if i can't back it up. I saw a new statement last week. I made a claim to it. I was asked about it. I could not find my resource and had to retract my position. Its a thing i do. I ask my wife to do the same thing. I trust what she says is right. Then i find out that she heard or assumed. I have to go back and retract because of this...lol. i was a machinist. I always worked with prints of instructions. I could make an educated guess. I left that up to the engineering department. They have a title above mine. I learned that the hard way.

0

Always look for a counter argument or a Google result from a reliable or multiple sources, the problem I find (particularly with politics) is that people are willing to state opinions as facts because they've found an echo chamber in which to confirm their views.

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Not all of the time. I don't share much on social media, but I try to verify things before spreading them in that way, but sometimes in a conversation I will mention something I saw, but I will also usually say that I'm not sure if it's true or not.

Nyri Level 1 Apr 23, 2018
3

yes for sure and it is everywhere. I question everything.

0

It's tough. Facebook is a sewer full of crap. I'd bet at least 60% of things that pop up there are inaccurate,

0

There are very few that knowingly share misinformation and fewer that will admit to it. The ones that are sharing it on purpose do so at pace commensurate with their agenda which is usually startling. Not sharing it further is the equivalent of watching your house burn and not lighting the last room on fire too.

2

I don't see how sharing misinformation would damage someone's health. If you mean that by sharing some misinformation that is used by someone who damages their health as a result, ok. But the act of sharing information in and of itself does no real harm. It may make the sharer look like an idiot, but no one is being forced to do anything. Misinformation creates a great amount of "noise" that, for many, I think, distracts them from the important stuff. I don't share this type of stuff at all.

I think sharing bad health info can be a real negative as there is already so much bad info.

Just my opinion.. I found out a diagnosis at 40 that had more accurate info been shared about that generally, I may have found out a whole lot sooner! that is honestly my experience 🙂

@Jlangston70 even so, its still up to each individual to either choose to apply that information to their lives or not. I can tell you all day that if you eat exactly 16 oz of bacon, 3 rose petals, and an old shoe each day, you will live forever...I can't make you believe me, or actually eat those things, and if you get sick from eating an old shoe, that's on you. be that as it may though, I still don't care for people who don't check their facts. or at the very least, don't claim it as a fact if you're not sure. you can have an opinion, or theory, without claiming it is a fact.

@BohoHeathen No one should deliberately share misinformation. I would never do this. We know there are a lot of people with pretty weird notions of what's right. They may sincerely believe the crap they are shilling, but we individually own responsibility for ourselves.

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