Who falls for fake news?

[Analogous]

Fake news, tall claims and snake oil peddling is an occupational hazard in this hobby.
We use science, rationalisation and self awareness to make up our minds and decisions often, but not all the time.
Beyond audio we exist in a world where we are bombarded with information both factual and fake and it’s getting harder to distinguish between them.

A global study of over 66,000 people reveals that susceptibility to misinformation varies across age, gender, education, and political ideology. Participants took a test to judge whether news headlines were real or fake, and those in Generation Z, women, conservatives, and less-educated individuals were more likely to believe misinformation.

“No matter who you are, no matter what you think you know, none of us is immune to misinformation,”

Who Falls for Fake News? Study Reveals Surprising Patterns - Neuroscience News

A global study of over 66,000 people reveals that susceptibility to misinformation varies across age, gender, education, and political ideology.

neurosciencenews.com

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

Scepticism is an often vilified virtue in most societies, perhaps increasingly so in recent years.

 

[Analogous]

Scepticism is an often vilified virtue in most societies, perhaps increasingly so in recent years.

But mindfulness is still considered a virtue
It’s a subtle shift from scepticism; one which gives us time to consider and react for better outcomes, for all?

 

[arunvenkats]

Following a simple rule: Quoting Carl Sagan -- "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"

 

[Kannan]

In the olden days fake news was akin to Gossip which was more for fun, curiosity, jealosy or simple vengeance. It happened everywhere homes, among neighbours, workplace etc....Today Gossip has take a more viral form as infomation fake, fabricated or the truth can be monetized big time. It has now become a global affair. We need to tread with caution and vett information before forwarding messages.

 

[arj]

Today due to Hyper personalisation people hear /see only the content they want to.
If you are right wing, you see only that news, if you are left wing you see only that news, if you are liberal you only see depressing news and if you are nothing you will bombarded with opinions from well meaning friends and relatives on any of their views

Net net everyone is unhappy

Ignorance is true bliss

 

[dvraghavan]

In the olden days fake news was akin to Gossip which was more for fun, curiosity, jealosy or simple vengeance. It happened everywhere homes, among neighbours, workplace etc....Today Gossip has take a more viral form as infomation fake, fabricated or the truth can be monetized big time. It has now become a global affair. We need to tread with caution and vett information before forwarding messages.

Yuval Noah Harari says the one thing differentiating humans from other animals is their ability to gossip - or more largely an ability to believe in unreal things. We believe in currency, flag, country, corporations, not to say of God, angels, etc. May be there is an evolutionary benefit to this ability to transact on imaginary (in the sense we can't really see them) things. Maybe people who hold common beliefs regard themselves as in group vs out group. For example, people who believe the King is a representative of God and willing to sacrifice fighting for him. This group will win wars and survive.

 

[Analogous]

In the olden days fake news was akin to Gossip which was more for fun, curiosity, jealosy or simple vengeance. It happened everywhere homes, among neighbours, workplace etc....Today Gossip has take a more viral form as infomation fake, fabricated or the truth can be monetized big time. It has now become a global affair. We need to tread with caution and vett information before forwarding messages.

In the olden days it was literally word of mouth, mouth to ear, very local, slow to spread. The source of news was newspapers and radio, and later TV
Now one can literally broadcast anything from pet videos to morphed pictures across the globe in seconds.
“Creating content” has become a lucrative industry powered by those with deep pockets. We know who has the deepest pockets.
Organised social media networks amplify targeted content on order.

A new book shows how political parties are using social media influencers to amplify their messages

An excerpt from ‘The Deception Industry: The Art, Craft and Science of Hacking the Electorate’, by Herjinder.

scroll.in

 

[Analogous]

The original article has a comment that is well worth considering seriously I feel.

After all as smart as we may think we are, we all act and behave based on what we believe…

“No matter who you are, no matter what you think you know, none of us is immune to misinformation,”

Following a simple rule: Quoting Carl Sagan -- "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"

Sounds good. But what does one do when the “strong evidence” is discredited through orchestrated vilification or labelled as a conspiracy just because it shows the powerful in a bad light?

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

But mindfulness is still considered a virtue
It’s a subtle shift from scepticism; one which gives us time to consider and react for better outcomes, for all?

We are discussing gullibility to fake news. Scepticism is a better weapon than mindfulness here. Agree that mindfulness has its own benefits though.

 

[arj]

Yuval Noah Harari says the one thing differentiating humans from other animals is their ability to gossip - or more largely an ability to believe in unreal things. We believe in currency, flag, country, corporations, not to say of God, angels, etc. May be there is an evolutionary benefit to this ability to transact on imaginary (in the sense we can't really see them) things. Maybe people who hold common beliefs regard themselves as in group vs out group. For example, people who believe the King is a representative of God and willing to sacrifice fighting for him. This group will win wars and survive.

I remember this from his book Sapiens. Humans have historically been great with Rumour mongering and have used it to great effect
The History we study itself is mis information by the victor or the scribe. eg British kids learn a very different version of their colonial past.

Today with social media we have a more faster and effective way to gossip, thats all.

In fact companies teach people to misrepresent as well eg the famous " Kya aapke toothpaste mein namak hai" or "Film stars soap" Or drinking a cola gives you wings/speed/strength/courage anything.

 

[Analogous]

The biggest challenge is within each of us.
We all make opinions, decisions and choices on what to believe, follow, what affirms our beliefs and prejudices.

AI and algorithms do more of this based on what we click on and search online.

We become what we consume and what is fed to us.

 

[arj]

Yes and if we take a sample of people we find widely divergent opinions on the same topic all based on beliefs/prejudices/experiences et al based on the same news garnished by different opinions and hence forming different flavours of the same truth !

 

[Analogous]

Yes and if we take a sample of people we find widely divergent opinions on the same topic all based on beliefs/prejudices/experiences et al based on the same news garnished by different opinions and hence forming different flavours of the same truth !

It would be good if we did find widely divergent opinions. But that has not been the case unfortunately. Polarisation and “if you are not with us, you are against us “ is the reality.

The last decade has shown it’s possible, in partnership with big money and organisation to weaponise social media channels to push divisive rhetoric and misinformation…. Not for “widely divergent opinions” but to polarise populations, promote myths that the majority are victims, to win elections. D. Trump’s campaign success in partnership with the world’s richest bigot and owner of X is a recent example.

Sadly possession of high educational qualifications, wealth, and deep knowledge of one’s faith has not enabled many to withstand the relentless onslaught of such propaganda. Many are good people oblivious to the hypocrisy of their stances.

The messages are designed to evoke immediate emotional responses such as anger, fear and aggression from our (animal/ reptilian ?) mid brain before the reasoned thinking (scepticism, mindful, fact checking, logical) in the cortex (forebrain) can happen. This is how the brain in humans has evolved for such signals to pass through the midbrain first then on to the cerebral cortex. Social media given it’s characteristics is the perfect medium for this, as compared to radio, TV, Newspapers (one way communication channels)

In evolutionary terms the midbrain processes helped survival - immediate fight, flight responses, with no time to think.
This is (should not be) not necessary in modern human social situations where the state is expected to protect and serve all people living there.
But sociopathic individuals aspiring power have come together and realised how easy it is to use misinformation, create chaos, and rule.

This kind of thought and emotional manipulation bypasses the logical thinking process that evaluates the message using our morality, ethics and enables many to join mobs committing atrocities (safely insulated and protected from punishment), while others forwards the messages, and practice whataboutery.

Propagandists don’t want a thinking and reasoning audience. Evoking immediate emotional reactions is key for them, repeatedly.it has to be creating or promoting one sensational “news” after another giving no time or opportunity for anyone to call out the lies, falsehood and distortion of facts. Joseph Goebbels said “ Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”

Controlling the channels of communication, suppression of divergent opinions, creating an atmosphere of fear and drowning out any voice of dissent is the not so secret strategy being used successfully. With near total control it’s possible to posture as a humanitarian who respects universal human rights while practising or supporting bigotry.

 

[Analogous]

Worth a listen

https://soundcloud.com/openmind-29100055%2Fexpertise

 

[availlyrics]

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"

 

[Analogous]

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"

@arunvenkats quoted this earlier (above) . Ironically perfect as it was in the context of scepticism and mindfulness.
Which extraordinary claim are you referring to ?

 

[dandysandy]

There's a movie called The Great Hack, here's the Trailer.

It gives us insights on how news, info and various feeds are tailored to each person which can also be used as targets to deliver a certain outcome.
You may think it's targeted ads, but it goes deeper than that.

 

[Analogous]

There's a movie called The Great Hack, here's the Trailer.

It gives us insights on how news, info and various feeds are tailored to each person which can also be used as targets to deliver a certain outcome.
You may think it's targeted ads, but it goes deeper than that.

Seen it. Excellent investigation into the Cambridge Analytica election-voter manipulation saga.
Worth a watch for anyone using social media
It was streaming on Netflix

 

[availlyrics]

@arunvenkats quoted this earlier (above) . Ironically perfect as it was in the context of scepticism and mindfulness.
Which extraordinary claim are you referring to ?

Just to name a few, claims like nano gps chip in Rs 2000 note , non-biological origins , vorrookvadi ....

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me thrice, shame on both of us"