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Fake News now large part of mainstream media?

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  • 09-11-2020 2:11pm
    #1
    RandomViewer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,191 ✭✭✭


    Over the last few months we've seen all sorts of stories being passed off as news,
    Has Fake News reached a level where we cannot distinguish what is true or not?


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    #2
    ancapailldorcha
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,917 CMod ✭✭✭✭ancapailldorcha


    RandomViewer wrote: »
    Over the last few months we've seen all sorts of stories being passed off as news,
    Has Fake News reached a level where we cannot distinguish what is true or not?

    Only by cranks. Be sceptical and don't spread nonsense from grifters on the internet and you'll be fine.

    Deepfakes is about to really take off so scepticism is only going to become more important. Nina Schick is an expert and has a new book on the subject if anyone's interested.

    The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

    Leviticus 19:34



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    #3
    Hangdogroad
    Registered Users Posts: 5,146 ✭✭✭Hangdogroad


    RandomViewer wrote: »
    Over the last few months we've seen all sorts of stories being passed off as news,
    Has Fake News reached a level where we cannot distinguish what is true or not?

    Could you give us some examples?


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    #4
    RandomViewer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,191 ✭✭✭RandomViewer


    Hangdogroad wrote: »
    Could you give us some examples?

    Coveney being Goodmans nephew
    RTE claiming guy trained for dogsled comp with 80 year old tractor and show 1960s MF
    Any report by George Lee


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    #5
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 15,123 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    RandomViewer wrote: »
    Coveney being Goodmans nephew
    RTE claiming guy trained for dogsled comp with 80 year old tractor and show 1960s MF
    Any report by George Lee

    You might consider some links just to help the conversation along.


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    #6
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    RTE's "Truth Matters" campaign claim "nine out of ten people in Ireland say RTÉ has been their main media source for accessing information on Covid-19"
    but we don't get a source for that... Should we just trust them on their word?


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    #7
    RandomViewer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,191 ✭✭✭RandomViewer


    biko wrote: »
    RTE's "Truth Matters" campaign claim "nine out of ten people in Ireland say RTÉ has been their main media source for accessing information on Covid-19"
    but we don't get a source for that... Should we just trust them on their word?

    Haven't been in Dublin since 2019 but there used to be a big sign saying Fake News HQ outside RTE


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    #8
    Chris_Heilong
    Registered Users Posts: 4,974 ✭✭✭Chris_Heilong


    RandomViewer wrote: »
    Over the last few months we've seen all sorts of stories being passed off as news,
    Has Fake News reached a level where we cannot distinguish what is true or not?

    How and who do you define as fake news?
    Opinionated news is a big problem where they will show a clip and instead of sticking to the facts they will tell you what they think happened in their opinion, Another issue I have seen is creating narratives by editing out the start of sentences or only showing the parts of a speech interview that paints that person in a bad light as that is what viewers respond to.


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    #9
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    A funny example of fake news but it can simply boil down to reporters exaggerating to make it more dramatic.
    Note at 44 secs in how other people are not affected by high winds.

    The takeaway is that the media will do anything for those sweet views..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLJlJIQo15Y


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    #10
    ToxicPaddy
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,763 Mod ✭✭✭✭ToxicPaddy


    The whole "Fake News" thing has really gotten out of hand and its a terrible description tbh.

    Misinformation would be a much better term for it.

    But as one of the posters said, how do you determine what is real news and what is fake news?

    Anyone can claim something is fake news if they don't agree with it, believe it or try to discredit it. But is it really fake?

    I know of one person in particular who will pretty much claim everything they don't agree with is fake news no matter what evidence you present them with and what facts you show, they don't believe it therefore its fake, end of story :rolleyes:

    That's one thing that Trump has a lot to answer for, attempting to discredit some very good institutions which have done some amazing investigative journalism in the past, all because they called him out on some of his blatant lies. As a result they have lost the trust of a lot of people.

    Yes I know there is rarely a purely bipartisan/neutral news agency out there but there are definitely some very good ones who do very good work and write some excellent news pieces.


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    #11
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 15,123 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    RandomViewer wrote: »
    Coveney being Goodmans nephew
    RTE claiming guy trained for dogsled comp with 80 year old tractor and show 1960s MF
    Any report by George Lee
    RandomViewer wrote: »
    Haven't been in Dublin since 2019 but there used to be a big sign saying Fake News HQ outside RTE

    No links, no explanations, not going well.


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    #12
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    There are none so blinkered as those who think they can see it all. Convince people that you're telling it like it is and all others are lying to them so they'll open up and swallow any old muck you throw at them, all while they smugly look at the others around them who aren't 'in the know' like they are. Everyone likes to feel special and to be included. If you can convince these muppets that they, and only they, are privy to the secret goings-on, they'll literally die for you. Literally.

    It's part and parcel of the Trump playbook, who picked it up from the Russkies. If you denounce the media as being fake at every turn, then, when they start calling you out for the crap you're pulling, you can turn around and use that as 'proof' they're fake and are only lambasting you because you're onto them. Couple that with the gullible muppets from my first paragraph and you get Brexit, Trump, Gemma O'Doherty and their ilk.

    I mean, people citing The Guardian or the NYTimes as fake news while lionising Breitbart and Fox and CNN are simply idiots, there's no two bones about it. Every media outlet has an agenda, but claiming yours tells it like it is and the others are all phony takes a special kind of dope to swallow it all up.


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    #13
    RandomViewer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,191 ✭✭✭RandomViewer


    elperello wrote: »
    No links, no explanations, not going well.

    Low attention span that's why I rarely start threads, I know stuff happened but wasn't reported so know there's dodgy journalism


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    #14
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 15,123 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    RandomViewer wrote: »
    Low attention span that's why I rarely start threads, I know stuff happened but wasn't reported so know there's dodgy journalism

    OK, thanks for your frankness.


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    #15
    Mr Meanor
    Registered Users Posts: 197 ✭✭Mr Meanor


    Deleted User wrote: »
    There are none so blinkered as those who think they can see it all. Convince people that you're telling it like it is and all others are lying to them so they'll open up and swallow any old muck you throw at them, all while they smugly look at the others around them who aren't 'in the know' like they are. Everyone likes to feel special and to be included. If you can convince these muppets that they, and only they, are privy to the secret goings-on, they'll literally die for you. Literally.

    It's part and parcel of the Trump playbook, who picked it up from the Russkies. If you denounce the media as being fake at every turn, then, when they start calling you out for the crap you're pulling, you can turn around and use that as 'proof' they're fake and are only lambasting you because you're onto them. Couple that with the gullible muppets from my first paragraph and you get Brexit, Trump, Gemma O'Doherty and their ilk.

    I mean, people citing The Guardian or the NYTimes as fake news while lionising Breitbart and Fox and CNN are simply idiots, there's no two bones about it. Every media outlet has an agenda, but claiming yours tells it like it is and the others are all phony takes a special kind of dope to swallow it all up.

    The Guardian = Dead man walking
    NY Times = Marxist Central
    Breitbart, Fox News, CNN = Onion News Network


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    #16
    Harry Palmr
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40,061 ✭✭✭✭Harry Palmr


    Fake contention thread


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    #17
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    RandomViewer wrote: »
    Low attention span that's why I rarely start threads, I know stuff happened but wasn't reported so know there's dodgy journalism

    How do you know stuff happened if it wasn't reported on?
    What stuff are we talking about, here, not looking for specifics, just general terms describing these spurious (read: bullsh1t) claims?


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    #18
    mloc123
    Registered Users Posts: 9,454 ✭✭✭mloc123


    Fergal Bowers retweeted a video of mount Everest with no snow on it about a month ago.... A line of people, queued to get to the top.


    It was Snowden in Wales.

    Funny, considering RTE are always pushing that they are verified news source etc...


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    #19
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 15,123 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    mloc123 wrote: »
    Fergal Bowers retweeted a video of mount Everest with no snow on it about a month ago.... A line of people, queued to get to the top.


    It was Snowden in Wales.

    Funny, considering RTE are always pushing that they are verified news source etc...

    Do you have a link to that?


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