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Information overload helps fake news spread

scientificamerican.com

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Re: Information overload helps fake news spread

#31

Post by onecommentman »

timr wrote: post #12
goalieca wrote: post #3

I’ve always found the news from my trusted sources to be reasonable and accurate until it covers something I know about. Then it seems like a complete mess. Humans tend to trust the first thing they hear and we tend to be less skeptical about news media especially if they seem very confident or persuasive.

"I’ve always found the news from my trusted sources to be reasonable and accurate until it covers something I know about. Then it seems like a complete mess." Same. This year, with the coverage of Covid (an area where I have a certain level of expertise), I've been bombarded with the extremely low quality level of essentially all of the major news providers. They are more than willing to amplify the most speculative…

There comes the time in the life of every professional where he is called upon to be interviewed or provide input to the press.

And when they read the article or see the video that is produced, that is the day they lose faith in the press. True 50 years ago, true today.

This is true even if both sides in good faith are doing the best job they can. The media always has its own agenda, which is never identical to the goals of the profession.

Ten times worse if advocacy is involved.

Re: Information overload helps fake news spread

#32

Post by nillium »

Shameless plug, but this is something we are working on right now.

Social media is a terrible medium for news. Aside from the ability for anyone to post anything, which can easily lead to misinformation, it also sets up the absolute worst incentives. If news organizations are expected to share their reporting for free, and only be able to monetize when someone clicks through to their page -- you end up with clickbait.

It also means that virtually all local news is silenced. Almost by definition, local news appeals to a narrow audience, which doesn't lead to the scale social algorithms favor.

We're trying to take the convenience and brevity of social news updates, but use them to build a new platform that helps reporters and surface trustworthy, local news. We make tools for newsrooms that then syndicates out to the consumer platform, before an article or video is ever even made. (We are to news what OpenTable is to restaurants.) And through rev-shares, our partners succeed when we do.

https://www.forthapp.com is our consumer side, https://www.nillium.com/newsrooms for the newsroom SaaS.

Re: Information overload helps fake news spread

#33

Post by triceratops »

partiallypro wrote: post #11
goalieca wrote: post #3

I’ve always found the news from my trusted sources to be reasonable and accurate until it covers something I know about. Then it seems like a complete mess. Humans tend to trust the first thing they hear and we tend to be less skeptical about news media especially if they seem very confident or persuasive.

I've always felt that instead of J School, journalists should have majors in topics they are covering and a minor in journalism. When I was in college and worked for the school newspaper I tried hammering this to people, but all the journalism/media professors felt it was a bad idea, probably because it is such a threat to their profession.

> but all the journalism/media professors felt it was a bad idea, probably because it is such a threat to their profession.

Why is it a threat to their profession? We'll still need journalists. and they'll still need training. This seems more like a hiring/staffing problem. Media outlets should start hiring more grads with double majors or non-journalism majors who can write.

Re: Information overload helps fake news spread

#34

Post by SkyMarshal »

partiallypro wrote: post #11
goalieca wrote: post #3

I’ve always found the news from my trusted sources to be reasonable and accurate until it covers something I know about. Then it seems like a complete mess. Humans tend to trust the first thing they hear and we tend to be less skeptical about news media especially if they seem very confident or persuasive.

I've always felt that instead of J School, journalists should have majors in topics they are covering and a minor in journalism. When I was in college and worked for the school newspaper I tried hammering this to people, but all the journalism/media professors felt it was a bad idea, probably because it is such a threat to their profession.

That would be ideal, but many people who major in those topics would likely go into careers doing those things, rather than journalism.

However, journalism might make an excellent choice for when they retire but still want something socially impactful to do that leverages their long experience.

Re: Information overload helps fake news spread

#35

Post by triceratops »

ssambros wrote: post #24
yokaze wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, you are rejecting the premise that a lot of misinformation is spread and it has much wider reach than in the past? I would say it has, and I consider only reasonable that there is a desire to understand the mechanisms behind it. I would consider the effects net negative. No need to a concerted effort.

> So, you are rejecting the premise that a lot of misinformation is spread and it has much wider reach than in the past? No, but how do we jump to conclusion that government, government-controlled or government-aligned entity should be allowed to control the information we receive?

Who jumped to that conclusion?

Re: Information overload helps fake news spread

#38

Post by beefield »

goalieca wrote: post #3

I’ve always found the news from my trusted sources to be reasonable and accurate until it covers something I know about. Then it seems like a complete mess. Humans tend to trust the first thing they hear and we tend to be less skeptical about news media especially if they seem very confident or persuasive.

Generally, I have tip my hat to The Economist Here. Even on the things I think I know something about, they seem to get their facts straight.

Re: Information overload helps fake news spread

#39

Post by nprz »

yokaze wrote: post #17
nprz wrote: post #5

This constant pushing of stories about Fake News and Misinformation makes it really feel like there's a concerted effort to alter public opinion on censorship and free speech.

So, you are rejecting the premise that a lot of misinformation is spread and it has much wider reach than in the past? I would say it has, and I consider only reasonable that there is a desire to understand the mechanisms behind it. I would consider the effects net negative. No need to a concerted effort.

I am rejecting that premise, yes. If you expect major news outlets to accurately report the truth, and believe we should only rely on their interpretation of reality, you are misled.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8mP2jN6bJI

Re: Information overload helps fake news spread

#40

Post by m-ee »

beefield wrote: post #38
goalieca wrote: post #3

I’ve always found the news from my trusted sources to be reasonable and accurate until it covers something I know about. Then it seems like a complete mess. Humans tend to trust the first thing they hear and we tend to be less skeptical about news media especially if they seem very confident or persuasive.

Generally, I have tip my hat to The Economist Here. Even on the things I think I know something about, they seem to get their facts straight.

That’s funny because the first time I saw someone make the OPs comment it was in reference to the Economist. I want to say there was even a catchy term for it but I’m struggling to find it

Edit- It was Gell Mann amnesia as described in a comment further down

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