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The media's lab leak fiasco

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Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#41

Post by ratsmack »

andybak wrote: post #6
deadalus wrote: post #5

Reminder that Facebook and Twitter banned users for talking about the lab-leak theory. Youtube accounts also got demontized/banned.

I'm generally in favour of the actions taken against misinformation but this situation surprises me. Lab leak always seemed plausible and non-crazy even if you think the odds are against it. I don't envy the task of making a call on any of this stuff.

>I'm generally in favour of the actions taken against misinformation...

Who would be the one to determine what is misinformation and what is not?

Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#42

Post by whydoineedthis »

partiallypro wrote: post #4

To me what gives me credence to the "lab leak theory" more than anything, was China's behavior during and initially after the outbreak. Where they thwarted any investigations from WHO or anyone else and arrested journalists even attempting to cover it. Now we have additional information of lab workers being sick back in November...I genuinely wonder why people immediately jumped in to defend China's actions through t…

I'm just going to say it - no one in their right mind would want Donald Trump leading a military war against our strongest frenemy in the world.

You don't have to hate Trump to admit that he lacks complex strategy and communication skills, as well as a very week, if not incompetent, cabinet.

Politically speaking, being in a "justified war" would have done nothing but hurt the democrats chances. It's hard to unseat a president at 4 years already, but with an ongoing war it's even harder.

Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#43

Post by 908B64B197 »

partiallypro wrote: post #4

To me what gives me credence to the "lab leak theory" more than anything, was China's behavior during and initially after the outbreak. Where they thwarted any investigations from WHO or anyone else and arrested journalists even attempting to cover it. Now we have additional information of lab workers being sick back in November...I genuinely wonder why people immediately jumped in to defend China's actions through t…

Interesting how media coverage completely changed. Under the previous administration it was considered racist to even mention the theory and it's proponents were considered racists or conspiracy theorists.

Why such a sudden change? China certainly didn't change its position on the issue...

Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#44

Post by thundergolfer »

deadalus wrote: post #5

Reminder that Facebook and Twitter banned users for talking about the lab-leak theory. Youtube accounts also got demontized/banned.

Have you got a link to examples? I’m wondering if they weren’t also saying that China deliberately leaked the virus.

Saying “it is possible but very unlikely that the virus leaked from a Wuhan lab” is talking about the lab-leak theory. Saying “the virus was cooked up and leaked from a Wuhan lab to hurt Trump’s re-election chances” is also talking about the lab-leak theory.

Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#45

Post by dylan604 »

dbt00 wrote: post #11
partiallypro wrote: post #4

To me what gives me credence to the "lab leak theory" more than anything, was China's behavior during and initially after the outbreak. Where they thwarted any investigations from WHO or anyone else and arrested journalists even attempting to cover it. Now we have additional information of lab workers being sick back in November...I genuinely wonder why people immediately jumped in to defend China's actions through t…

The problem with this thinking is assuming the government of China actually knows the truth and is acting to protect itself from a dangerous reveal. They might not have known then (or now!) and are simply acting based on some probability it could be true, default secrecy, and organizational fear.

Isn't this basically the default behavior of China and/or other communist/dictator countries? I just rewatched HBO's Chernobyl, and that was the underlying premise about how badly the gov't wanted the thing to be played down until it was just too much to hide. The superiority of those in charge cannot be brought into disrepute in any way. Same thing with COVID-19. I just think that Bejing has a tighter grip on things than Moscow did at the time. Not that I'm equating global nuclear disaster and a viral pandemic on the same level.

Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#46

Post by cratermoon »

Leary wrote: post #14

The US has intelligence that three Wuhan virologists were hospitalized. China says nobody was sick. It's quite simple, the US should release the names of those who were sick.

They never will, because there is no such intelligence, it was reported as a statement from an unnamed intelligence official. It's garbage.

Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#47

Post by narrator »

Spooky23 wrote: post #17
partiallypro wrote: post #4

To me what gives me credence to the "lab leak theory" more than anything, was China's behavior during and initially after the outbreak. Where they thwarted any investigations from WHO or anyone else and arrested journalists even attempting to cover it. Now we have additional information of lab workers being sick back in November...I genuinely wonder why people immediately jumped in to defend China's actions through t…

I think given the demagogue POTUS and the mob of crazy followers, it was in the public interest to avoid agitating the mob. Even Facebook had the sense to realize that. As it stands, asian people are getting targeted for attacks in the street by deranged individuals.

That's why I'm always careful to say CCP instead of China or Chinese when referring to who the bad guy is in all of this. People should take care never to confuse the Chinese ethnicity with the corrupt CCP government.

Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#48

Post by xhkkffbf »

andybak wrote: post #6
deadalus wrote: post #5

Reminder that Facebook and Twitter banned users for talking about the lab-leak theory. Youtube accounts also got demontized/banned.

I'm generally in favour of the actions taken against misinformation but this situation surprises me. Lab leak always seemed plausible and non-crazy even if you think the odds are against it. I don't envy the task of making a call on any of this stuff.

This is a good example of why I don't say things like I'm "generally in favour of actions taking against misinformation."

We shouldn't take any action, at least at a governmental level. And certainly not on the level of a big corporation like Facebook.

It's very embarrassing that Facebook and YouTube banned this.

Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#49

Post by imwillofficial »

Spooky23 wrote: post #17
partiallypro wrote: post #4

To me what gives me credence to the "lab leak theory" more than anything, was China's behavior during and initially after the outbreak. Where they thwarted any investigations from WHO or anyone else and arrested journalists even attempting to cover it. Now we have additional information of lab workers being sick back in November...I genuinely wonder why people immediately jumped in to defend China's actions through t…

I think given the demagogue POTUS and the mob of crazy followers, it was in the public interest to avoid agitating the mob. Even Facebook had the sense to realize that. As it stands, asian people are getting targeted for attacks in the street by deranged individuals.

Yes yes, the ole “We lie to you about important aspects of a global pandemic for your own good”

Nice

Re: The media's lab leak fiasco

#50

Post by renewiltord »

The 'media' has a bias towards team-alignment. This makes sense. The Washington Post is more like Arsenal Fan TV than it is like The Lancet. You don't go there for truth. You go there to either yell at your team or support your team, but ultimately you go there to be with your team.

This isn't because they're dumb or anything. It's just a natural result of what we, as consumers, want.

It happened with masks, it happened with this nonsense, it will happen again.

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