Far-right misinformation gets by far the most engagement on Facebook, study says • Hacker News Board

Re: Far-right misinformation gets by far the most engagement on Facebook, study says

#11

Post by clairity » Wed, Mar 03, 2021, 11:22 PM UTC

smt88 wrote: post #2

My theory about this: Everyone seeks information that validates them and supports the things they already want to believe. People with mostly mainstream views can get that validation anywhere: academic studies, cable news, newspapers, friends, coworkers, etc. For example, I know that climate change is happening and can easily consume info that fits my reality. For the far-right, social media is the only place to find…

this is really misunderstanding the dynamics of belief. from climate change to covid lockdowns to election results, what's going on are quintessentially political acts: trying to coerce the world into being the way you (i, we) want it to be by spouting what you (i, we) want to be true, not necessarily what you (i, we) actually believe to be true (which you may not even be cognizant of because you haven't self-examined enough on the topic).

supposing validation--or even worse, idiocy, ignorance, or idolotry--as motivation for rhetoric/belief, is really just adding fog to the theater, not clarity. you won't understand the world better through such beliefs.

Re: Far-right misinformation gets by far the most engagement on Facebook, study says

#12

Post by jariel » Wed, Mar 03, 2021, 11:46 PM UTC

Barrin92 wrote: post #5

smt88 wrote: post #2

My theory about this: Everyone seeks information that validates them and supports the things they already want to believe. People with mostly mainstream views can get that validation anywhere: academic studies, cable news, newspapers, friends, coworkers, etc. For example, I know that climate change is happening and can easily consume info that fits my reality. For the far-right, social media is the only place to find…

>because major institutions mostly refuse to say it out loud because most of the actual content of far-right echo chambers is insane. Let's be real for a second the reason why this happens: > [...]"Every other type of news outlet suffers a "misinformation penalty" if they share false information. The analysis found that in the far left, slightly left, and center categories, credible stories saw between two and five t…

Funny because I think that firing person for saying a bad word, especially when talking about the nature of the word and not using it in a negative context, is an excessively and obviously bad practice of the 'Far Left' and that people who believe in this ideology are quite 'stupid'.

Banning Dr. Seuss books and trying to get publishers to stop publishing or carrying books by Children's authors like JK Rowling is equally bad, supported by 'stupid' people, who 'do not have the ability to critically process information'.

Much of this stupidity is authoritarian and unfortunately is backed by institutional forces.

I think the OP is essentially correct: the 'Far Right' (or the most stupid among them) are relegated to to Parler et. al. because the 'furthest right' of it is not acceptable in public commons.

Far Left ideology is actually supported by enough institutions, private and public, that however controversial their actions may be, it can exist in public discourse.

You can be a literal Communist today, in 2020 and possibly be ridiculed, but not banned.

Also: I suggest the timing of this may be a problem. Since the 2020 US Election, Trump has made the most serious lie of his career and repeated it often, which relates to his claims to have won the election. This is a Trumpian lie, of hyperbolic magnitude, and has millions of people caught up in it. If you read only Newsmax or occasionally Fox (remember that most people don't watch that much news) you might be inclined to believe this lie. In effect there is an incredible amount of buzz still lingering about the election lies, and this might distort the findings. I wonder what the results will be next year? I suggest probably similar, but not as drastic.

Re: Far-right misinformation gets by far the most engagement on Facebook, study says

#13

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Mar 03, 2021, 11:57 PM UTC

jariel wrote: post #12

Barrin92 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>because major institutions mostly refuse to say it out loud because most of the actual content of far-right echo chambers is insane. Let's be real for a second the reason why this happens: > [...]"Every other type of news outlet suffers a "misinformation penalty" if they share false information. The analysis found that in the far left, slightly left, and center categories, credible stories saw between two and five t…

Funny because I think that firing person for saying a bad word, especially when talking about the nature of the word and not using it in a negative context, is an excessively and obviously bad practice of the 'Far Left' and that people who believe in this ideology are quite 'stupid'. Banning Dr. Seuss books and trying to get publishers to stop publishing or carrying books by Children's authors like JK Rowling is equa…

[deleted]

Re: Far-right misinformation gets by far the most engagement on Facebook, study says

#14

Post by smt88 » Thu, Mar 04, 2021, 7:50 AM UTC

clairity wrote: post #11

smt88 wrote: post #2

My theory about this: Everyone seeks information that validates them and supports the things they already want to believe. People with mostly mainstream views can get that validation anywhere: academic studies, cable news, newspapers, friends, coworkers, etc. For example, I know that climate change is happening and can easily consume info that fits my reality. For the far-right, social media is the only place to find…

this is really misunderstanding the dynamics of belief. from climate change to covid lockdowns to election results, what's going on are quintessentially political acts: trying to coerce the world into being the way you (i, we) want it to be by spouting what you (i, we) want to be true, not necessarily what you (i, we) actually believe to be true (which you may not even be cognizant of because you haven't self-examine…

70% of Republicans believe the election was stolen. They can't all be cynical, bad actors.

Re: Far-right misinformation gets by far the most engagement on Facebook, study says

#15

Post by clairity » Thu, Mar 04, 2021, 4:40 PM UTC

smt88 wrote: post #14

clairity wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

this is really misunderstanding the dynamics of belief. from climate change to covid lockdowns to election results, what's going on are quintessentially political acts: trying to coerce the world into being the way you (i, we) want it to be by spouting what you (i, we) want to be true, not necessarily what you (i, we) actually believe to be true (which you may not even be cognizant of because you haven't self-examine…

70% of Republicans believe the election was stolen. They can't all be cynical, bad actors.

sure, some earnestly believe the election was stolen, but that's probably most realize that, regardless of belief, saying it was stolen (and reciting the popular but dubious evidence) is how to keep the issue at the fore. they do so because the result was painful and want others to share in and console (even remedy) these feelings of loss. this attention and response is worth the relative deception in their personal calculus.

we all exaggerate this way from time to time in our social interactions. a significant part of our brain is dedicated to detecting and countering (and creating) deception for a reason.

a similar phenomenon happens with pro-maskers, where the practical utility of masks is actually pretty limited in time and (social) space. most vocal advocates don't really care/know if they work (particularly when and where they work); what's desired is (public) compliance, to soothe fears and anxieties, hence relatively forceful affirmations of belief around them (this has a negative net effect, because it takes away critical mindshare from distancing, which is much more broadly useful and effective).