Posted on 06/20/2021 9:07:36 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
As Americans seek to be accurately informed, how does one protect themselves from believing and spreading false information? And how can one consistently spot the truth amidst an abundance of error?
With citizens struggling to find trusted media sources, the need for truth has never been greater. A recent Gallup Poll showed that only 9% of Americans trust the media “a great deal,” while 60% “have little to no trust” in the media to report in an unbiased manner.
As our team of researchers at iVoterGuide provide analysis for thousands of candidates in thousands of races across the country, this is something we think about all the time. I wanted to share five practical tools our team uses to spot fake “facts.” These tips can be used when evaluating the flood of information and misinformation flowing into your life every day:
Recognize the difference between original sources vs. news or commentary. News reports, “fact checks,” editorials, and statements made by an individual are interpretations of an original source. For example, a certain law may be described as either “suppressing voting rights” or “protecting against voter fraud”. How are the words influencing your perspective?
Check original sources, if possible. These are sources referenced by the news article, commentary, or individual. In the example above, reading the original source (the law itself) will tell you what the law actually accomplishes. If you can’t conveniently get the original, just remember you are working off of someone’s interpretation.
Check and compare multiple sources of information. Contrast an individual’s statement on social media to a news report on the same subject. Compare news sources with differing perspectives. Proverbs 18:17 says, “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”
Ask probing questions, even from sources you personally trust. For example:
Be mindful of your emotions. Even if the story or statement confirms your beliefs, it deserves an accuracy check before sharing. In opinion pieces, fundraising emails, or social media posts, both the Left and the Right can succumb to exaggerating facts in order to spur action. In addition, our fast-paced culture breeds impulsive decisions. Intentionally avoiding a reaction based on anger or fear, however, can greatly protect your integrity.
With a personal commitment to integrity and accountability to truth, you can avoid spreading falsehood and, most rewarding, discover the truth. In our present culture, those who know and spread truth are like welcome beacons of light to other truth seekers—and lighthouses to keep unwary citizens from dangerous rocks of deception.
At iVoterGuide our motto is, “Grounded in God, Rooted in Research.” God provides the basis for our commitment to careful, accurate research. In Exodus 23:1 He commands, “You shall not spread a false report.” Therefore, amplifying false reports can often negatively impact an individual’s life and affect the laws governing our society. We should always strive to be careful and meticulous with what we publish in the public square.
I hope these tips are helpful as so many Americans seek to find, know, and share truth.
Debbie Wuthnow is the president of iVoterGuide and a member of the Board of Directors. She joined iVoterGuide in 2011 as a data analyst and was named president in 2018. Since assuming a leadership role, she led the organization to grow from 12 to 40 partners and to reach over 1 million voters nationwide in 2018. iVoterGuide has researched over 24,000 candidates in more than 11,000 races and offers sample ballots, voting information and candidate evaluations. From election dates to voter registration deadlines and polling locations, iVoterGuide has resources to help turn out 2.2 million voters across all 50 states in the 2020 primary and general elections in order to restore the principles of limited government, free enterprise and traditional American values. Learn more at ivoterguide.com.
Read the Washington Post or New York Times. Believe the opposite.
If it comes from ABCBSPMSNBCPBSCNNREUAP erc., then it’s a damnable lie.
Original sources don’t count for much if you are being fed BS.
Jesse Smollet
FBI’s framing of Richard Jewel
The “January 6th insurrection to rival the Civil War!”
Global Warming
Russia Russia Russia
I actually wonder how many really seek the truth. It has been my observation for a few years that even many on ‘our side’ seek out media that confirm their preconceived biases.
Of course the left is worse, the truth an anathema to them.
Here is an easy tip. If it is pushing the Climate Change scam they have compromised.
Research, research, research, and bearing in mind what the sources are. Usually the simplest answers are the correct ones.
For me, it’s the words they use when they deliver the message.
There is always a spin to the half truth of the message
Yes, and don’t forget “Thehill”.
Likewise, if it results in giving more money or more power to the government, that’s fact check enough.
Experts say
Some say
Scientists say
My bullshit meter is based on the following:
Our Constitutional Republic was founded on the principle that self-governance is only possible if the State is strictly limited.
That is the sole purpose of the Constitution - to limit the power of the State.
This strategy has been a resounding success, much to the chagrin of would -be tyrants.
Would-be tyrants (Leftists, Marxists, Progressives) absolutely hate the Constitution because by limiting State power, it is an obstacle in their path to tyranny.
To destroy the Constitution, the Left must convince the people that our self-governing republic is a failure. To do that they must lie.
If you understand that one central motive for their lying, it is easy to tell truth from lies.
If they say climate change will destroy the planet unless we sacrifice our energy independence - ask yourself which side would benefit from those radical changes. The Left - so it is a lie.
If they say systemic racism will destroy our society unless we sacrifice our successful meritocracy and accept socialism - ask yourself which side would benefit from those radical changes. The Left - so it is a lie.
If they say hate speech, religious persecution and gun violence will destroy us unless we give up our freedoms ask yourself which side would benefit from those radical changes. The Left - so it is a lie.
It is easy to tell the lies by what purpose the narrative serves. If the narrative argues for dismantling the Constitutional protections against State tyranny, then it is just another lie.
Climate Change is a lie.
Systemic Racism is a lie.
Gun Proliferation is a lie.
Voter Suppression is a lie.
Homophobia and Transphobia are lies.
You’re absolutely right. The problem is falling into an echo chamber that simply reinforces whatever claim is made, particularly if it fits a preferred narrative. There’s a mountain of confirmation bias in an echo chamber and it becomes self-reinforcing. Misinformation enters and as long as it fits a predetermined belief structure, it gets repeated until the echo chamber itself becomes the individual participants’ authoritative source. It becomes something that “everybody knows”.
Well no, not everybody. Just the people in that one group. This happens with any insular group (left, right, or otherwise). It happens a lot on fringe groups on Facebook. I think the mommy groups are the absolute worst. My wife has showed me posts from some of those and those groups often have absolute lunatics in them. They’re convinced everyone on Earth is trying to murder and/or molest their kids and that if it was invented in the last 1,000 years, it’s automatically terrible for kids.
anything touted as a FACT by CNN, MSNBC, NYT, WaPo, ABC, CBS, NBC, and even FOX should automatically be suspect. Since most “news” comes from one or more of these sources it takes a lot of effort to find out what is FACT and what is fiction.
5 ways to spot fake facts
1. Racism
2. Liberalism
3. Socialism
4. Media
5. Democrats
Very true. While perusing articles in the local paper, I can quickly identify an article lifted from the Washington Post merely by the adjectives used.
If it appears on ABCNNBCBS, MSDNC, NPR etc. it is false.
One of my golden rules that I have passed on to folks that I have mentored:
Examine the accuracy of their predictions. If most are not true, they are not to be trusted.
Some examples:
Generations after 2020 will never see snow. ... on and on with these global warming/sea rising predictions that never come to pass.
Trust Sessions, Barr and Mueller, Trump will be inaugurated in March, etc .... many of these.
Those doomsayer’s who make Stock market predictions that are rarely right.... one day out of many, they will be right.
Also beware of those that sensationalize a current event or catastrophe and blame it on some theory that they push. Let them predict it a ahead of time, and I am more likely to be convinced.
And quoting from the bible: Ye shall know them by their fruits.
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