Fake News is Not a Problem

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

So even though I stated in the OP that this is a real news agency, the pretending that it is anything but fake news is troubling, especially with lies such as the headline in the example.

That's your opinion. Obama said this:

If we are not serious about facts and what's true and what's not -- and particularly in an age of social media where so many people are getting their information in soundbites and snippets off their phones -- if we can't discriminate between serious arguments and propaganda, then we have problems. If people, whether they are conservative or liberal, left or right, are unwilling to compromise and engage in the democratic process, and are taking absolutist views and demonizing opponents, then democracy will break down.

The opinion of the author is that Obama has pointed blame at "fake news".

a reply to: windword

You illustrated what lengths some are willing to go to paint a narrative, and in the process, to distribute falsities.

You removed the entire premise of his last sentence ( If people, whether they are conservative or liberal, left or right, are unwilling to compromise and engage in the democratic process, and are taking absolutist views and demonizing opponents...), so that you could connect its conclusion to another clause from an entirely different sentence. This is fake news.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: amazing

I think critical thinking is a vanishing resource.
I think that confirmation bias in this world is more dangerous than it ever has been.

Actually, we're all wrong on this thread. LOL I mean your reply is spot on, but...

I keep getting all of these "fake news stories" on my facebook feed recently. Examples: Trump has been Indicted. Rhonda Rousey is Dead. Barrack Obama just implemented Martial Law. These are obviously not true and presented as breaking news. Anyone else getting these? I'm getting a lot lately.

originally posted by: M5xaz
a reply to: LesMisanthrope

The actual "fake news" is CNN, ABC, NBC, etc

oh don't worry, soon you will only have trump news, that way you can stay informed about our dear leader.

I hate to say it, but I can possibly see innocent people getting killed over this.

Meanwhile Tapper has had to offer a public apology for fake news broadcast on CNN about the alt-right conference in Washington.

a reply to: UKTruth

Do you have a link for that by chance? I'd love to see Tapper apologize.

originally posted by: eluryh22
a reply to: LesMisanthrope

I can't be alone in seeing the irony. Those who suddenly have taken up the flag of battling "fake news" have, for the past several months, been the main purveyors of "fake news." Fake polls (or polls biased in their creation and presented as "balanced). Fake narratives (or narratives that perpetuate what "the country" is thinking).

I despise (what at least my perception of) "fake news" is. That being said, no matter how hard I try, I'm only human and at the moment I'm unable to take my eyes off the sources of the rallies against "fake news" at this moment in time... a few days away from an allegedly "shocking" election.

Edit to Add: I don't want you, LesMisanthrope, to think that I believe you to be a purveyor of "fake news" now or in the past.

The question I have is; if fake news is such an issue to Obama, than why did he legalize the use of propaganda on US Citizens?

Obama loves the fake news, that's why he aided in making it legal for them to do so.

The fake news IS a real problem, and it's only been a real problem since propaganda has been legalized.

HR4310 in the NDAA legalizes the use of propaganda on American Citizens. It's a repeal to a ban we had in place for years and years and years, for good reason.

Obama supported it in 2012 and it was passed in 2013.

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: windword

You illustrated what lengths some are willing to go to paint a narrative, and in the process, to distribute falsities.

You removed the entire premise of his last sentence ( If people, whether they are conservative or liberal, left or right, are unwilling to compromise and engage in the democratic process, and are taking absolutist views and demonizing opponents...), so that you could connect its conclusion to another clause from an entirely different sentence. This is fake news.

I was just trying to make the point that the author's opinion is valid, even if you disagree, not discuss the depths of Obama's observation.

You're arguing with click bait! Politicians, newsmen, advertiser and preachers have always sounded some kind of alarm to get people's attention.

I will say though, this "If people, whether they are conservative or liberal, left or right, are unwilling to compromise and engage in the democratic process, and are taking absolutist views and demonizing opponents, then democracy will break down." is being demonstrated thread after thread, here on ATS.

For crying out loud, we can't even agree on what "fake news" is and what is "opinion"!

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: UKTruth

Do you have a link for that by chance? I'd love to see Tapper apologize.

bigstory.ap.org...

They ran a message from the the Alt-Right Washington conference questioning whether Jews were people under the heading of " The Trump Transition"



Both Tapper and CNN have apologised for the network's bad judgement. They should be apologising every minute because this is just one instance of many on this fake news network.

Tapper is fending off the complaints on his twitter account, lol.

a reply to: windword

I was just trying to make the point that the author's opinion is valid, even if you disagree, not discuss the depths of Obama's observation.

You're arguing with click bait! Politicians, newsmen, advertiser and preachers have always sounded some kind of alarm to get people's attention.

I will say though, this "If people, whether they are conservative or liberal, left or right, are unwilling to compromise and engage in the democratic process, and are taking absolutist views and demonizing opponents, then democracy will break down." is being demonstrated thread after thread, here on ATS.

For crying out loud, we can't even agree on what "fake news" is and what is "opinion"!

It's not an opinion. It is objectively true that Obama said nothing about fake news being a threat to democracy. He didn't even imply it. If the author retracts his false statement, and apologizes for the misinformation, they could be considered "real news".

I already defined what fake news was for you. Do we not agree on that?

originally posted by: windword
a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Can you please define "fake news", for us?

Fake new would be Don Lemon interviewing a protester.....until it was pointed out that the protester was a CNN cameraman. That is fake news..... made up a perpetrator to create a story. The man was there to film the protest for work, not an actual protester.

originally posted by: jimmyx

originally posted by: M5xaz
a reply to: LesMisanthrope

The actual "fake news" is CNN, ABC, NBC, etc

oh don't worry, soon you will only have trump news, that way you can stay informed about our dear leader.

No one is calling for CNN, ABC etc to be banned, nor should they be. They are just, correctly, being called out for being liars.

Unlike Hillary/Hillary supporters, that were calling for Breitbart et al to be banned.

Childish.

Infantile.

Run back to your safe space.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

It's not an opinion. It is objectively true that Obama said nothing about fake news being a threat to democracy.

Again, that's you opinion. In my opinion the following quote addresses the over all catch phrase "fake news".

If we are not serious about facts and what's true and what's not -- and particularly in an age of social media where so many people are getting their information in soundbites and snippets off their phones -- if we can't discriminate between serious arguments and propaganda, then we have problems.

a reply to: RickinVa

Fake new would be Don Lemon interviewing a protester.....until it was pointed out that the protester was a CNN cameraman. That is fake news..... made up a perpetrator to create a story. The man was there to film the protest for work, not an actual protester.

Now who is making up "fake news".

a reply to: windword

Again, that's you opinion. In my opinion the following quote addresses the over all catch phrase "fake news".

Again, it's not an opinion, but objective fact. The headline is "Fake news a threat to democracy, Obama says". The author, and your frankenstein job of pulling disparate words to form your own sentences, are guilty of the exact same thing. That puts you right up there with infowars.

OBAMA PUSHES ‘FAKE NEWS’ TALKING POINT; IT’S A ‘THREAT TO DEMOCRACY’

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Again, it's not an opinion, but objective fact.

Absolutist much?

No it's not an objective fact. It's your opinion, and a pretty obtuse one at that. The author has the right to paraphrase, and sum up what he/she took away from Obama's quote. You have the right to disagree. You don't have a right to your own facts.

There's no question that Obama addresses the problems of misinformation, as well as absolutists who refuse to compromise. Both problems can easily be observed in this very thread.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

I think you created a fake problem.

a reply to: windword

Absolutist much?

No it's not an objective fact. It's your opinion, and a pretty obtuse one at that. The author has the right to paraphrase, and sum up what he/she took away from Obama's quote. You have the right to disagree. You don't have a right to your own facts.

There's no question that Obama addresses the problems of misinformation, as well as absolutists who refuse to compromise. Both problems can easily be observed in this very thread.

Lies and misinformation. It's not my opinion, because one, Obama says no such thing, and two, what he explicitly lists as the problems of democracy are the things I listed before, which you can cross-reference with his speech, but you won't because it goes against your "opinions". I did not make up these facts, unlike you making up the bit about fake news being a problem of democracy.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

It's not my opinion

Yes, it is your opinion.

If we are not serious about facts and what's true and what's not -- and particularly in an age of social media where so many people are getting their information in soundbites and snippets off their phones -- if we can't discriminate between serious arguments and propaganda, then we have problems.

The author summarized what he took away from Obama's little talk. I've pointed out where Obama sights what can be defined as "fake news" as being a problem for democracy, the subject of his talk.

Like I said, You're welcome to your opinion. You're NOT welcome to your own facts!