How many hoaxes have been done on ATS?

I don't do hoaxes on ATS-- I make comments based off of my personal opinions of world events, I quote reputable sources, and I also make sure that I don't post made up stuff.

I could go on and on about the lists of hoaxes I have seen on ATS, but I choose not to.

I'm a realist, and I don't believe in fantasy stuff.

I really like conspiracy theorist when they have lots of facts and evidence plus, I have my own conspiracy theories, but I have seen a number of hoaxes on ATS.

The hoaxes involve Aliens, UFOs, Reptilians, the Larceta files, and the Iranian-US-Israel Conflict. I have seen many reports that are true, but I'd like to see more reputable sources being posted on ATS.

Some of the stuff I see on ATS is blatant opinions.

Can mods please be more strict about hoaxes on ATS by making it harder for them to increase the amount of hoaxes on this site by requiring a substantial amount of evidence before they make extraordinary claims on ATS?

I've been on ATS often since 06, and some of the posts are just flabergasting.

I just mean the posts on the Alien/UFO forum that are there.

I just thought that I'd ask how often this happens. I don't like false info and stories being posted as facts and I see that very often on the Alien/UFO forum, because I believe that a lot of that stuff about aliens is disinfo and misinformation.

I haven't seen a hoax necessarily, but I did start a thread based on the rumors of a CIA demolitions training facility near my home. Through research, some of the rumors were out, many were proved its existence.

I don't think there are all that many. People found to be making erroneous claims that are proven beyond a doubt as a hoax usually recieve some kind of discipline. Diliberately posting false info is also a violation of the TOS. Maybe we need a group of people to deconstruct these suspected hoaxes and expose them.

[edit on 2/13/2007 by ShAuNmAn-X]

If it can be proven that someone placed a hoax story on ATS with the intention to deceive, that's against the T&C and they do get banned. The Serpo thing is probably the best example.

But if someone says they saw a UFO but don't provide any demonstrably false info, then there's really nothing that can be done.

the real problem is with people not supporting their opinions with proper citation. The either use none or less than credible sources. The purpose of ATS is a means of denying ignorance not promoting it.

I know of 3 hoaxes where someone has deliberately posted false info with the intent of causing a stir.

But posting a UFO sighting or something that was probably a bird isn't really a hoax in my book.

Posting somthing when the intent, from the begining is deception......(another one that comes to mind was the Aussie Bloke thing.)......now to my mind, thats a hoax.

Just posting some loonie toons idea/opinion ( and I mean loonie toons in the best way possible...) with questionable sources for back up, is not trully a hoax.

Besides, these guys love nothing more that a good hoax hunt!

[edit on 13-2-2007 by frayed1]

"AussieBloke"

enough said...

I think it's fair to say that we do our best to keep hoaxes off ATS.

The key in my mind to making such a serious decision to ban someone for what they've posted is to figure out their intentions.

Sometimes people post information that is false, but they didn't know it was false. If people got banned for that no one would ever post anything here again.

On the other hand if someone posts false information fully aware that it is false and with the intention of misleading our members, well that is certainly something worthy of being banned for.

As a community ATS members very often will learn things together, decipher things together, and yes, often disprove things together. I consider it all part of a learning experience.

The exception of when someone is misleading and lying to our membership on purpose with some sort of gain in mind... that's unacceptable and you'll find that it's usually acted on pretty quickly.

There was that annoying RED DOT that drove people crazy....

There was a Halloween prank....

We managed to live thru all of it just fine.

Originally posted by dgtempe
There was a Halloween prank....

The last halloween prank was great, as long as you didn't press 'trick' which gave impossible to read writing everywhere (I think, i pressed 'treat'). But if you pressed 'treat' you got 5000 free points. Unfortunately it was stopped at about midday (UTC + 5 i think) as loads of people complained. Well, we all have moments when we don't do what we should.

What red dot?

Originally posted by apex

Originally posted by dgtempe
There was a Halloween prank....

The last halloween prank was great...

What prank??? Pray tell.

Have a link?

Here are two of threads about it, mainly the after effects of pressing 'trick'

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

on a serious note, hoaxes shouldn't happen, but the admin gets them normally, as far as I am aware, like the australian ufo hoax

Originally posted by Maverickhunter
I don't do hoaxes on ATS-- I make comments based off of my personal opinions of world events, I quote reputable sources, and I also make sure that I don't post made up stuff.

I could go on and on about the lists of hoaxes I have seen on ATS, but I choose not to.

I'm a realist, and I don't believe in fantasy stuff.

I really like conspiracy theorist when they have lots of facts and evidence plus, I have my own conspiracy theories, but I have seen a number of hoaxes on ATS.

The hoaxes involve Aliens, UFOs, Reptilians, the Larceta files, and the Iranian-US-Israel Conflict. I have seen many reports that are true, but I'd like to see more reputable sources being posted on ATS.

Some of the stuff I see on ATS is blatant opinions.

Can mods please be more strict about hoaxes on ATS by making it harder for them to increase the amount of hoaxes on this site by requiring a substantial amount of evidence before they make extraordinary claims on ATS?

I've been on ATS often since 06, and some of the posts are just flabergasting.

I just mean the posts on the Alien/UFO forum that are there.

I just thought that I'd ask how often this happens. I don't like false info and stories being posted as facts and I see that very often on the Alien/UFO forum, because I believe that a lot of that stuff about aliens is disinfo and misinformation.

You have to remember that 90% of the people that post are actually high school kids and drop-outs, who have nothing better to do.

As time goes by you'll learn who is a serious researcher and who is a retard, or, at best, pseudo-Intellectual.

Hint: Generally, they don't know the difference between 'your' and 'you're', having skipped their English classes to go smoke in the restroom. Most of them can't post a coherent sentence, or can't figure out how to use a spell checker.

Just skip on by those and you'll be better off. My opinion, of course.

Edit: Double post.

[edit on 14-2-2007 by Koka]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe "Aussiebloke" posted on ATS.

Thats not to say that others were not taken in and posted some threads relating to his images/videos.

Personally, I believe that the "Aussiebloke" Hoax/Project was a neccessary evil.

Further Info:
Australian UFO Wave 2006

Here at ATS, I have confidence in our member's ability to separate the wheat from the chaff.

lots, there has been a few incidents..

why you ask?

Originally posted by khunmoon

Originally posted by apex

Originally posted by dgtempe
There was a Halloween prank....

The last halloween prank was great...

What prank??? Pray tell.

Have a link?

A couple of years back people started posting about seeing black helicopters between Canada and the US, and bombers.
It went on all day...most people caught on after awhile....

The Red Dot - how do you explain a big red dot right in the middle of peoples screen? Just big and red and there all day. Similar to the "fart" button.

[edit on 14-2-2007 by dgtempe]

Originally posted by Badge01

Originally posted by Maverickhunter
I don't do hoaxes on ATS-- I make comments based off of my personal opinions of world events, I quote reputable sources, and I also make sure that I don't post made up stuff.

I could go on and on about the lists of hoaxes I have seen on ATS, but I choose not to.

I'm a realist, and I don't believe in fantasy stuff.

I really like conspiracy theorist when they have lots of facts and evidence plus, I have my own conspiracy theories, but I have seen a number of hoaxes on ATS.

The hoaxes involve Aliens, UFOs, Reptilians, the Larceta files, and the Iranian-US-Israel Conflict. I have seen many reports that are true, but I'd like to see more reputable sources being posted on ATS.

Some of the stuff I see on ATS is blatant opinions.

Can mods please be more strict about hoaxes on ATS by making it harder for them to increase the amount of hoaxes on this site by requiring a substantial amount of evidence before they make extraordinary claims on ATS?

I've been on ATS often since 06, and some of the posts are just flabergasting.

I just mean the posts on the Alien/UFO forum that are there.

I just thought that I'd ask how often this happens. I don't like false info and stories being posted as facts and I see that very often on the Alien/UFO forum, because I believe that a lot of that stuff about aliens is disinfo and misinformation.

You have to remember that 90% of the people that post are actually high school kids and drop-outs, who have nothing better to do.

As time goes by you'll learn who is a serious researcher and who is a retard, or, at best, pseudo-Intellectual.

Hint: Generally, they don't know the difference between 'your' and 'you're', having skipped their English classes to go smoke in the restroom. Most of them can't post a coherent sentence, or can't figure out how to use a spell checker.

Just skip on by those and you'll be better off. My opinion, of course.

wow? 90% of them are highschool kids and drop-outs? I'm in highschool but I am about to go to College... I'm one year away from being old enough to vote, but I don't apply to the people who "are highschool kids that have nothing better to do."

Wow. They need to read up on grammar. I don't generally associate with those people and these type of people need professional help. There should be a forum on ATS where people with psychiatric knowledge can help those who need professional help, where they can help them with their problems. I think that would help a little bit.

I do remember the black helicopter fad... as I believe it was something in regards to the UN being in the USA? Did that turn out to be a hoax? What ended up happening?

As far as the o-haire incident, I hope springer knows something we do not about the incident, and can make it as factual as possible.

Originally posted by Djarums:

Djarums

posted on 13-2-2007 at 11:03 PM

I think it's fair to say that we do our best to keep hoaxes off ATS.

The key in my mind to making such a serious decision to ban someone for what they've posted is to figure out their intentions.

Sometimes people post information that is false, but they didn't know it was false. If people got banned for that no one would ever post anything here again.

On the other hand if someone posts false information fully aware that it is false and with the intention of misleading our members, well that is certainly something worthy of being banned for.

As a community ATS members very often will learn things together, decipher things together, and yes, often disprove things together. I consider it all part of a learning experience.

The exception of when someone is misleading and lying to our membership on purpose with some sort of gain in mind... that's unacceptable and you'll find that it's usually acted on pretty quickly.

Right, I am glad that the moderators are taking note of the fact that members should be banned for this type of hoaxy stuff. Most posts in the alien and UFO forum should be checked by moderators. It really should be something that is looked at more closely by moderators.

Indeed, and we do the best we can. Yes, sometimes things do slip by but as a general rule the membership is rather quick to let us know that something is "off".

At the same time however, the staff does not want to be seen as overmodding. We happen to have a membership of VERY smart people, probably the brightest group I've ever seen in an online community, and they do quite a fine job of exposing hoaxes as well!

See, it's easy for a staffer to just say ugh, hoax, banned, but it has such a different effect when the members come together, evaluate something, and decide for themselves. I believe that less and less hoaxes will pop up on ATS because people have been shown time and time again that this is a group of Critical Thinkers (I'm not interested in how old they are, it's meaningless) that don't just "believe it cuz it's online".

As the community continues to grow there might be the occasional hoaxsters but their lifespans on here will be shorter and shorter. Our members can spot 'em from a mile away and our staff is here to help.