topic Re: Fact Checker in Community Chat

Fact Checker

MorningLover — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 14:54:08 GMT

The CEO of Snopes was just suspended for lying.

Snopes CEO Suspended for Stealing Content & Using Fake Identities, Articles to be Retracted.

The CEO and president of Snopes, the website that advertises itself as “the internet’s definitive fact-checking resource” is facing major heat after admitting to plagiarizing dozens of articles.

A BuzzFeed News investigation found that David Mikkelson was involved in a major plagiarizing scandal that encompassed a whopping 54 pieces, Business Insider reports.

“Plagiarism undermines our missions and values, full stop,” Snopes executives said in a statement. “It has no place in any context within this organization.”

Mikkelson’s publishing rights have been revoked, though he remains a 50 percent shareholder and the company’s CEO.

“I engaged in multiple serious copyright violations of content that Snopes didn’t have rights to use,” Mikkelson said in a statement. “There is no excuse for my serious lapses in judgement. I am sorry.”

The stolen pieces were taken from outlets like The Guardian, and published under at least three separate bylines.

Mikkelson even set up a pseudonym: Jeff Zarronandia.

Mikkelson used the pseudonym to “write about topics he knew would get him hate mail under that assumed name,” Brooke Binkowski, former managing editor of Snopes, said. “Plus it made it appear he had more staff than he had.”

Re: Fact Checker

ThinkingOutLoud — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:12:01 GMT

Just one more reason why that site isn't credible.

Re: Fact Checker

JamandBread — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:15:54 GMT

He used content that wasn't his own and didn't credit the owner. I didn't see anywhere that the content was false.

I'll still use Snopes as one of several sources.

Re: Fact Checker

proudlyfromNJ — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:16:49 GMT

@ThinkingOutLoud I agree. However I don't find any site credible. Things can be and are twisted no matter where you look.

Re: Fact Checker

millieshops — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:21:18 GMT

Sad to see, but I have become even more skeptical than I ever was about finding any organization of even two people in which the whole group is honest in every respect.

In this case. the plagiarism is bad but it doesn't mean that Snopes published incorrect information , at least not until someone can point out something he stole that was false info.

Re: Fact Checker

hckynut — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:51:29 GMT

One of the biggest problems of these times. Algorithms/robots/humans titled as "fact checkers"? A person need only read a few statistics to understand how very few people/entities, or organizations are trusted.

When numbers come up like 30% for this/15% for that, it is pretty evident that trust has been lost. Why? When you see and hear audible and visible hypocritical things said and done, and wonder why trust now is so limited.

I see truth and fiction, and just straight out lies, being portrayed as facts? To me looking ahead, I see it daily getting worse, not better. Is there and end in sight? Trying to look at it with a truly unbiased view, I don't see it happening any time soon.

As 1 late United States President said:

"Trust, but verify"!

hckynut

Re: Fact Checker

Johnnyeager — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:51:57 GMT

The height of hypocrisy. I've long found the place to be lacking in honesty, credibility and believability. My personal view, of course.

Re: Fact Checker

chessylady — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:54:45 GMT

Facebook needs to be regulated. They are incapable of regulating themselves. Mark Zuckerberg is just another corrupt billionaire. Facebook is highly addictive, manipulative and an invasion of everyone's privacy. Yet, I too am addicted to it. We would not use Snopes very often if not for Facebook.

Re: Fact Checker

deepwaterdotter — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:58:08 GMT

It has been my experience that people are going to believe information that reinforces their biases/agenda. Truthfulness is disregarded.

Re: Fact Checker

Johnnyeager — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:01:21 GMT

Who's to say what's the truth? The Truth, The Truth, what is The Truth?

No one is arbiter of the truth.

Re: Fact Checker

Caaareful Shopper — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:09:21 GMT

Snopes???

Just me, but I've never turned to them to fact check anything. Not saying I don't trust them. But of all places to research anything, I never even considered Snopes a serious source.

Re: Fact Checker

JamandBread — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:19:03 GMT

@Johnnyeager wrote:
Who's to say what's the truth? The Truth, The Truth, what is The Truth?

No one is arbiter of the truth.

Until about 5 years ago, the truth just was.
It still is, thankfully.
That doesn't change no matter how much propaganda tries to deceive and distort.

Re: Fact Checker

Johnnyeager — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:21:13 GMT

Whaaat??

Re: Fact Checker

JamandBread — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:22:22 GMT

@Caaareful Shopper wrote:
Snopes???

Just me, but I've never turned to them to fact check anything. Not saying I don't trust them. But of all places to research anything, I never even considered Snopes a serious source.

Snopes is a good check for memes and such spread on FB. It's quick and easy and Snopes also lists their sources, so you can go and check the veracity. I'm assuming at some point, Snopes didn't attribute sources and lifted stuff word for word, which is why this Exec is being called out.

Re: Fact Checker

deepwaterdotter — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:25:49 GMT

@Caaareful Shopper wrote:
Snopes???

Just me, but I've never turned to them to fact check anything. Not saying I don't trust them. But of all places to research anything, I never even considered Snopes a serious source.

Same for me. I wonder if the iinformation disseminated on the site is discerned to support an agenda.

Re: Fact Checker

JamandBread — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:31:47 GMT

@deepwaterdotter wrote:
@Caaareful Shopper wrote:
Snopes???

Just me, but I've never turned to them to fact check anything. Not saying I don't trust them. But of all places to research anything, I never even considered Snopes a serious source.
Same for me. I wonder if the iinformation disseminated on the site is discerned to support an agenda.

@deepwaterdotter are you on FB? If you are, pick any meme claiming a thing. Go to Snopes and plug in the meme "headline" and see what comes up. I've many times been surprised that things I though couldn't be true, actually were or had some truth to them .

Re: Fact Checker

deepwaterdotter — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:34:07 GMT

@JamandBread I am not on facebook, but your information may be helpful for others.

Re: Fact Checker

hckynut — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:39:58 GMT

@deepwaterdotter wrote:
It has been my experience that people are going to believe information that reinforces their biases/agenda. Truthfulness is disregarded.

@deepwaterdotter

I agree with most of your post. "Truthfulness is disregarded"? My experiences are there certainly are biases, but not necessarily disregarding the truth.

I find in any serious discussion, if either, or anyone involved in it, resort to name calling, they are more likely to be disregarding the truth.

hckynut

Re: Fact Checker

JamandBread — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:46:26 GMT

@deepwaterdotter wrote:
@JamandBread I am not on facebook, but your information may be helpful for others.

You can do it with any headline.

Did Michael Jackson have a prosthetic nose?

Snopes will tell you if it's true and the sources behind it.

Re: Fact Checker

Sushismom — Sat, 14 Aug 2021 16:47:45 GMT

For many, this is another reason not to trust Snopes. I didn't read anywhere in this article that Snopes was incorrect in its findings; instead, I read that PLAGIARISM was the cause. I'm sure most people know what plagiarism is and what it isn't.