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snopes vs. truth or fiction

teriwttteriwtt Posts: 10,432Super Moderator Senior Member
edited November 2009 in Parent Cafe
So I have this co-worker who has now forwarded me several emails trying to 'debunk' or promote certain facts. She is the one who sent me a link to an article about Dr. Vinay Goyal and his supposed presentation on prevention of the H1N1. She added her own little comment that said the guy was for real because she googled him. When I googled him, all I could get was a reference from one website. I have since found out this doctor has denied writing this article.

Now she's sent an email suggesting that snopes is part of some grand liberal agenda and that the couple who run it are in the tank for Obama. I did my own research and can find nothing to support this. I did find a link to an article on factcheck and they basically debunk this email she sent me. But it made me wonder, has anyone else gotten this email about snopes vs. a site called truthorfiction? Have any of you used both sites, and have you found one to be more accurate or dependable than another?

In the past, when she has sent me stuff that I've found not to be true, I've typically directed her to the source that disproves it, and now I'm starting to think that by doing this, it just further fuels the fire to find some sort of fact that she can claim to be true.
Post edited by teriwtt on
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Replies to: snopes vs. truth or fiction

  • Nrdsb4Nrdsb4 Posts: 10,234Registered User Senior Member
    I would probably just delete her e-mails without comment. You can't cure stupid.
  • dg5052dg5052 Posts: 778Registered User Member
    I have come to rely on snopes.com--I have several friends who tend to forward this multiple-forwarded scary stuff, and it always comes up "false" on that site.

    I would be interested to know if anyone has found snopes.com NOT to be reliable.
  • HuntHunt Posts: 23,447Registered User Senior Member
    I've always found snopes to be very even-handed in debunking falsehoods relating to politics. But I'm part of the great liberal conspiracy, so I might be biased.
  • LergnomLergnom Posts: 7,130Registered User Senior Member
    Anything can be wrong on occasion but I find Snopes generally errs on the side of caution, as in noting a yellow caution when the body of evidence is more red no way, no how.
  • ingerpingerp Posts: 866Registered User Member
    The Washington Post did an article on Snopes (??) months ago. I wish I could remember more but it's basically a married couple (in SF?) who started as fact-checkers, then began answering questions for friends, and it sort of mushroomed. Again, I'm not remembering a whole lot but there was absolutely no hint of bias, and their fact-checking was at the professional level (more than one source, reputable sources, . . .) It's all so well-documented. I've never doubted them.
  • jdsmomjdsmom Posts: 68Registered User Junior Member
    This must be the article you mean, from election season 2008 -
    Too Good To Be True? It Usually Is. - washingtonpost.com
  • NaturallyNaturally Posts: 1,308Registered User Senior Member
    Now she's sent an email suggesting that snopes is part of some grand liberal agenda and that the couple who run it are in the tank for Obama. I did my own research and can find nothing to support this.

    I'm guessing you can't find any information to support it because it's an untrue, wacko consipiracy theory.

    Snopes documents its information sources very well . . . and most of the stuff that's debunked there people with common sense should realize aren't true (or WOULD realize if they took five seconds to research it themselves.)

    Example: Coworker sends me a "FWD: FWD: FWD:" whining about how a new coin doesn't have "In God We Trust" printed on it. I do a Google search and find out, in under a minute, that it DOES have "In God We Trust" printed on it and there are pictures clearly SHOWING the phrase "In God We Trust" on it. Needless to say, I did a reply-all and attached the pictures.
  • musicamusicamusicamusica Posts: 5,285Registered User Senior Member
    Lots of good articles debunking myth and rumor are on www.skeptic.com as well. I have forwarded so many links to snopes as a response to goofy panic emails, that people know better than to forward me their silly conspiracy theory drivel.
  • coureurcoureur Posts: 11,386Registered User Senior Member
    >>Example: Coworker sends me a "FWD: FWD: FWD:" whining about how a new coin doesn't have "In God We Trust" printed on it. I do a Google search and find out, in under a minute, that it DOES have "In God We Trust" printed on it and there are pictures clearly SHOWING the phrase "In God We Trust" on it. Needless to say, I did a reply-all and attached the pictures. <<

    I got that e-mail too, and actually, there were a few made without the motto. But they *mistakes* - mistrikes at the mint and worth thousands to collectors eager to get their hands on them. I told all those alarmed coin boycotters to forward those coins to me if they found any. I'd be happy to take those evil, Godless coins off their hands.
  • musicamusicamusicamusica Posts: 5,285Registered User Senior Member
    ^these rare coins were only distributed to members of the Obama administration who are aligned with Masonic temple and the order of the Templar Knights....you can read about it in the next Dan Brown potboiler "Satan's Quarters".
  • teriwttteriwtt Posts: 10,432Super Moderator Senior Member
    I ought to combine #10 and #11 and forward it to my co-worker as an email!
  • cartera45cartera45 Posts: 12,235Registered User Senior Member
    I don't know who said it first, but it's such a shame stupidity isn't painful.
  • pumpkin65pumpkin65 Posts: 347Registered User Member
    I work with a lot of information security professionals...they rely on snopes. We have found it to be very credible.
  • jbuscjbusc Posts: 2,252Registered User Senior Member
    I see a lot of chain emails. I have yet to see one that is even remotely accurate. I don't bother checking anymore.
  • cartera45cartera45 Posts: 12,235Registered User Senior Member
    I'm amazed at how attached people become to their chain emails. A friend of mine sent an email that was supposedly written by Billy Graham. It has been circulating for ages and has been debunked over and over so I let him know so he would stop sending it around. My friend was very offended - as if I attacked something he wrote. He hit the forward button for goodness sake - and looked like an idiot. I thought I was doing him a favor.
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