Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

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redblade7
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by redblade7 » Fri Jun 02, 2017 9:55 pm

I really don't think conspiracy theories should be lumped in with "fake news." "Fake news" is a deliberate hoax for political purposes or to obtain clicks. Conspiracy theories are just alternative and strange beliefs. Some are proven true (Glaspie memo, NSA spying). If conspiracy theory sites are lumped in with "fake news" then we should rate history.com "fake news" since the History Channel airs documentaries on ancient aliens and Nostradamus.

EDIT: By "for political purposes" I mean that the fake news site exists to try and promote an agenda through the use of fake news.

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A440
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by A440 » Sat Jun 03, 2017 4:42 pm

I really don't think conspiracy theories should be lumped in with "fake news." "Fake news" is a deliberate hoax for political purposes or to obtain clicks. Conspiracy theories are just alternative and strange beliefs. Some are proven true (Glaspie memo, NSA spying). If conspiracy theory sites are lumped in with "fake news" then we should rate history.com "fake news" since the History Channel airs documentaries on ancient aliens and Nostradamus.

EDIT: By "for political purposes" I mean that the fake news site exists to try and promote an agenda through the use of fake news.

The history channel is not promoting documentaries on "space aliens" or mystical prophesies as being accurate, factual information, other than being factual reports of myths, legends that do exist. Conspiracy theories generally are unsupported by factual record; there is no verifiable proof. This is why they are called "theories" and it is wrong and a great dis-service to spread them about as if they were actual fact or had valid scientific backing.

Additionally, I have not used your label, "fake news", rather this is a form of misinformation if not disinformation since conspiracy theories are often used for political purposes – contrary to what you think.
One good example of such is the conspiracy theories regarding George Soros:
Hungary's foreign minister dismissed a European Parliament resolution condemning the country on Wednesday, saying that it amounted to a "new attack on Hungary by George Soros' network" – A contention made by a politician, which has no basis in fact.
(reuters.com/article/us-eu-hungary-resolution-idUSKCN18D1WI)
(reuters.com/article/us-hungary-orban-law-idUSKBN18T0TV)

What does Mr. Soros say about the current attempt to demonize him with the use of a conspiracy theory by the government of Viktor Orbán?
George Soros has accused the Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán of building a “mafia state”, as he warned the fate of the Central European University he founded still hangs in the balance.
The Hungarian-born financier and philanthropist said he was confident the university’s defence of its freedom would ultimately “bring the slow-moving wheels of justice into motion”, but said it and other organisations he had backed were still at risk under the Orbán-led government.

Hungary’s populist prime minister has introduced tough measures for the registration of foreign-registered universities that could force the closure of the CEU, one of the top academies in the region. Thousands of people protested in Budapest in April against a bill seen by many as targeting the university.

In a wide-ranging speech on European integration, where he recalled how his Jewish family fled the Nazi occupation of Hungary, Soros hit back at Orbán for casting him as a scheming “currency speculator” in an “unrelenting propaganda campaign”.
(theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/01/george-soros-attacks-hungarian-president-building-mafia-state)

Other reactions to Orban's attempt to demonize Soros?:
The Commission pulled no punches when it announced its moves against Budapest, which has been besieged by criticism over an education law widely considered an effort to force the closure of Central European University, founded by the billionaire Hungarian-American financier George Soros.
Budapest was in breach of EU laws that guarantee “freedom to provide services and the freedom of establishment,” the Commission said. Additionally, it is failing to uphold “the right of academic freedom, the right to education and the freedom to conduct a business” and is also breaking the EU’s legal obligations under international trade law.
(politico.eu/article/brussels-finally-stands-up-to-viktor-orban/)

You get the idea regarding conspiracy theories and how they are too often used (not to mention the Pizza-gate episode in Washington, DC).
Last edited by A440 on Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

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A440
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by A440 » Sat Jun 10, 2017 4:28 am

Here are some seriously whacked sites for your consideration:
art-for-a-change.com
This one came to my attention in relation to the "pizzagate" gossip. Not only does this site reference such but includes such nonsense are "spirit cooking parties" – a faked reference to a spiritualistic/satanic ritual that was falsely connected to the DNC leadership in America:
art-for-a-change.com/blog/2017/05/spirit-cooking-with-marina-abramovic-the-first-cut-is-the-deepest.html

Also included in the list of sites that promote this urban legend nonsense are:
ussanews.com

ussanews.com/News1/2017/05/22/spirit-cooking-creep-john-podesta-bashes-trump-one-obvious-reason-why/

Background: snopes.com/john-podesta-spirit-cooking/

Please feel free to rate these conspiracy/gossip sites accordingly.
Last edited by A440 on Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:50 am, edited 2 times in total.

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A440
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by A440 » Sun Jun 18, 2017 4:52 am

Here is an addendum, regarding the previously listed site therebel.media, from a Washington Post article:
Two right-wing activists interrupted the Friday evening performance of a controversial production of Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” in New York’s Central Park, causing a stir on social media — where numerous videos of the protest proliferated — and resulting in one woman’s arrest.

In the videos, a woman identified as Laura Loomer, an employee of the far-right website Rebel Media, can be seen storming the stage during the scene of the title character’s assassination, shouting “Stop the normalization of political violence against the right! This is unacceptable!”

The production of “Julius Caesar,” part of the popular free Shakespeare in the Park summer series at the park’s Delacorte Theater, has attracted controversy over its depiction of the title character, who resembles President Trump.
. . . Within the commotion, a second pro-Trump protester, Jack Posobiec, can be seen standing and yelling in the audience, “You are all Goebbels!” and “The blood of Steve Scalise is on your hands!” in reference to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels and to a shooting at a Virginia baseball field earlier in the week that critically injured Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.).
washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/06/17/pro-trump-protester-arrested-after-rushing-stage-at-controversial-julius-caesar-play-in-new-york/

Again, I suggest that this site be rated according to their record. This is not a legitimate news organization.
Last edited by A440 on Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:52 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Javelina
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by Javelina » Sun Jul 02, 2017 5:44 am

<quote user="a440">
"Site-rater" My evaluation was based upon feedback from families with autistic children, who are highly critical of this site due to their classification of autism as being a "disease" instead of a condition.
I went back and discovered that some of the complaints came from a source whose credibility I could not corroborate. Upon a sustained review of these sources, this is opinion-based.
Other additional sources support this site's credibility as well. Yoko Ono actually supports this site.

Thanks for the information so that I can revise the original listing and exclude the site from this thread.
[/quote]
There is a lot of criticism of the Autism Speaks website. I would not describe it as one of the few legitimate websites about autism! I don't like it. It is controversial, and possibly misleading.

Regardless, I don't think it is appropriate to categorize it as a rumor, gossip or fake news site. Good call by both of you.

P.S. I concur with A440 regarding therebel.media website. I saw the ratings, read the WOT scorecard comments, and rated [red]red[/red] accordingly, That is consistent with my own independent findings about the website and its content.

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Javelina
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by Javelina » Sun Jul 02, 2017 5:53 am

This website's primary focus is Holocaust denial and hate-mongering, and promotes fake news in general: [red]thetruthseeker.co.uk[/red]. I have rated it [red]red[/red]. Five out of the six score card comments are deep red, yet the website has an overall deep green rating on WOT.

EDIT
I just noticed that there is a great deal of anti-vaccination ranting. It is linked to some of the worst anti-vax websites online. I am adding "alternative/controversial medicine" to my list in the scorecard. I would appreciate the help of other editors in meaningfully rating this website.

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A440
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by A440 » Mon Jul 03, 2017 6:09 pm

This website's primary focus is Holocaust denial and hate-mongering, and promotes fake news in general: thetruthseeker.co.uk. I have rated it red. Five out of the six score card comments are deep red, yet the website has an overall deep green rating on WOT. . .
Duly noted and rated.
Last edited by A440 on Tue Mar 13, 2018 3:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

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A440
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by A440 » Fri Jul 07, 2017 3:00 am

This article is yet another reason why I place [red]infowars.com[/red] and now [red]nra.org, nra.com[/red] in this category of sites that promotes disinformation and misinformation, thus promoting social problems such as violence and antisemitism:
[green]www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-c ... story.html[/green]
. . . What do Walt Disney Concert Hall, the shiny, stainless-steel Bean sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park and the headquarters of the New York Times have in common?

The short answer is that they all star in a bilious, minute-long video ad released by the National Rifle Assn. at the end of June. The more revealing one is that they were designed by people who are either Jewish (in the case of Frank Gehry’s Disney Hall) or born outside the United States (as with Anish Kapoor’s Bean, an Instagram staple officially called “Cloud Gate,” and Renzo Piano’s New York Times tower).
The ad appeared one day before Infowars, the conspiracy-happy website founded by Alex Jones, posted a video even more screed-like than the NRA’s, which is saying something, called “Why Modern Architecture Sucks: And How It’s Used as a Tool of Social Engineering.” (A sample: “The globalists’ goal is to make the whole planet identical in its atomizing dreariness. By dulling our senses, they hope to dull our very life essence.” . . . "They use their media to assassinate real news,” begins the NRA video, narrated by talk-radio host Dana Loesch, over moody black-and-white footage of the New York Times building. “They use their schools to teach children that their president is another Hitler.")

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A440
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by A440 » Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:41 pm

Another site I must place in this category is [red]newsmax.com[/red], which also harvests browser information from unsuspecting visitors to their site.
See:
https://www.mywot.com/forum/8592-ucsd-r ... er-history

Please rate these guys accordingly.

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NotBuyingIt
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RE: Rumour, Gossip and Fake News Sites

Post by NotBuyingIt » Mon Jul 31, 2017 3:03 pm

<quote user="a440">
Another site I must place in this category is [red][red]newsmax.com[/red][/red], which also harvests browser information from unsuspecting visitors to their site.
See:
https://www.mywot.com/forum/8592-ucsd-r ... er-history

Please rate these guys accordingly.
[/quote]
@A440, I'll not dispute your characterisation of newsmax.com because I don't recognise that site as a reasonable or honest source of information. However, I wonder if it is technically possible any longer for websites to "harvest" browser information as it was in 2010 when the incident which you cited was reported.
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