How The Internet Is Helping In The Spread Of Misinformation
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

How The Internet Is Helping In The Spread Of Misinformation

Ironically, its very free and open nature has allowed lies and distortions to masquerade as facts and gain unprecedented traction.

1034
How The Internet Is Helping In The Spread Of Misinformation
thetaffblog.wordpress.com

When the internet first arrived it was supposed to revolutionize the way we access information. Information was supposed to be at our fingertips. It has succeeded in doing so for the most part, but ironically, the internet has ensured that lies, half-truths, and distortions of facts are also equally accessible to us as actual facts from credible sources. This would not be such a big problem if people who were immersed in such myth and dogma lived in their own bubble in one corner of the internet. Many such myths are shockingly mainstream.

According to a recent CNN/ORC poll, 29 percent of Americans believe that President Obama is a Muslim. This is despite the president repeatedly reaffirming his Christian faith. In other words, nearly a third of Americans believe the president is lying about his faith. Obviously no reputable media organization, even those with conservative leanings, would ever publish such unsubstantiated claims. So where are people getting this from? Maybe from the countless far right-wing websites on the internet that have made an industry of manufacturing conspiracy theories; which, would sound hilarious if it wasn’t for the fact that many people actually believe them. When it comes to conspiracy theories, the far right is not alone in propagating them. Recently while browsing, I came across a website called Goon Squad. It seemed like a typical left-wing website until I stumbled upon an article that listed the "top 10 lies" that the writer felt most Americans believed. I will just list two of the most telling ones here to rest my case:

1. Six million Jews died in the "Zionist version" of WWII

2. The attacks on 9/11 were a complete surprise to American intelligence agencies.

Needless to say, I immediately exited the website. It should be noted here that if I had not come upon this article, I may have believed what was written on this website. There was nothing to warn me otherwise when I entered it. How surprisingly easy it is to stumble upon these websites scares me. This is the reason I feel the internet has compounded the problem of spreading misinformation.

It has provided the conspiracy theorists with a much wider reach and an ease of creating content to spread their falsehoods which they couldn’t dream of before. Earlier a person with crazy ideas had the option of either writing a book or a column in a newspaper or journal. Any reputable publishing house or newspaper editorial board would think twice before allowing people with outrageous views to express them. The person would then either have to keep his fringe opinions to himself or publish them in an equally fringe paper/magazine which in turn would have limited circulation. So his views would remain on the fringes where they belonged and not come to the mainstream.

Contrast this with today where anyone with access to the internet can have their own blogs, anyone with a video camera can become a YouTube star, and can put out their content without any middlemen filtering it. Given the free and open nature of the internet, this content is now equally accessible to everyone. For example, the highly popular Alex Jones Channel on YouTube spews conspiracy theories and has over a million subscribers. An additional problem is that these people are not bound by any editorial guidelines like mainstream media is and can hence freely publish factual inaccuracies, distortions of facts, and even outright lies with impunity.

Unfortunately, their audience doesn’t care about such things. It is useless to even fact check them as they do not treat these as fact checks but as an attack on them for "exposing" things and double down. In a sense they are right. Even talking about them gives them a sense of legitimacy which they do not deserve. However, ignoring them as we have done so far has allowed them to flood the internet with their deluge of misinformation.

Now don’t get me wrong. The internet's ability to post unfiltered content and provide access for everyone is what makes it possible for dissidents in autocratic, closed societies to express, share, and spread their ideas. Authoritarian regimes can ban books and newspapers, but it is very difficult for them to ban thousands of websites, especially if VPNs are used. In fact, the Iranian Green Movement and the Arab Spring were known to spread the way they did due to internet activism by tech-savvy young netizens. Just as the internet has allowed the free flow of good ideas, it has also allowed an equal free flow of bad ideas. No wonder ISIS is using the internet and social media to spread its barbaric ideology and win recruits.

How to counter this internet misuse? There is no easy way. On a personal level, it can be done by checking whether a website is a credible source of information or not before reading any article on it. On a macro level, there is very little that can be done. As the internet is a marketplace for the free exchange of ideas, no action, at least legal action, should be taken either. One can only hope that the people who have fallen prey to lies and myths accidentally stumble upon some credible site which challenges and subsequently makes them abandon their fairy tales and embrace the truth. After all, this is how many of them must have come to believe them in the first place.

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/09/14/a-startling-number-of-americans-still-believe-president-obama-is-a-muslim/

http://careandwashingofthebrain.blogspot.com/2012/10/top-ten-lies-most-americans-believe-to.html

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

58983
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

38077
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959576
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

196113
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments