When do we start viewing misinformation as an existential threat? And how do we start to combat it? A decade or two ago it felt like sites like Snopes were held in pretty high regard by the...
When do we start viewing misinformation as an existential threat? And how do we start to combat it? A decade or two ago it felt like sites like Snopes were held in pretty high regard by the general population for dispelling myths and urban legends. Now fact checks are often considered to be propaganda in their own right.
I don't know the full answer, but part of the answer is teaching children critical thinking skills. Teaching them how to tell when arguments are valid and when they aren't, and how to determine...
I don't know the full answer, but part of the answer is teaching children critical thinking skills. Teaching them how to tell when arguments are valid and when they aren't, and how to determine when to be cautious about listening to a given source. Conservatives will (and have) actively try to block this because it causes big problems for them when they try to explain inconsistencies in religious teachings.
I would suggest teaching adults these skills as well, but once we're talking about this level of intentional ignorance, I'm not sure there's much hope.
When do we start viewing misinformation as an existential threat? And how do we start to combat it? A decade or two ago it felt like sites like Snopes were held in pretty high regard by the general population for dispelling myths and urban legends. Now fact checks are often considered to be propaganda in their own right.
I don't know the full answer, but part of the answer is teaching children critical thinking skills. Teaching them how to tell when arguments are valid and when they aren't, and how to determine when to be cautious about listening to a given source. Conservatives will (and have) actively try to block this because it causes big problems for them when they try to explain inconsistencies in religious teachings.
I would suggest teaching adults these skills as well, but once we're talking about this level of intentional ignorance, I'm not sure there's much hope.