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0 pointskkjjkgjjgg4y ago0 comments

I mostly encounter the ones in Germany, so I doubt it would be much use to you. For example correctiv.org or even https://www.tagesschau.de/faktenfinder/ which is from the public TV network (government funding). I remember trying to verify the claims about "Trump lied x zillion times" at some US fact checking portal (I think from some major newspaper, maybe NYT or Washington Post), and all the supposed "lies" were also bullshit, like taken out of context, misinterpreted in extreme ways and so on in typical "fact checker" fashion.

Really it doesn't matter what sites I list, because they are all shit. The very act of calling themselves "fact checkers" should give it away. Just pick any of them and read their "checks" with a critical mind. Anybody can call themselves a "fact checker", it is a fake claim to authority.

Isn't Snopes also a renowned "fact checker"? I think some scandals regarding their founders came to light recently, but I don't remember the details.

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_ea1k4y ago

> Isn't Snopes also a renowned "fact checker"? I think some scandals regarding their founders came to light recently, but I don't remember the details.

Yes, and despite this, snopes is still one of the better ones. Their articles are well sourced and easy to verify. I'm sure they've made some mistakes, and there've been a few cases where I disagreed with their conclusion or approach, but overall they do a good job.

pstuart4y ago

Trust but verify comes to mind.

I expect bias in all sources (including myself), but the key thing is to be prepared to be wrong in one's assumptions, as well as being able to update one's understanding of things as new data arrives.

_ea1k4y ago

I agree, and that's one of the reasons that I respect Snopes. Even the few times that I've disagreed with them, the article was well sourced enough to use the article to reach contrary opinions.

kkjjkgjjggOP4y ago

I guess a system of enemies trying to debunk each other might work better than sources trying to be neutral. Enemies might work harder at finding flaws and errors.

pstuart4y ago

That supposes that truth matters. I wish it did.

What seems to work is soundbites that resonate with existing bias. And by work, I mean takes root in hearts and minds.

ZeroGravitas4y ago

And your research let you come to the conclusion that Donald Trump wasn't, even by politician standards, a liar?

Possibly you've commuted in from a parallel dimension, and that's why you are suspicious of these fact checkers claiming "the sky is blue" and other obvious lies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veracity_of_statements_by_Dona...

kkjjkgjjggOP4y ago

It seems unlikely to me that those claims of thousands of lies and the "firehose of lies" have much merit.

Wikipedia does not really have any bearing on it, as it only cites other sources.

Maybe instead of claiming thousands of lies, his enemies should focus on a couple of especially severe lies and scandals and make a good case about it.

However, most of the times when I looked into such stories, they turned out to be bullshit. So what am I supposed to believe? Obviously I can't fact check 30000 claimed lies. If I read Anti-Trump stories, I would expect his enemies to bring up the worst they have. If those turn out to be bullshit, what is left?

How is the Russian collusion accusation coming along, anyway?

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_ea1k4y ago

> Isn't Snopes also a renowned "fact checker"? I think some scandals regarding their founders came to light recently, but I don't remember the details.

pstuart4y ago

Trust but verify comes to mind.

_ea1k4y ago

I agree, and that's one of the reasons that I respect Snopes. Even the few times that I've disagreed with them, the article was well sourced enough to use the article to reach contrary opinions.

kkjjkgjjggOP4y ago

I guess a system of enemies trying to debunk each other might work better than sources trying to be neutral. Enemies might work harder at finding flaws and errors.

pstuart4y ago

That supposes that truth matters. I wish it did.

What seems to work is soundbites that resonate with existing bias. And by work, I mean takes root in hearts and minds.

ZeroGravitas4y ago

And your research let you come to the conclusion that Donald Trump wasn't, even by politician standards, a liar?

Possibly you've commuted in from a parallel dimension, and that's why you are suspicious of these fact checkers claiming "the sky is blue" and other obvious lies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veracity_of_statements_by_Dona...

kkjjkgjjggOP4y ago

It seems unlikely to me that those claims of thousands of lies and the "firehose of lies" have much merit.

Wikipedia does not really have any bearing on it, as it only cites other sources.

Maybe instead of claiming thousands of lies, his enemies should focus on a couple of especially severe lies and scandals and make a good case about it.

How is the Russian collusion accusation coming along, anyway?

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse