New Study: Trump Supporters More Likely than Other Groups to Consume Fake News

[Kenny]

I would have some questions about the study such as who sponsored the study, what do they classify as fake news, what is the breakdown of twitter account users that they offered as evidence (since there s over 300 million users), which "fake news" did they use, etc.

 

[Nakosis]

University of Oxford project finds Trump supporters consume largest volume of ‘junk news’ on Facebook and Twitter

Trump Supporters Spread the Majority of Phony News on Social Media

Study suggests Trump supporters more likely to consume, share, and promote fake news than other groups. Of course, a single study is seldom conclusive. More research needs to be done on this. But the result is intriguing. It might help explain why Trump supporters often seem so out of touch with reality.

Comments? Rants? Denials of reality?

IMO most of what passes for news these days is little more than political opinion. Unbiased news source is an oxymoron.

I reference them occasionally if I'm feeling a bit mischievous, otherwise I just accept the purpose of a "news" site is to cater to its audience.

 

[Nakosis]

I would have some questions about the study such as who sponsored the study, what do they classify as fake news, what is the breakdown of twitter account users that they offered as evidence (since there s over 300 million users), which "fake news" did they use, etc.

All good questions.

I tend to think Jesus recommended staying away from politics. There is no salvation through politics.

I often think how much more peaceful my life would be if I avoided politics altogether.

Politics is the devil's playground, and I'm saying this as an atheist btw.

 

[Kenny]

All good questions.

I tend to think Jesus recommended staying away from politics. There is no salvation through politics.

I often think how much more peaceful my life would be if I avoided politics altogether.

Politics is the devil's playground, and I'm saying this as an atheist btw.

LOL... DEFINITELY no salvation through politics... but I think Jesus still wants people involved in all aspects of society.

As a famous person said, "The only way for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing".

And who said Theists and Atheists can't agree on something

 

[Revoltingest]

I would have some questions about the study such as who sponsored the study, what do they classify as fake news, what is the breakdown of twitter account users that they offered as evidence (since there s over 300 million users), which "fake news" did they use, etc.

From the first link in the OP....

But there was a clear skew in who shared links from the 91 sites the researchers had manually coded as “junk news” (based on breaching at least three of five quality standards including “professionalism”, “bias” and “credibility”). “The Trump Support group consumes the highest volume of junk news sources on Twitter, and spreads more junk news sources, than all the other groups put together. This pattern is repeated on Facebook, where the Hard Conservatives group consumed the highest proportion of junk news.”

One thing the study did not find is evidence of substantial amounts of Russian news sources being shared. “The political conversations on social media exclude a Russian audience group,” the researchers concluded.

This is a pretty broad set of criteria for "fake news".
It appears possible that something could be cromulent, but branded "fake".

The 2nd link cites the same original source as the first link, ie, Oxford.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Well since anything criticizing Trump is labeled fake news, that means only Trump's Twitter feed is safe. Apparently the Donald's Twitter feed is NEVER fake news, and he NEVER lies...

 

[Revoltingest]

Well since anything criticizing Trump is labeled fake news, that means only Trump's Twitter feed is safe.

Trying to use the passive voice on me, eh?

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Trying to use the passive voice on me, eh?

I am pointing out the unreserved faith the Donald's supporters seem to have in his words, in an almost messianic way.

 

[Buddha Dharma]

I only successfully got a Trump supporter to admit 45 could be wrong one time on the internet. Then he apologized for it afterwards and said he 'shouldn't have done that'. I can only assume Trump has Hitler-like control over his audiences with his rhetoric. I don't want to conclude that, or do the 'Hitler' comparison, but they honestly lead me to conclude that.

 

[Revoltingest]

I am pointing out the unreserved faith the Donald's supporters seem to have in his words, in an almost messianic way.

Good....hyperbolic, but not passive.

 

[leibowde84]

They actually felt a need to research this?
*falls off chair laughing*

The results are certainly not surprising. The Pizzagate fiasco comes to mind, as it happened right down the street from where I live.

 

[YmirGF]

The results are certainly not surprising. The Pizzagate fiasco comes to mind, as it happened right down the street from where I live.

I think I spent all of 4 seconds reading about that lunacy. *sigh*

It's pretty clear that I am hardly a fan of Saint Hillary, but thought that particular chase down the rabbit hole was beyond the pale.

 

[idav]

All good questions.

I tend to think Jesus recommended staying away from politics. There is no salvation through politics.

I often think how much more peaceful my life would be if I avoided politics altogether.

Politics is the devil's playground, and I'm saying this as an atheist btw.

Unfortuanelty politics plays a role in most everything that needs compromise but doesn’t get it.

 

[leibowde84]

I think I spent all of 4 seconds reading about that lunacy. *sigh*

It's pretty clear that I am hardly a fan of Saint Hillary, but thought that particular chase down the rabbit hole was beyond the pale.

A guy ended up bringing a rifle to Comet Pizza in an attempt to shut down the fabricated child sex ring, so it was "fake news" that ended up creating physical danger for a bunch of people. The owner of that place is constantly being harrassed by super-right wing nutcases because he is an affluent, openly homosexual, pillar of the community. So, naturally, religious hillbillies hate his guts (most likely out of jealousy). You've gotta feel bad for the guy.

 

[Sha'irullah]

Most Trump supporters do not even have social media I bet. I know I don't and to be honest I find those numbers absolutely drivel the same way every poll and study was putting the money on Hillary.

 

[Falvlun]

Most Trump supporters do not even have social media I bet. I know I don't and to be honest I find those numbers absolutely drivel the same way every poll and study was putting the money on Hillary.

And Hilary won the popular vote. Trump only won due to a favorable distribution of his votes. So, polls saying that more people preferred Hilary were absolutely correct.

You do understand that if there is a 75% chance of something happening, that means there’s still a 25% chance of that thing not happening, don’t you?

And you understand that just because you might have one instance of polls not working, that does not mean that polls never work, don’t you?

 

[Sha'irullah]

And Hilary won the popular vote. Trump only won due to a favorable distribution of his votes. So, polls saying that more people preferred Hilary were absolutely correct.

You do understand that if there is a 75% chance of something happening, that means there’s still a 25% chance of that thing not happening, don’t you?

And you understand that just because you might have one instance of polls not working, that does not mean that polls never work, don’t you?

I am too lazy to insert an audio clip but just imagine a nice 5 second yawn being placed here: _______.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Most Trump supporters do not even have social media I bet. I know I don't and to be honest I find those numbers absolutely drivel the same way every poll and study was putting the money on Hillary.

As someone who extensively uses social media I can confirm that there is no shortage of Trump supporters. In my neck of the woods swearing off social media is a hipster thing, not a redneck thing.

 

[Falvlun]

I am too lazy to insert an audio clip but just imagine a nice 5 second yawn being placed here: _______.

In other words, you made a dumb comment and can’t be bothered to support it when someone points out it was a dumb comment. Probably because you know it was a dumb comment but you were hoping to get away with it.

 

[Sha'irullah]

As someone who extensively uses social media I can confirm that there is no shortage of Trump supporters. In my neck of the woods swearing off social media is a hipster thing, not a redneck thing.

I am gonna be honest and say that I have never paid social media much attention because I have never been apart of it for anything more than a few weeks or been interested by it. It seems like a massive dead end world for people reaching dead end lifestyles. I got frustrated by Facebook desiring my face be on my account, it is annoying.

Also with what you just said explains why I get called a hipster or hippie a lot actually . My long carefree hair is if anything a statement about how I do not trust barbers and not a hairstyle .