We should apply the lessons we're all learning from real world epidemiology against all the harmful memes:<p>- use masks => use adblock to avoid contaminants<p>- cleaning => regularly review who you follow. You're allowing them write access to your brain, and there's some evidence that the subconscious hangs on to ideas even if you intellectually know they're not true<p>- social distancing => mute, block, or defriend superspreaders<p>- testing => get things checked by a credible authority that's outside the disinfo bubble<p>- self-isolation => get off Facebook and encourage others to do so, unless you've already managed to disinfect your feed to an adequate extent<p>The virus merely gains life from spreading. The disinformation is being actively injected by political actors, some of whom (but absolutely not all or even a majority!) are sponsored by hostile governments; and also by profiteers. The "bleach drinking" thing didn't come from nowhere, there's a group out there selling it as "miracle mineral solution". Straight old fashioned toxic snake oil vendors who want your money and don't care about killing you or your family.<p>Stay safe.
For many years, I resisted from using Facebook. Recently, I started using it more to connect with friends and family.<p>And holy shit. The amount of misinformation, fake news, and conspiracy theories on Facebook is insane. Facebook is a machine that breeds extremists.<p>I now understand the #deleteFacebook movement much more where I previously thought it wasn't a big deal.
I wish more people and outlets would correctly use the terms "misinformation" and "disinformation".<p>I understand that they've come to mean the same thing, but the latter term makes the intent behind the content these refer to much more clear.<p><a href="https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/163857/what-exactly-is-the-difference-between-misinformation-and-disinformation" rel="nofollow">https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/163857/what-exac...</a>
People have no business complaining about misinformation while accepting religion. Religions are of course far more dangerous than "5G causes coronavirus". But somehow it's now taboo to criticize religions and feels like we're heading back to the bad old days of blasphemy being a crime.