Virus Scares and False Authority Syndrome

Fifth of Five writes: "Ran across this article on the IS-IT-TRUE.org site regarding False Authority Syndrome and the spread of virus misinformation by the media, users and Folks Who Probably Ought To Know Better. If you've ever watched the TV news and gritted your teeth over what is being presented as 'fact' this may shine some light on just how it got to be like this."

Comments

Google Cache of Pages.

[Chmarr]

Here's links to google's cache of all pages:

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Authority is effective

[Have Blue]

Before anyone posts some rant along the lines of ["They should have been smarter"|"They should have known better"|"Why are people so stupid as to fall for this all the time"], they should read this essay on Milgram's studies of authority. It's frightening.

It works the other way, too:

[Bonker]

A few days ago, I was involved in a conversation with a computer neophyte after I had been off the net for a few days.

She told me she had heard of a new CD format that was supposed to copy-protect CD's by making them damage your stereo speakers.

Knowing quite a bit about the Red-book standard, I told her that such a format was impossible and that it was almost certainly a hoax.

Once I got back on the net and read about the Macro-vision scheme now in use in thousands of CD's, I had to call her and tell her that I was mistaken.

Slashdotted - copy here

[Placido]

I love you google cache!

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cache:ahVwga1Oq1o :www.vmyths.com/fas/fas1.cfm+&hl=en (remove the space that /. so helpfully adds. ;)