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Digging For Truth Online Is Up To You

Posted by timothy on from the and-here's-a-shovel dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has released the second annual report on obstacles to the free flow of information online. Vint Cerf wrote the forward, where he argues it is the responsibility of every citizen to test the truth of information on the Web, and draw attention to incorrect information, rather than the government's responsibility to dictate the 'truth.' ZDNet Australia has an article on the report."

2 of 124 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Government control of speech on the internet by pubjames · · Score: 5, Informative

    Interestingly, the German geovernment...

    The US government isn't any saint when it comes to stifling free speech. The only difference is that the US government does it in an underhand way using whatever tactics it can to bully or coherce to get what it wants, rather than by using laws. Which is better? At least with laws it is out in the open and gets discussed in a transparent manner.

    A worrying development: Bush's government are trying to coherce NGOs to promote positive views of the government and the USA, saying that NGOs (that's Non-Governmental Organisations) are just another arm of the government. Read more here:

    Now Bush wants to buy the complicity of aid workers

  2. How to Detect Bullshit (A Very Simple Guide) by SilentMajority · · Score: 3, Informative
    After you read this simple guide to bullshit detection , you'll be shocked to see how much of the 10 common propaganda techniques we are exposed to daily from managers, media, and even friends who sometimes don't even realize they're using these specific propaganda techniques.

    I rediscovered this guide today after many years and had a good laugh when I ran into a few of the propaganda techniques after lunch.

    After 15-30 minutes reading this guide, you'll be amused if you practice it on:
    1. Fox News Channel (easy place to start for beginners--you can sometimes detect 5 different techniques within a few minutes)
    2. Slashdot Posts (if you're into picking apart someone's flawed argument, you'll become a pro)
    3. CNN Crossfire (watch 2 pros battle each other using these techniques)

    IMHO, they should teach this (bullshit detection) in high school and assign homework to find specific examples of common propaganda techniques in advertising, news media, etc. Can you detect which one(s), if any, I'm using in this post?

    Index of 10 common techniques

    Word games
    ....Name-calling
    ....Glittering generalities
    ....Euphemisms

    False connections
    ....Transfer
    ....Testimonial

    Special Appeals
    ....Plain Folks
    ....Bandwagon
    ....Fear

    Logical fallacies
    ....Bad Logic or propaganda?
    ....Unwarranted extrapolation

    Source: http://www.propagandacritic.com/