Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Bill Clinton Suggests Internet Fact Agency

Posted by Soulskill on from the it's-true-i-read-it-on-the-internet dept.

eldavojohn writes "Friday on CNBC, Bill Clinton gave an interview that is causing some unrest on popular news sites today. When asked if there is a role for government in terms of ensuring that the information out there is accurate, he replied, 'Well, I think it would be a legitimate thing to do. ... If the government were involved, I think you'd have to do two things ... I think number one, you'd have to be totally transparent about where the money came from. And number two, you would have to make it independent. ... let's say the US did it; it would have to be an independent federal agency that no president could countermand or anything else because people wouldn't think you were just censoring the news and giving a different falsehood out. That is, it would be like, I don't know, National Public Radio or BBC or something like that, except it would have to be really independent and they would not express opinions, and their mandate would be narrowly confined to identifying relevant factual errors. And also, they would also have to have citations so that they could be checked in case they made a mistake.' His statements have elicited responses ranging from a Ministry of Truth a la 1984 to discussion of genuine concern about internet rumors and falsehoods."

9 of 336 comments (clear)

  1. FANTASTIC idea! by Dr.Bob,DC · · Score: 5, Funny


    This is a superb idea, the internet is so full of half-truths and outright lies it makes my head spin.

    A prime example was the flood of pro-vaccine nonsense that was obviously spread by Big Pharma soon after Dr. Andrew Wakefield's brilliant research into vaccine-caused autism was all but shredded. Alternative medicine caregivers (homeopaths, chiropractors, naturopaths, accupuncurists, among others) have all been treating vaccine induced autism. WE'RE IN THE FRONT LINES! But some well placed lies soon spread as truth.

    How about another? The LIES that Chiropractic neck manipulation can cause strokes. How do they know? They don't! This LIE was conceived by BIG PHARMA. They sell all the OtC pain remedies to unsuspecting sheep. Neck (Cervical) manipulation has cured MILLIONS of people of chronic headaches, migraine, sinus blockages and other maladies that BIG PHARMA sells you drugs for.

    Sorry if this comes across as a rant, I'm only allowed to post two times a day. This is because of the BIG PHARMA drug pushers who constantly vote me down rather than have a proper, adult discussion with me.

    The sooner they get someone in power who can regulate the internet, not some fancy 'scientist', but a true medial professional, the better.

    Take care,
    Bob

    --
    Chiropractic Saves Lives!
  2. Just a rumor by kenholm3 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Bill Clinton didn't say this.

    --
    God is good all the time! -K
  3. The easier way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Instead of changing people's minds to think that the "fact" isn't true, It would be easier for the government agency to change the world so that the fact becomes true.

  4. Suggested Categories for Facts by scruffy · · Score: 3, Funny

    1. Known knowns

    2. Known unknowns

    3. Unknown knowns

    4. Unknown unknowns

    1. Re:Suggested Categories for Facts by benjamindees · · Score: 3, Funny

      What facts would you put in categories 3 and 4, given that they're unknown by their very nature?

      Easy, that's where we put the army of nuclear-powered Mooslim jihadi supermen living underground waiting to emerge and destroy our freedoms.

      At best you could have 3.

      You sound like a terrorist.

      --
      "I assumed blithely that there were no elves out there in the darkness"
  5. Facts have a Liberal Bias by CokeBear · · Score: 3, Funny

    Such an agency would be inherently biased, because as Stephen Colbert has taught us, the facts and reality have a liberal bias!

    --
    Reality has a liberal bias
    1. Re:Facts have a Liberal Bias by CokeBear · · Score: 1, Funny

      (Its been a while since I posted, and I really did forget what my sig said)

      --
      Reality has a liberal bias
  6. Re:Bring Back The Fairness Doctorine by flaming+error · · Score: 3, Funny

    > Most self-identified libertarians are much
    > wackier than Ron Paul.

    And most self-identified democrats are much wackier than Howard Dean, and most self-identified republicans are much wackier than Newt Gingrich.. What's your point?

  7. Re:wikipedia by owlnation · · Score: 3, Funny

    I have yet to see that Wikipedia. I go to the one with people collaborating on making articles better. Yes, occasionally a jerk comes along and tries to push a particular point of view, but they generally come to their senses quickly or just go away, often after being blocked from editing.

    Where is that wikipedia? I didn't know there were two of them. What's the url? I can only find the one run by jackbooted, book-burning cliquish friends of Jimbo for their own ends and profit. And that one is pretty useless.

    But hold on, "blocked from editing"? Could these be the same wikipedias? Looks like they could be. Are you a friend of Jimbo?