>>>
>>> WELCOME BACK. SNOPES.COM IS THE OLDEST FACT
CHECKING SITE ONLINE.
IT LAUNCHED IN 1994 BEFORE
MOST PEOPLE WERE EVEN
CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET.
THIS SUMMER IN OUR VIEWER
SURVEY WE ASKED HOW MUCH OF A
PROBLEM IS FAKE NEWS?
YOU RATED IT A 3.9 OUT OF 5.
WE WENT TO THE FOUNDER OF
SNOPES TO FIND OUT WHAT HIS
RATING WOULD BE.
>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS
PARTICULAR MOMENT IN TIME, I
WOULD PROBABLY PUT IT
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND
FIVE RANGE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW
WE ARE DEALING WITH A GLOBAL
PANDEMIC.
PANDEMIC.
PANDEMIC. WE ARE DEALING WITH PROLONGED
PROTESTS ALL ACROSS THE UNITED
STATES ON RACIAL ISSUES WITH
UNFORTUNATELY VIOLENCE AND
CRIMES ON BOTH SIDES.
WE ARE DEALING WITH A
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WHICH IS
ALWAYS KIND OF LIKE A BOOM
TIME FOR US.
BUT THIS IS A PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT ELECTION AS THINGS
GO.
GO.
GO. ALL
GO. ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING AT
THE SAME TIME.
ALL OF THIS IS ALL KINDS OF
MISINFORMATION.
MISINFORMATION. SOME OF OF IT IS LITERALLY
LIFE ALTERING, LIFE
THREATENING, PEOPLE TAKING
ADVICE ABOUT WHAT TO DO DURING
A PANDEMIC.
A PANDEMIC. SALTY INFORMATION ON THE
INTERNET, THAT'S NOT A VERY
GOOD THING.
GOOD THING. IT HAS REAL WORLD CONSEQUENCES
WILL EVER WHAT ARE TIPS FOR
HOW YOU CAN HAVE ON PEOPLE
ABOUT HOW THEY CAN BE BETTER
FACT CHECKERS OF INFORMATION?
>> ONE OF THE BIG ONES, IT IS
UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE TO
SAY THIS, BUT DISTINGUISHING
FACT FROM SAY OPINION.
WHEN YOU ARE READING AN
ARTICLE IS IT PRESENTING
FACTUAL INFORMATION?
FACTUAL INFORMATION? IS IT REPORTING ON SOMETHING?
OR IS IT GIVING YOU BASICALLY
SOMEONE'S VIEW POINT ON
SOMETHING WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT
BE FACTUALLY BASED.
IS WHAT YOU ARE READING
INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED BY
MORE THAN ONE SOURCE?
IF AN ASTEROID REALLY WERE
ABOUT TO SMASH INTO EARTH AND
OBLITERATE ALL LIFE YOU WOULD
PROBABLY BE SEEING IT MORE
THAN ONE PLACE THAN SOME
OBSCURE BLOG.
OBSCURE BLOG. THE MORE IMPORTANT THE NEWS,
THE MORE PLACES YOU SHOULD SEE
IT.
IT.
IT. A
IT. A LOT
IT. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TRIPPED UP
IN SEEING THINGS THEY DON'T
REALIZE ARE OLD NEWS.
PEOPLE ARE RECYCLING ARTICLES
FROM SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
EITHER THEY'RE NOT CLICKING
THROUGH SAY IF IT IS POSTED ON
SOCIAL MEDIA TO SEE THE DATE
WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY
PUBLISHED.
PUBLISHED. THEY CAN BE MISLED BY
SOMETHING OUTDATED, NO LONGER
HAPPENING.
HAPPENING. >> THOSE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD
TIPS.
TIPS.
TIPS. IT
TIPS. IT SEEMS BASIC BUT THE IDEA OF
SEPARATING FACT FROM OPINION.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> IT ACTUALLY HAS BECOME
BLURRED I THINK FOR A LOT OF
US.
US.
US. >>
US. >> IT
US. >> IT HAS.
THERE IS NO ONE SINGLE
CULPRIT.
CULPRIT.
CULPRIT. ONE EXAMPLE IS THE RISE OF THE
24 HOUR NEWS KNELT WORKS THAT
PROLIFERATE ON CABLE
TELEVISION.
TELEVISION. THEY NEED TO FILL 24 BY 7
PROGRAMMING AND THERE ISN'T
ENOUGH NEWS OF SIGNIFICANCE TO
FILL THE AIR TIME.
SO YOU TEND TO GET ABOUT MAYBE
5% NEWS AND95% PEOPLE
DISCUSSING, ANALYZING,
DISCUSSING, ANALYZING, OFFERING COMMENTARY ON THE
NEWS AND IT REALLY KIND OF HAS
BLURRED THE LINE BETWEEN WHAT
IS NEWS REPORTING AND WHAT IS
JUST OPINION COMMENTARY.
>> I HAVE TO ASK THIS QUESTION
BECAUSE SOME SURVEY
RESPONDENTS THOUGHT SNOPES
MIGHT BE BIASED?
>> CERTAINLY WE HAVE OUR FAIR
SHARE OF CRITICS THAT CLAIM WE
ARE BIASED.
ARE BIASED. PEOPLE ACCUSE US OF BEING
BIASED IN FAVOR OF JOE BIDEN.
PEOPLE ACCUSE US OF BEING
BIASED TO FAVOR DONALD TRUMP.
WE CAN'T HAVE EVERY
CONCEIVABLE BIAS.
CONCEIVABLE BIAS. ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THAT
WOULD BE NEUTRAL.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. TWO DIFFERENT TAKES ON IT,
SAME SITE.
SAME SITE. >> IT'S KIND OF AN
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD THAT THE
OVERWHELMING BULK OF WHAT WE
ARE WRITING ABOUT IS STUFF
THAT IS FOR THE MOST PART NOT
TRUE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
GARNERS PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.
>> FAIR ENOUGH.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU
WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW?
>> YOU CAN'T REALLY RELY ON
JUST ONE SOURCE TO GIVE YOU
THE TRUTH.
THE TRUTH. NOT EVEN US.
YOU REALLY HAVE TO MANAGE YOUR
INFORMATION, MAKE SURE YOU ARE
GETTING INFORMATION FROM
MULTIPLE SOURCES, FROM
BALANCED SOURCES, FROM
RELIABLE SOURCES, CAN'T JUST
EXPECT THAT WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA
IS SHOWING YOU MEETS ANY OF
THE CRITERIA.
THE CRITERIA. THEY'RE TRYING TO SHOW YOU
STUFF THAT WILL GET YOU TO
STAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS LONG
AS POSSIBLE REGARDLESS OF ITS
RELIABILITY.
RELIABILITY. >> GREAT ADVICE.
I HAVE TO SAY 25 PLUS YEARS
GOING AT THIS POINT FOR
SNOPES, THAT IS QUITE AN
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
ACCOMPLISHMENT. WHAT KEEPS YOU DRIVEN?
>> I THINK THE MOST PART IT IS
JUST SORT OF A PUBLIC SERVICE
MOTIVATION.
MOTIVATION. IT'S A HIGHLY NEEDED SERVICE,
AND IT IS ONE THAT PEOPLE
DEPEND ON.
DEPEND ON. WE JUST GET SO MANY COMMENTS
FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SO
APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK WE DO
AND THE VALUE IT PROVIDE TO
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. IT'S HARD NOT TO BE MOTIVATED
AND TO WANT TO WALK AWAY FROM
THAT.
THAT.
THAT. >>
THAT. >> DAVID IS PARTICIPATING IN
AARP SPEAKER SERIES SORTING
FACT FROM FICTION WHERE
THEY'LL BE TAKING DEEPER DIVES
INTO SOME OF THE TOPICS WE ARE
DISCUSSING.
DISCUSSING. IT IS AN ONLINE EVENT SPREAD
OUT OVER A FEW DAYS.
PREREGISTER ONLINE.
PREREGISTER ONLINE. IT IS FREE AND OPEN TO
EVERYONE.
EVERYONE.
EVERYONE. >> HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN
SOMEONE IS LYING?
DO YOU HAVE SOME TRICKS?
WE WILL TALK ABOUT WHO IS
TELLING THE TRUTH.
I WILL ALSO ASK STANFORD
PROFESSOR JEFFERY HANCOCK IF
EVERYBODY LIES.
EVERYBODY LIES. >> IT SEEMS QUITE A FEW OF US
KNOW SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN
SCAMMED.
SCAMMED.
SCAMMED. IN OUR SURVEY MORE THAN
>>>
>>> WE
>>> WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT MISINFORMATION AND TRUST.
WHO CAN YOU TRUST?
RATHER, WHO SHOULD YOU TRUST?
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
SOCIAL MEDIA.
SOCIAL MEDIA. IS EVERYONE LYING?
HOW CAN YOU TELL?
STANFORD PROFESSOR JEFFERY
HANCOCK SAYS THAT'S A TOUGH
ONE.
ONE.
ONE. DOES
ONE. DOES EVERYBODY LIE?
WHY DO PEOPLE DO IT?
>> EVERYBODY DOES LIE.
THERE IS A LOT OF WORK.
>> I STAND FOR TRUTH!
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
>> LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY.
MOST PEOPLE LIE A LITTLE BIT.
A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIE A
LOT.
LOT.
LOT. WE
LOT. WE CALL THOSE FOLKS PROLIFIC
LIARS.
LIARS.
LIARS. WHEN WE LOOK, WE RECORD PEOPLE
LYING SAY OVER A WEEK OR ASK
IN SURVEYS DID YOU LIE
YESTERDAY?
YESTERDAY? MOST PEOPLE LIE ONCE OR LESS
IN A DAY.
IN A DAY.
IN A DAY. THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE, A
SMALL PERCENTAGE, THAT WILL
LIE A LOT OF TIMES.
ONE QUESTION IS ARE PROLIFIC
LIARS ALWAYS PROLIFIC LIARS?
PROBABLY.
PROBABLY.
PROBABLY. >> CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT'S
KNOWN AS DECEPTION CONSENSUS
EFFECT?
EFFECT?
EFFECT? >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. THIS IS SUPER COOL.
I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IN.
IT MIGHT EXPLAIN SOME OF THE
WAYS POLITICIANS OF DIFFERENT
KINDS INTERACT.
KINDS INTERACT. IF I AM A LIAR THAT LIES A
LOT, THEN I ASSUME THAT OTHER
PEOPLE ALSO LIE MORE
FREQUENTLY.
FREQUENTLY. WE WOULD ASK PEOPLE HOW OFTEN
DID YOU LIE IN YOUR LAST 100
TEXT MESSAGES?
TEXT MESSAGES? WE GET THEM TO RATE THEIR
PARTNER'S TEXT MESSAGES SENT
TO THEM.
TO THEM.
TO THEM. PEOPLE THAT LIED MORE ALSO
THOUGHT THEIR PARTNERS WERE
LYING MORE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS
COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO HOW
MUCH THE PARTNER WAS ACTUALLY
LYING.
LYING.
LYING. IF
LYING. IF YOU ARE AN HONEST PERSON,
THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU BELIEVE
OTHER PEOPLE.
OTHER PEOPLE. THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE MOST OF
THE TIME MOST PEOPLE ARE BEING
HONEST.
HONEST.
HONEST. IF YOU SAID HONEST, HONEST,
HONEST, HONEST, HONEST, YOU
WOULD BE RIGHT MOST OF THE
TIME.
TIME.
TIME. WE
TIME. WE TEND TO TELL THE TRUTH AT
LYSE IN TEXT MESSING WELL OVER
93 OR 94%.
IF YOU ARE ONE OF THE PROLIFIC
LIARS YOU WILL BE CONSTANTLY
SUSPICIOUS OF OTHER PEOPLE.
WE SEE IN POLITICAL SPEECH
POLITICIANS THAT LIE A LOT
TEND TO ACCUSE THEIR OPPONENTS
OF LYING A LOT.
>> THEY'RE PROJECTING.
>> EXACTLY.
>> EXACTLY. CLASSIC PROJECTION.
CLASSIC PROJECTION. THERE IS THEIR PUNISHMENT.
>> HAS SOCIAL MEDIA MADE US
MORE DISHONEST OR LESS?
>> IF IT'S ME AND PART TIME I
KNOW, IF IT'S MY WIFE OR
ANGELA MY NEW FRIEND, WE HAVE
FOUND SOCIAL MEDIA DOESN'T
HAVE OVERALL EFFECT ON HOW
MUCH WE WOULD LIE TO PEOPLE IN
INTERPERSONAL OR KNOWN
NETWORK.
NETWORK.
NETWORK. HOWEVER THE UNKNOWN NETWORK,
PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T KNOW,
THIS COULD BE SOMEBODY TRYING
TO SELL SOMETHING, COULD BE
SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO GET TO
KNOW US, COULD BE A RUSSIAN
DISINFORMATION AGENT.
DISINFORMATION AGENT. THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE
CONTACTING US FROM OUR UNKNOWN
NETWORK, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY
TO BE DECEPTIVE TO US.
IT'S SORT OF THE DOUBLE EDGED
SWORD OF SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE CAN BE CONNECTED WITH SO
MANY PEOPLE WHICH IS ITS
POWER.
POWER.
POWER. IT
POWER. IT ALSO ALLOWS THE PEOPLE THAT
WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US
AND MANIPULATE US.
>> HOW DO WE PROTECT OURSELVES
FROM BEING DECEIVED?
>> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, I
THINK, IN SOCIAL MEDIA ANYWAY,
IS TO KNOW WHO AND WHERE
MESSAGES ARE COMING FROM.
IF I SEE SOMETHING FROM ANGELA
FOR EXAMPLE, I SHOULD TREAT
THAT WITH THE SAME TRUST I
WOULD TREAT IT IF I WAS
TALKING TO ANGELA.
IF IT'S FROM SOMEBODY THAT I
DON'T KNOW OR IT'S FROM A NEWS
SOURCE I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF,
WE SHOULD BE 100% SUSPICION
RAISED.
RAISED.
RAISED. IT MAKES SENSE.
FACE TO FACE, IF SOME STRANGER
CAME UP TO US AND WE WERE
TALKING WE WOULD ORIENT OUR
BODIES AS TO WHETHER THE
STRANGER CAN APPROACH OR NOT
APPROACH.
APPROACH.
APPROACH. ONLINE IT IS TRICKIER.
WE HAVE TO DO MORE WORK.
THAT'S ONE OF THE HARDEST
THINGS.
THINGS.
THINGS. PEOPLE HAVE TO LEARN TO
DISTINGUISH PEOPLE WE KNOW
FROM PEOPLE WE DON'T KNOW.
WHEN WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT AGE
GROUPS, OLDER FOLKS REALLY
STRUGGLE WITH THIS DISRUPTION
OF THE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN
NETWORK.
NETWORK.
NETWORK. THAT'S ONE THING THEY REALLY
HAVE TO WORK ON AND BECOME
BETTER SKILLED AT.
>> SUCH A GREAT CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU PROFESSOR HANCOCK.
HE HAS A LOT MORE FASCINATING
INFORMATION TO SHARE WHEN IT
COMES TO IDENTIFYING THE
TRUTH.
TRUTH.
TRUTH. WE'LL BE HOSTING A SESSION IN