Newsguard

h4rm0ny · 11 Jan 2019 at 12:02

https://www.rt.com/usa/448555-newsguard-app-fake-news/

The people behind this appear to have a lot of US intelligence and government ties. They're pushing for it to be installed by default in libraries and universities. USA has pretty strong Freedom of Speech laws, but nothing says they can't put up a big scary red message if you get news from somewhere they don't approve of.

Marmot · 11 Jan 2019 at 12:08

Good.

What does it say about RT?

h4rm0ny · 11 Jan 2019 at 12:17

Marmot said:
Good.

What does it say about RT?

Unsurprisingly, it flags it with a big red box - what did you expect? Of more concern is the way equally propagandistic sites will get a Green validation assurance to the user if they happen to align with the right views. If you want to know what another country is doing wrong, read your own news. If you want to know what your country is doing wrong, read another's. Everybody points out only other's faults, so you visit a selection.

Marmot · 11 Jan 2019 at 12:29

But I mean it doesn't really matter does it. Because people don't actually believe the rubbish on RT unless they're pants on head. The western 'news' is always negative, the Russia 'news' is always positive. The homepage always has a new story about how the world is dumping the dollar and how palladium prices are soaring. The comments sections are filled with antisemitism, moon landing denials, deep state conspiracy and all kinds of equally brainless drivel. I don't need a traffic light system to tell me RT is bad for me, the same way I don't need a traffic light system when deciding whether or not to buy a microwave hot dog.

glenimp617 · 11 Jan 2019 at 12:35

Marmot said:
I don't need a traffic light system to tell me RT is bad for me, the same way I don't need a traffic light system when deciding whether or not to buy a microwave hot dog.

This isn't about you. Whilst you may know a cheap £1.50 hot dog is bad for you, many don't. It's worse with news.

StriderX · 11 Jan 2019 at 12:38

Oh great an RT thread, I hope the forum bans it at some point.

h4rm0ny · 11 Jan 2019 at 12:50

Marmot said:
But I mean it doesn't really matter does it. Because people don't actually believe the rubbish on RT unless they're pants on head. The western 'news' is always negative, the Russia 'news' is always positive. The homepage always has a new story about how the world is dumping the dollar and how palladium prices are soaring. The comments sections are filled with antisemitism, moon landing denials, deep state conspiracy and all kinds of equally brainless drivel. I don't need a traffic light system to tell me RT is bad for me, the same way I don't need a traffic light system when deciding whether or not to buy a microwave hot dog.

Do you want US intelligence services prejudicing what news people receive and believe? And if you believe that you're smart enough to be immune to such, do you want them having that power on the general population? What about when this goes beyond a red box on the page and the ratings are used to vanish sites from search results or invalidate their use as citations? Both of which are on the cards. I'm not asking you if you trust RT, I'm asking you if you trust the CIA and NSA.

StriderX · 11 Jan 2019 at 13:27

Lol we have a huge chunk of Americans who just vote for the GOP to "hurt the right people", they deserve to be told what they need to be told. Most people dont even deserve the vote on the grounds of this emotion based twaddle that's consumed the west.