On: When Fact-Checks Backfire

[richbell]

I think "fact checking" has lost its legitimacy in the eyes of many people — and journalism in general. You can't convince people that something is objective when it has an obvious bias.

Think of The Washinton Post's absurd "fact check" of Bernie Sanders. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/bernie-s...

Granted, we know that some beliefs are incredibly resistant to contradicting evidence, and can even result in people doubling-down (e.g., anti-vax). (Ironically, I don't have a citation for this at hand.)

[delichon → richbell]

The fact that someone can gain credibility by announcing that they are a truth teller explains way too much about the reliability of garden variety human empiricism.

[adamrezich → delichon]

“Fact-checker” is just a sad last-ditch attempt to salvage this “Arbiter of Truth” status from the smoldering remains of the once-respected “journalist” profession.

[susiecambria → richbell]

I agree. But at the same time wonder if there are just some folks who are contrary and use facts when it suits them and ignore them when not.

I know in one case, the person is simply always right. So in this case, it's a personality thing more than a fact thing.