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Fake news, social media, and “The Death of Truth”
We live in an age of alternate facts. More and more Americans are getting their information almost entirely from outlets that echo their own political point of view. And then, of course, there’s social media, where there are few (if any) filters between users and a wide world of misinformation.
For example: On July 13 a sniper came within inches of assassinating Donald Trump as he addressed an outdoor rally in Pennsylvania. Within minutes, social media was alive with uninformed speculation. One woman posted, “Who did it? I bet you it was the government themselves. They’re all on the same side.”
Koppel said, “We have no idea who she is, she has no particular credibility. Why should I even care that she is out there?”
“Because she could potentially have an audience,” said journalist and author Steven Brill. “If the algorithm gives it steam, that could be seen by millions of people.”
And then on X (formerly Twitter), this message: “You’re telling me the Secret Service let a guy climb up on a roof with a rifle only 150 yards from Trump? Inside job.” That message has seven million views and counting.
Brill said, “We’re at a point where nobody believes anything. Truth as a concept is really in trouble. It’s suspect.”
The cumulative impact of the lies and distortions just keeps growing, such that Brill titled his new book “The Death of Truth.” “There are facts,” he said, “and it used to be in this world that people could at least agree on the same set of facts and then they could debate what to do about those facts.”
Knopf
But we’re losing our grip on any sort of shared reality. Brill’s company, NewsGuard, is attempting to put the brakes on. Its 40 or so staffers around the world identify and rate the credibility of online news and information sources.
It’s a finger in the dike, because there’s no price to be paid. Almost 30 years ago, the federal government decided that internet platforms were like the phone company. You can’t sue the phone company for what a caller might say in a phone conversation.
Brill said, “They inserted a three-paragraph section called Section 230, which said that these [internet] publishers would not be responsible for anything that was published in their chat rooms.”
Instead, it left the internet essentially without any enforceable rules. Social media companies exercise only limited control, permitting lies, fake news and intentionally divisive content to proliferate.
The torrent of allegedly Moscow-backed content provoked an angry reaction from the U.S. this past week.
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But most of the damage is home-grown, from national and supposedly local outlets. “There are more fake news sites posing as legitimate local news in the United States than there are news sites of legitimate local newspapers,” said Brill. “There is no monopoly on virtue from either side here. Just to take an example, the most effective fake local news sites are financed by liberal political action committees. And they’re sort of especially self-righteous about it. When I interviewed them, they basically said, ‘Well, the other guys do it, so we’ll do it.’ But it’s undermining democracy.”
And then, Brill points out, we’re just beginning to come to terms with the full potential of artificial intelligence. Note that none of these images is real:
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Brill said, “It disorients everything, because you don’t know if something is a hoax, or is political propaganda, or is a deep fake. You just don’t know what to believe.”
Koppel asked, “In the environment you describe, is it possible for us to have a clean, fair, universally-acceptable election?”
“Your last condition is the one that is, I think, impossible – universally acceptable,” Brill replied. “Forget universally, even modestly acceptable. I have a real fear that one way or another, regardless of the outcome, that the chaos and the disbelief and anger that’s going to prevail on November 6, the day after the election, is really going to put our country to the test.”
READ AN EXCERPT: “The Death of Truth” by Steven Brill
For more info:
Story produced by Dustin Stephens. Editor: Ed Givnish.
See also:
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How to watch the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game today: Livestream options, more
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The Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh is set to the host the Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers game today. The Ravens enter the game with an excellent record of 7-3 so far this season and are coming off of a win against the Cinncinatti Bengals on November 7. But the Steelers have also been playing well this season, entering the game on a four-game winning streak for an overall record of 8-2.
Keep reading to find out how and when to watch the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game today, even if you don’t have cable.
CBS, Paramount+ and CBS Essentials are all subsidiaries of Paramount Global.
How and when to watch the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game today
The Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game will be played on Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT). The NFL football game will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game without cable
While CBS is available with many basic cable packages, you’ll have other viewing options, too. Whether you have cable or have completely cut the cord, the game will be available in a variety of other ways. Just understand that the below streaming options will require the use of an internet provider:
Paramount+: Watch CBS-aired NFL games without cable
With Paramount+ you’ll have multiple viewing options to choose from. You can catch NFL games on the Paramount+ Essential tier for just $7.99 each month or you can watch college football with a Paramount+ with Showtime subscription for $12.99 monthly. In addition to live streams of NFL games airing on CBS, you’ll get to watch additional live sporting events including NCAA college football, PGA Tour golf, soccer and more.
Get started with Paramount+ here today.
Amazon Prime Video: Add Paramount+ to your existing subscription
Already have an Amazon Prime Video account? Simply add Paramount+ to your current subscription to watch all the CBS-aired NFL games in addition to Paramount+ originals. The same prices from above apply, depending on which tier you choose. Not sure which is best for you? Don’t worry. Both options come with a free seven-day trial that can help you decide.
Watch the Ravens-Steelers game on Amazon Prime Video.
Fubo: Watch the Ravens-Steelers game for free
Looking for an inexpensive way to watch football? Fubo could be the best way to do so. The live TV streamer is currently offering a seven-day free trial and $30 off of your first month’s subscription. Once subscribed, you’ll gain access to all of their live sporting events immediately. And there will be a lot to choose from. Not only does Fubo come with access to NFL games airing on your local CBS channel, it also includes Fox Sunday NFC games, “Sunday Night Football” on NBC, “Monday Night Football” on ABC and ESPN and all of the games that air on the NFL Network. So don’t wait.
Get started with Fubo online now.
As the football season ramps up you may want to stock up on the latest NFL gear and merchandise. Fanatics is a great way to do so. With the latest player apparel and more, there’s plenty of stuff in stock to keep you covered this season. But don’t wait much longer. As each week in the season passes by competition for this limited merchandise will increase. Don’t wait for it to sell out.
Head over to Fanatics now to check out the latest NFL fan gear drop.
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How to watch the Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Green Bay Packers will be facing off with the Chicago Bears today. With a 6-3 record, the Packers have had a solid season overall so far this year, but are coming off of a tough 24-14 loss in last week’s game against the Detroit Lions. The Packers will be looking to recover with a win against the Bears, who have had a tough season so far with a 5-4 record and a three-game losing streak, including last week’s 19-3 loss against the New England Patriots.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears
The Packers vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch Fox through several streaming services if it’s not included in your cable package or if you don’t have cable. All you need is an internet connection and the top options outlined below.
Fubo, a contract-free live TV streaming service offering comprehensive sports coverage, gives you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
One of the most cost-effective ways to watch major sporting events is through a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier ($60/month, currently half-off first month at $30), which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games, and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
You can watch NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
If you want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone, the NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.