Vent: I was sharing flagged content without realizing the source was fake

Last month I reposted a screenshot from a news site about a politician getting censored in India. Turns out the whole article was generated by a bot farm in Bangladesh. A guy on here messaged me with a link to a fact check that proved it was fabricated. I felt stupid because I usually check sources but I was so outraged I skipped that step. Now I realize I was spreading misinformation while thinking I was fighting censorship. Has anyone else fallen for something that looked real but turned out to be planted?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant.jason19d ago

I literally did that same thing with a viral protest photo that turned out to be from an old rally in a different country.

the_mary19d ago

Remember that fake news often spreads fastest among people trying to do good. I've noticed a pattern where activist accounts share content that triggers strong emotions because that stuff spreads like wildfire without anyone checking first. The people running those bot farms know exactly how to push our buttons. Next time you feel that rush of anger or righteous outrage, pause for a minute and run the story through a fact checker before you hit share. Your mileage may vary but I've found that waiting even ten minutes helps me think clearer.