PSA: Check something is true before sharing it online.

AlwaysThinking

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 8:02 am

Quite a few of my friends share things on facebook that aren't true. If you've ever seen the website snopes, you'll know the kind of thing I'm talking about.

It's misinformation.

I can't stand seeing people commenting, 'wow, I never knew that,' etc., and sharing the item themselves, spreading the lies around the web even further.

Do you think it is rude to comment and let someone know they posted something that isn't true? Link to snopes, perhaps?

Some of my more gullible friends literally post these things the whole time, so I can't comment every time, that would be mean.

What's your view?

gp2.0

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 8:13 am

I correct family and friends with snopes so often that they have started sending me weird stuff just because they'll know I'll check it out within minutes. I believe nothing immediately without further research.

morah

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 8:14 am

I do post the snopes link in the comments. I'm also one of those grammar mavens that everyone hates. I'm not so fun to hang out with on fb. But no ones unfriended me yet, so I can't be that bad.

Last edited by morah on Thu, Dec 26 2013, 3:51 pm; edited 1 time in total

watergirl

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 8:33 am

I actually get a kick out of linking the snopes proof to someones fb post when its applicable. And I would love to be able to find something on snopes for a current imamother posting....

http://imamother.com/forum/vie.....32755

Which has a link to an article
http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.c......html

Which is for sure, with out a doubt, a new urban legend gone amok.

SplitPea

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 8:34 am

Wish snopes would look into things rabbi's say Smile

wouldn't that be nice. You see a crazy pasak that is really weird and you wanna check it out and you can look on snopes and see if its true!

watergirl

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 8:43 am

Splitpea, ergo the post I made a week or so ago about shomer negia and siblings (although I think I did it anon. Oh well). One lady repeated something as halacha and made a panic at work until I had her rabbi, who was also her DH, explain to her that it isnt halacha as she understood it.

Splitpea, you know where I work (lets not out me though!). Do you have any idea how many customers I have coming in and making crazy demands because a friend told them its halacha? Its nuts.

Lets all remember to check for ourselves with our own LOR before passing things along!

FranticFrummie

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 8:46 am

I miss my mom. She was such a sucker for all those crazy emails, and of course sent them to everyone in our whole family tree.

Of course I sent her the snopes links. Wink

She'd just laugh.

morah

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 9:33 am

SplitPea wrote:

Wish snopes would look into things rabbi's say Smile

wouldn't that be nice. You see a crazy pasak that is really weird and you wanna check it out and you can look on snopes and see if its true!

I've always said we totally need a Jewish snopes. Not just for what was mentioned, but also for all those urban legend stories (like the one about the BY girls in the ghetto).

Yocheved84

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 9:40 am

I always say to correct the record. People's lives (and livelihoods) have been ruined by the spread of false information. So on that basis alone, I would correct someone.
And of course, correcting even benign information (Washington's birthday, 1+1=9, lol) is always a good thing, so long as you say it nicely and end your sentence with an emotion smiley-face. Smile

zaq

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 9:53 am

I look the posts up on snopes and then inform whoever sent me the item. With habitual offenders I no longer bother, because they're clearly not listening.

bigsis144

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 10:02 am

Another chain-email killer here.

I'm not on facebook, but I can't imagine how I'd deal with some people's idiocy and gullibility... I don't know whether I'd really respond to every wackadoodle story or just ignore and refuse to "like".

Fox

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 10:03 am

Couldn't help but think of Weird Al Yankovic's classic:

(Note: language is a off-color, so be forewarned!)

"Stop Forwarding . . . "

oliveoil

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 10:05 am

I always wonder how there can be SOOO many idiots who believe anything without doing even the tiniest bit of research. I do usually point it out, but I've come to realize that some people actually just don't care.

There was a picture going around after that snowstorm in Jerusalem the other week with the tag line "The road leading to Yerushalayim." Beautiful snowy picture but it sure didn't look like Israel (and it was obvious even to me who has never been to Israel!). A quick search showed the picture had been around way before that Jerusalem snow and was from somewhere in Russia. When I pointed it out, I was told, "Who cares? It's a beautiful picture." Seriously?! Who cares? I felt like saying, "Your name is Sandra but I'll call you Molly. It's not your name? Who cares, it's a pretty name!" (names made up)

gp2.0

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 10:05 am

morah wrote:

SplitPea wrote:

Wish snopes would look into things rabbi's say Smile

wouldn't that be nice. You see a crazy pasak that is really weird and you wanna check it out and you can look on snopes and see if its true!

I've always said we totally need a Jewish snopes. Not just for what was mentioned, but also for all those urban legend stories (like the one about the BY girls in the ghetto).

Can someone please do this??? It could be so awesome. Very Happy

AlwaysThinking

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 10:28 am

Ah, I'm so glad I'm not alone. What a remarkably intelligent, inquisitive bunch of imamothers we have here! Wink

Although most of the habitual offenders would see the snopes link, look at it, and go, 'Huh? I don't get it.'

Fox - I love Weird Al and that one does NOT disappoint!

I once read a Dvar Torah by Rabbi Eisenman from NJ. He said there should be a schelps.com for debunking shtetl legends Smile

rising hero

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 10:37 am

morah wrote:

I do post the snopes link in the comments. I'm also one of those grammar nazis that everyone hates. I'm not so fun to hang out with on fb. But no ones unfriended me yet, so I can't be that bad.

Nope. I guess you're not... Very Happy

Sherri

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 10:48 am

watergirl wrote:

I was thinking about this thread and snopes...

morah

Thu, Dec 26 2013, 11:24 am

Madam F. wrote:

morah wrote:

I do post the snopes link in the comments. I'm also one of those grammar nazis that everyone hates. I'm not so fun to hang out with on fb. But no ones unfriended me yet, so I can't be that bad.

Nope. I guess you're not... Very Happy

Darn it, smartphone typing! That's the real reason smartphones should be assur!