Adam Blackwell from ProQuest - research into fake news

1. It’s a far bigger problem than you thought!
London South Bank University
June 5, 2018
Adam Blackwell
Good
Fake
THE NEWS
ABOUT NEWS:

2. Introduction
2
Me
Utah
ProQuest
Cambridge

3. Presentations of materials
3
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

4. Part one
4
the model

5. Research: quantifying proliferation of fake news talk
5Figures are taken from search of newspaper content in ProQuest (8/23/2017)
20 Jan 2009 – 21 July 2016 20 Jan 2017 – 22 Aug 2017
1.4
177.1
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
120.0
140.0
160.0
180.0
200.0
Number of articles mentioning fake news (per day)

6. Research: defining fake news
6
web.stanford.edu/~gentzkow/research/fakenews.pdf
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

7. Research: distinguishing biased from fake
7
breitbart.com endingthefed.com

8. Research: distinguishing satire from fake
8
theonion.com/?startTime=1527089160831

9. Research: parallel shift in political rhetoric
9
nytimes.com/2016/10/19/us/politics/presidential-debate.html nytimes.com/slideshow/2016/10/20/us/the-third-presidential-debate/s/21debate0ss-slide-RY4U.html

10. Research: John Lott scandal
10
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo6686900.html openclipart.org/detail/236749/female-student-portrait twitter.com/mary_uh_rosh

11. Research: John Lott scandal
11
foxnews.com/opinion/2014/08/06/dear-
dartmouth-am-one-your-students-am-being-
stalked-please-let-me-carry-gun-to.html
archive.is/9HZ7w
scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2003/07/11/lottreviews

12. Research: John Lott scandal
12
hausrules.us/hausrules-monday-guest-more-guns-less-crime-author-john-r-lott-jr

13. Research: why academics cite Lott
13
Because they
want to.

14. Research: studies demonstrate we believe what we want
14

15. Research: my pro-pot student
15
flickr.com/photos/dannybirchall/6371778045

16. Research: Bacon nails it
16
“The human understanding,
once it has adopted opinions,
either because they were
already accepted and believed,
or because it likes them,
draws everything else to
support and agree with them.”
– Sir Francis Bacon (1620)

17. Recommendations
17against-the-grain.com
Op-ed in Against the Grain
v29, #26, p. 50

18. Part two
18
the test

19. Mormonism
19
Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah
lds.org/media-library/images/category/salt-lake-utah-temple

20. Mormonism: nice people, lots of wives
20
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND goo.gl/images/F6LenQ

21. Mormonism: priesthood ban
21
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC lds.org/church/events/worldwide-priesthood-celebration

22. Mormonism: official Church essay
22
lds.org/topics/race-and-the-priesthood

23. Mormonism: a stunning apology
23

24. Mormonism: a powerful response
24

25. Mormonism: too bad it was a fake
25

26. What was it?
26
Parody?
Satire?Fake news

27. Streeter fake news validates model
27
Statement was easily and straightforwardly contradicted
by known and easily obtained facts
Streeter intentionally deceived and (initially) seemed
unconcerned for his long-term reputation
People believe fake news because they want to
People who don’t want to believe fake news are less
likely to believe it

28. Streeter fake news challenges model
28
There is nothing special about fake news (?)
“we collectively bear witness and testimony to the
devastating effects of racism which were perpetuated by
leaders of the church in the past”
“I offer a full unqualified apology for the error of racism which
was taught from this office and in the tabernacle and over the
pulpits of our churches the world over”
“we taught false and hurtful ideas about curses, skin color,
and spiritual worthiness, and we were wrong”
“[The ban] was not of God but of fallible men, born of
ignorance, pride and sin”
“We stand humbly before our God and the world this day to
prostrate our souls and beg forgiveness”

29. Pope endorses Donald Trump (fake news)
29
snopes.com/fact-check/pope-francis-donald-trump-endorsement/

30. Streeter hoax revisited
30
slate.com/human-interest/2018/05/fake-apology-for-mormon-churchs-history-of-racism-angers-black-members.html

31. Fake news = refined sugar
31
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sugar_2xmacro.jpg

32. Qualifying the argument
32
*
* Yes, but . . .
It’s a far bigger problem than you thought!
Good
Fake
THE NEWS
ABOUT NEWS:

33. Thank you!
adam.blackwell@proquest.com
Adam Blackwell