They construct a labyrinth of falsehoods from which it is almost impossible to emerge without the help of people who devote their lives to navigating it.
"We are determined to put an end to all the falsehoods.
A recent report on Russia's "weaponisation of information" published by the Institute of Modern Russia, a New York-based think tank run by the son of former oligarch and Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, argued that the Kremlin is wielding outlets like Sputnik News to not just persuade, but also to "sow confusion via conspiracy theories and proliferate falsehoods".
Better crowd-sourcing tools, to help catch falsehoods.
Before that the EU will launch a task force (working name: Mythbusters) charged with monitoring Russian media, identifying patent falsehoods and issuing corrections.This is awkward terrain for Europe.
In the old days it was usually prepared to stand up to the Soviet Union, and call out its falsehoods.
It is supposed merely to "advise" portals to remove articles believed to contain falsehoods, obscenity or statements in favour of North Korea that infringe the National Security Act.
A rumour may start as "I'm not sure if this is true, but I heard that…" Then it evolves into: "I heard that…" Finally it becomes: "Did you know that…?" Even when no one intends to spread falsehoods, they spread.In several experiments, Mr Rucker and Mr Dubois planted rumours among undergraduates.
An employee of a state media outlet by day, at night he tries to debunk viral falsehoods using a Dell computer in his apartment in Shenyang, in China's north-east.
The Southern Poverty Law Centre in Alabama has labelled it a "hate group" because it spreads "known falsehoods" about homosexuality.In small pockets across the South, life is changing for the gay community, partly thanks to the work of grassroots groups like The Centre for Artistic Revolution in Little Rock or the GLBT Advocacy & Youth Services, in Huntsville, Alabama.
Over on his blog, James Fallows is comparing the two falsehoods and wondering why the press relentlessly pointed out the speciousness of Mrs Clinton's story, while it considers Ms Palin's claim a "controversy".
