The hottest Misinformation Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health Politics Topics

Misinformation is at Most Weakly Related to Lack of Knowledge

By Reason Alone • 9 HN points • 20 Jun 23
🔬 Science Misinformation Knowledge Beliefs Education Climate change
  1. Misinformation is not always due to lack of knowledge, but can stem from having too much specific information on certain topics.
  2. More education can sometimes lead to more polarized beliefs, rather than always resulting in correct beliefs.
  3. Understanding is not just about having true information, but also about navigating biases and not getting caught up in popular misconceptions.

The Cure to Misinformation is More Misinformation

The Prism • 8 HN points • 24 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Misinformation Regulation Censorship Conspiracy Theories AI
  1. The cure to misinformation is believed to be more misinformation, not less, by some experts.
  2. Attempts to regulate misinformation through censorship and AI may not be effective and could actually make the problem worse.
  3. Exposing people to misinformation in a controlled manner, similar to vaccination, can help them develop immunity and discern truth from falsehood.
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What RFK Jr. Got Wrong & A Debate Challenge

Brian’s Substack • 2 HN points • 25 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Vaccines Debate Research Misinformation Public Health
  1. RFK Jr.'s claims about Ivermectin and the Emergency Use Authorization Act are false and misleading.
  2. RFK Jr.'s arguments against vaccine efficacy are countered by studies showing the impact and value of vaccines in saving lives.
  3. RFK Jr. has challenged vaccine experts to debate, but experts have declined, questioning the validity of his positions.

Artificial Intelligence: What to Worry About

Prompt Engineering • 1 HN point • 11 May 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Misinformation Unemployment Bias Education
  1. AI advancements are fast and significant, leading to uncertainties about the future models of society.
  2. AI may result in mass unemployment, but historically, technology revolutions have not led to catastrophic unemployment levels.
  3. Challenges with AI include the misuse of data leading to bias, the potential for AI to outsmart humans, and the widening class divide due to unequal access to AI tools.

The Illusion of Political Support

Wayne's Earth • 0 implied HN points • 09 Dec 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Social media Political Influence Public Opinion Misinformation
  1. The illusion of political support can be created through media focus and online bots, making bad ideas seem more popular and widely accepted than they actually are.
  2. This illusion gives politicians false confidence to push forward with unpopular ideas and makes it harder for opponents to gain traction in debates and rallies.
  3. It's vital to do your own research and not rely solely on online or media perceptions of political support to make informed decisions, especially during voting.

AI and Election Misinformation

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 17 Nov 23
🕹 Technology AI Misinformation Elections Deep fakes Trust
  1. Generative AI models can create deepfake content that looks real, leading to misinformation during elections.
  2. People are likely to become more skeptical of information due to the prevalence of AI-generated misinformation, which could reduce the impact of fake content on changing minds.
  3. Organizations capable of identifying and promoting truthful content may gain trust in a world filled with misinformation, but polarization in news sources could hinder their effectiveness in swaying voter preferences.

That Fake AI Generated Photo and the Stock Market

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 23 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Misinformation Social media Verification
  1. Fake AI-generated images caused a brief dip in the stock market, but the market quickly recovered, showing resilience to misinformation.
  2. The incident highlighted the importance of verifying information before reacting, leading to a discussion on the role of trusted sources in combating misinformation.
  3. The removal of artisanal verification on Twitter raised concerns about the impact on reliable information sources, emphasizing the need for trusted signals in a fast-paced digital world.

How worried should we be about AI misinformation?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Misinformation Deception Ethics
  1. AI-generated misinformation may not have a significant impact because when examined closely, the inaccuracies become apparent and unlikely to change beliefs.
  2. While AI tools could flood us with misinformation, it might not necessarily deceive people or lead to major consequences, just confusion about what to believe.
  3. There's concern that AI could be used to create more convincing misinformation, potentially leading to deception and damage, but so far, the evidence for such sophisticated manipulation is lacking.

Book excerpt: Telling the Truth

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 09 Nov 20
🏥 Health & Wellness Communication Trust Misinformation Persuasion
  1. Public officials should be clear and truthful in their messaging to the public to build and maintain trust.
  2. Persuasion is key in encouraging people to take necessary actions, like wearing masks, especially when the public may be reluctant.
  3. In the absence of trusted information sources, misinformation can spread like a virus, impacting public health decisions and outcomes.

AI disclaimers and misinformation tools

Cosmos • 0 implied HN points • 20 Mar 24
🕹 Technology AI Misinformation Content creation Digital Platforms Search Engine
  1. YouTube creators can now label AI-generated content to enhance transparency with viewers and prevent misinformation.
  2. Meta is discontinuing the CrowdTangle tool used to detect misinformation, raising concerns ahead of the 2024 elections.
  3. India plays a significant role in Amazon Prime Video's global growth, with a high number of subscribers and engagement, focusing on diverse local content.

Daily AI Snapshot: Tech Giants Unite Against AI Election Misuse

The AI Observer • 0 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Tech Giants Election interference Collaboration Misinformation
  1. 20 tech giants including OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft are collaborating to combat AI's misuse in election interference.
  2. The joint effort aims to tackle fake AI-generated content influencing elections globally by developing detection tools and running awareness campaigns.
  3. Challenges include implementing measures to identify AI-generated content using watermarks or metadata, with details on execution still unclear.