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Fact-checking reduces the circulation of misinformation – we should not get rid of it (cepr.org)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by FactChecker@lemmy.world to c/science@lemmy.world

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TLDR: It reduces the virality of misinformation by ~8% and increases article deletion.

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[-] U7826391786239@lemmy.zip 105 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

the fact that fact-checking has become a point of contention (since the emergence of trump--coincidence? lol) illustrates just how far society has fallen.

the idea that fact-checking "infringes upon freedom of expression" is laughably absurd on many levels. for one thing: no, it fucking doesn't. you're free to lie through your teeth day in and day out. what is fact-checking doing to stop that? also, this position implies that your freedom of expression to tell lies outweighs my freedom of expression to call those lies lies? excuse me, but fuck that shit.

2 years ago i would have said i can't believe this article needed to be written (supposedly--equally likely generated), but today i'm not even surprised. fucking fact-checking is under attack, because of course it has to be.

also the claim that fact-checking "has no meaningful impact on the circulation of misinformation" is mind-bogglingly stupid. fact-checking is the ONLY thing that has ANY meaningful impact on the circulation of misinformation.