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EarlG

(23,271 posts)

24. I agree, I think it would be a mistake to punish people for posting fake news

Sun Dec 21, 2025, 03:32 PM

Sunday

Most of the time I think posters just get fooled by fake news and innocently want to share it with friends on DU. I don't think it's a good idea to go around treating that as an infraction and dinging people for it.

I'm starting to lean towards a notification system -- we give the benefit of the doubt and assume that any given author is unaware that they've posted fake information, so we send them an official notification similar to the copyright policy reminder. This would let them know that the information they've posted may be fake, and give them the opportunity to delete or correct it. This could potentially be combined with a labeling system that would place a small note on any post where the author was sent a notification -- without casting aspersions on the author. The label would simply let DUers know that they should double-check the post's content.

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jmbar2 kcoates True Dough Americanme Alice Kramden scipan

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Highlight:

Since some DUers are occasionally resistant to correcting or deleting OPs that are fake even.when [View all] highplainsdem Sunday OP

Yeah it's odd to me. I'll probably block said DUer Nittersing Sunday #1

This message was self-deleted by its author highplainsdem Sunday #3

That can make people who do that sort of thing - multiple DUers have, though fortunately it's rare - highplainsdem Sunday #4

I think it can be of some benefit to know what the propaganda happens to be. Irish_Dem Sunday #2

I agree with Irish Dem's post. First the incorrect post should be clearly tagged in a very conspicuous way. flashman13 Sunday #10

Yes this is the point. Irish_Dem Sunday #11

"We should never be censors, but should always strive to be educators." MichMan Sunday #12

I know that. Way too often it is because someone disagrees with the general DU consensus. flashman13 Sunday #25

I've become more sympathetic to this position but EarlG Sunday #5

Is it out of the question to have a designated committee for such? littlemissmartypants Sunday #7

One great thing about DU is I rarely if ever see fakes go unchallenged. paleotn Sunday #9

Not out of the question EarlG Sunday #16

I'd rather see critique than policing jmbar2 Sunday #21

I agree, I think it would be a mistake to punish people for posting fake news EarlG Sunday #24

How hard is it to add a new smilie? littlemissmartypants Monday #29

I find the mention of treating it like copyright violations to be interesting MichMan Sunday #27

This message was self-deleted by its author littlemissmartypants Monday #28

I understand, and sympathize. highplainsdem Sunday #8

Agree. A post that has been alerted as potentially fake should be highlit erronis Sunday #14

And sometimes people post something they didn't know was fake right before they go to bed, and highplainsdem Sunday #22

YES: It is beneficial to see fake information corrected in public... SWBTATTReg Sunday #6

Thank you - I have wanted this for years obamanut2012 Sunday #13

Guard the truth. Good advice. Thanks. twodogsbarking Sunday #15

I take it that you are not referring to the posts, increasingly using AI images, which are intended to be humorous. markodochartaigh Sunday #17

No, I'm not. I'm talking about serious deepfakes and fake quotes and fake news stories. And they highplainsdem Sunday #18

Hurts my ego but necessary SSJVegeta Sunday #19

I'm more than fine with this. LudwigPastorius Sunday #20

DU is a self policing site. Having been caught myself posting something not factual, I have learned to fact check surfered Sunday #23

When I see something that is dubious, I post rzemanfl Sunday #26