The internet has given us many things – connection, convenience, cat videos – but it’s also made lies faster, louder, and harder to kill. And nowhere is this more obvious than in the strange world of political misinformation.
Recently, social media buzzed with a bold claim that felt quintessentially Trump-like, yet hard to believe. According to eager posters, Trump threatened to bomb Norway if he didn’t win the Nobel Peace Prize – no explanation needed. But, in fact, he didn’t. No credible source reported it. Nonetheless the rumour spread like wildfire – retweeted, reshared, screenshotted into oblivion – all because it sounded just believable enough… for the true believers.
This is the new ecosystem of misinformation: a place where feelings outrun facts, and where truth becomes just one version of the story – not the foundation of it.
The danger isn’t just in the obvious nonsense. It’s in the almost plausible, the emotionally satisfying, the lie that seems to confirm what we already suspect. Fake news rarely announces itself as fake. It slides in under our guard, wrapped in familiar outrage or humour, and we click “share” before asking “is this even real?”
And algorithms love it. They reward engagement – not accuracy. The more outrageous the claim, the more comments it sparks, the more attention it gets. Social media doesn’t care if a story is true. It cares if it keeps you scrolling.
But the damage goes far beyond one false rumour. Misinformation corrodes trust. It polarises communities. It turns public discourse into a shouting match between tribes who no longer agree on basic reality. And it drowns out serious issues with noise – real injustice, real corruption, real suffering lost in a sea of nonsense.
So how do we fight back?
We slow down. We check sources. We ask: Would a reputable outlet really ignore a story this explosive? We read past the headline. We resist the temptation to share something just because it feels true.
And maybe most importantly – we hold ourselves to the same standard we demand from others. It’s not just “their” side that spreads fake news. It’s ours too, sometimes. And integrity means challenging lies, even when they benefit your point of view.
In a world built on clicks, the truth is under constant pressure. But it still matters. Maybe now more than ever.
Also by Michael Taylor:
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Tragically, Trump is so obscene, so insanely erratic, such an irrational, hateful and narcissistic political psychopath who, in addition to the long list of all his diabolical faults, is also a remorseless CONVICTED CRIMINAL – so much so that the staggering rumour that Trump – just like a petulant, tantrum-throwing 2 year old toddler – may bomb Norway if he doesn’t (undeservedly and highly unlikely) win the Nobel Peace Prize is, terrifyingly, WITHIN THE REALMS OF POSSIBILITY!
When you are dealing with a vengeful megalomaniacal power-obsessed narcissist like Trump, just about ANYTHING is possible – no matter how illogical, callously inhumane, diabolical or illegal! Why? Because Trump is a born-to-rule lunatic who ticks every box as a mentally-unhinged, out-of-control dangerously undemocratic fascist.
I probably wouldn’t have believed that one but I’ve seen Trump comments posted that I’ve disbelieved, which have turned out to be true. Yes, you have to be very careful about what you believe on social media, but in my opinion, the majority of posts are fact but it’s always a good idea to do our own research. When you look at Sky News, The Australian, Daily Telegraph, SunHerald, and others, social media compares quite well.
I make a point of never engaging with certain types of posts until I’ve fact-checked them – politics, science, tht sort of thing. Even telling those peddling misinformation that they’re full of shit drives up their engagement, so I’m mute until I know they’re telling the truth.
Oh dear!! ….. does that mean the news about Krasnov living in the White House with his handler could possibly be misinformaton?? It certainly fits the observed pro-Russian strategy used by Trump to disrupt the Ukraine defence strategy and his variously reported ”appreciation” of Putin & his style of ”government” plus the numerous reports of ”wild orgies” when on ”business” in Moscow. Then there are many reports that Russian citizens have a deep, emotional attachment loyalty to the Motherland ….. what is the nationality of Melania??
Whee, Donald the demented who has no idea what’s going on or just doesn’t care. It’s all about “missing children” rather than migrant kids and the evil Democrats.
https://x.com/atrupar/status/1943675860323631273
https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-migrant-children-missing-7ab0cea2fd2238346197429e952baa8b
if it fits your belief or current mindset then accept and use it has always been the human reaction. The speed of lies, disingenuous comments and deliberate tricks is made worse by ‘influencers’.
Lying by telling a truth is a child’s tool to confuse parents by giving them some unrelated truth that satisfies their inquiry.
ps NEC modern rasputin for melania???
In drunken party discussions adding to known truths is a ploy. I watched whilst my chinaman mate convinced two italians that marco polo brought 4 tined forks from china to replace the two tined forks of europe.
I rarely use aligned browsers, search engines by the techbros or social media now except to occasionally criticize mainstream media harshly, with an attached URL of their garbage.
But recently 2 things – 1. my 70th and dozens of b’day messages, and 2. A purchase through Amazon Oz for a hugely discounted appliance (shame on me). It took me more than half a day to rid my system of all the unwanted interferences in my ‘extensions’ and ‘caches’ etc.
Tiresome.