[Boudica]

As everyone here has likely heard, there is a lot of fake information, and misleading information being spread by social media, news outlets and more. While this is something we are all familiar with, it seems to be becoming more prevalent this year, especially surrounding the US election, Covid-19 and the vaccinations undergoing trials. I feel like conspiracy theories and misinformation used to be relatively confined to particular areas of the internet, with a few cameos on social media. However, as of late, I feel like we have been bombarded with this sort of fake information. Social media companies and news outlets are struggling to fight against these false claims and prove the legitimacy of their own stories.

The Labour party in the United Kingdom are campaigning for financial and criminal penalties for social media firms that do not remove false scare stories about vaccines (Source).

I thought I'd list some of the more famous rumours and conspiracies that have gained traction online:

• Bill Gates and microchip claims: The pandemic is a cover up for the implantation of trackable microchips in people and that Mr Gates is behind it all.
  
• 'Altered DNA' claims: Emerald Robinson claimed the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine "tampers with your DNA."
  
• Side-effects claims: Emerald Robinson claimed 75% of vaccine trial volunteers had experienced side-effects.
  

Needless to say, these have all been disproved.

[Dismas]

Twitter and Facebook's CEOs were recently under fire. Freedom of speech involves hearing things that could be offensive or false, though these sites aren't owned by the government. If governments can control what content companies must host, that can easily equate to censorship.

[mothered]

Until a vaccine Is medically approved as part of the health system, I no longer believe anything I read.

[Boudica]

Twitter and Facebook's CEOs were recently under fire. Freedom of speech involves hearing things that could be offensive or false, though these sites aren't owned by the government. If governments can control what content companies must host, that can easily equate to censorship.

This is a really good point! When I read about what Labour proposed, I totally understood what they were trying to achieve to solve an issue that's going on right now. However, not only does it not entirely solve the problem (social media is not the only place this false information is being spread), but there are potential, long-term implications for government involvement in social media. One starts to consider life in China as a comparison.

Until a vaccine Is medically approved as part of the health system, I no longer believe anything I read.

Generally, I prefer to go and read data released by scientists, keeping in mind who pays for the research, and the intention behind said research. When 5 different, legitimate scientific sources from more than one nation are saying the same thing, I'm more inclined to believe that information, over a "quote from a major scientist" that's circulating on Facebook. I think we just have to understand the limitations of what we call "facts" and use our brains a little more when making decisions. Every piece of information is written/distributed by human, so there's no escaping bias entirely.

I won't argue that there aren't cons to the vaccines, but until that vaccine is rolled out, we're really never going to know for sure. I completely understand why you say you don't believe anything you read.

[Magnetron]

When you realize Covid19 is literally not any more dangerous than the flu, this latest mass psychosis will make sense and you can come to the easy conclusion that yes, the government has fucking lied to us again and is stripping us of more civil rights under yet another false pretext.

Turn off your TV, kids. Seriously.

[Boudica]

When you realize Covid19 is literally not any more dangerous than the flu, this latest mass psychosis will make sense and you can come to the easy conclusion that yes, the government has fucking lied to us again and is stripping us of more civil rights under yet another false pretext.

Turn off your TV, kids. Seriously.

I think you need to spend some time reading a few scientific articles. Or, perhaps, try just having a conversation with a real icu ward worker. I think you'll find the reality a little different.

[mothered]

When you realize Covid19 is literally not any more dangerous than the flu

If that's the case, the entire globe wouldn't be affected to the magnitude of millions of deaths.

[Magnetron]

When you realize Covid19 is literally not any more dangerous than the flu

If that's the case, the entire globe wouldn't be affected to the magnitude of millions of deaths.

Millions of people die of the flu every year, this is not news. You are being played like a fool. I considered you above this, to just jump on the next mass psychosis on cue when the media owned by the NWO war criminals tell you to.

You're smarter than that. Use your head.

---

When you realize Covid19 is literally not any more dangerous than the flu, this latest mass psychosis will make sense and you can come to the easy conclusion that yes, the government has fucking lied to us again and is stripping us of more civil rights under yet another false pretext.

Turn off your TV, kids. Seriously.

I think you need to spend some time reading a few scientific articles. Or, perhaps, try just having a conversation with a real icu ward worker. I think you'll find the reality a little different.

Spend some time with me, I tested positive. I have no idea when I got it but apparently I did. In fact, 99% of people who get it are asymptomatic, including a 109-year-old woman in Canada. Of those who do show symptoms, 90%+ are pensioners with pre-existing conditions with the average age of death being 80.

Such a scary virus, the apocalypse shall happen anytime now.

[mothered]

Millions of people die of the flu every year, this is not news.

I didn't say they don't.

I've yet to experience a global effect of the flu, to the magnitude and capacity of the coronavirus. That pretty much speaks for Itself, based on first-hand knowledge and not what I've hit via a Google search. You have your opinion, and I respect that.

Such a scary virus, the apocalypse shall happen anytime now.

You've admitted the severity of the virus.

That also speaks for Itself.

[martin9]

[/quote]
Such a scary virus, the apocalypse shall happen anytime now.
[/quote]

Irony is not an argument ...
I agree that most gov's didn't reacted or communicated well about it and most people haven't real severe symptoms but some did and  without pre-existing conditions or being 80 years old. Also no actual specialized drug for it is on the market and if the healthcare system is full as in many countries are sure that you or people  close to you will be fine?!