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Metro
14-05-2025
- Health
- Metro
Six times fake news made the world a worse place
'The truth is going to help you live longer.' This is what journalist and broadcaster Emily Maitlis said at a recent panel discussion that asked a simple-sounding question: 'Can truth survive?' For Maitlis, ensuring the truth survives during an age of AI-generated images and high-definition deepfakes is about 'prolonging life'. She told the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit on May 6: 'Quite frankly, misinformation kills you.' The former newscaster added: 'If you ignore the truth, if you start believing the lies, if you, dare I say, inject the bleach, that is not going to end up well for you.' Here are six times when fake news made the world a worse place to live. Fake news, known more formally as misinformation or disinformation, are stories that sow fear, uncertainty or doubt. They come in many forms. Sometimes, it's false claims about Tesco giving away a free toy; other times, it's tall tales that lead to shootings. Misinformation and disinformation are thrown around a lot, but they are two different things. Misinformation is fake news created and spread by mistake. Disinformation is deliberate. A third type of fake news is mal-information – these are stories based on facts but stripped of all the context to make them harmful. Only weeks into the coronavirus pandemic, US President Donald Trump had a rather novel idea to curb the spread of this strange new disease. Injecting a disinfectant like bleach or isopropyl alcohol into people's bodies. Trump rambled: 'Is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning? Because you see, it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs.' The comments were criticised by the medical experts, who stressed that consuming or injecting disinfectant risks poisoning and death. There was a 121% increase in referrals for accidental ingestion of household disinfectants afterwards. Full Fact, a UK fact-checking charity, told Metro that phoney health claims are among the most stubborn forms of misinformation. 'Misinformation about health continues to spread widely across social media, undermining confidence in established medical practices and our public health institutions,' it said. 'In recent years, we have seen the spread increase across newer platforms and unregulated media spaces like podcasts. 'While not illegal, health misinformation like fake cancer cures and false testimonials about dangerous unproven therapies can be immensely harmful and so requires urgent action from government, regulators, and online platforms to spot and stop its spread.' In 2016, Edgar Maddison Welch drove 350 miles from his home in North Carolina to Comet Ping Pong, a pizza restaurant in Washington. The actor, however, wasn't there to grab a slice. He opened the doors and fired three shots from a military-style assault rifle that struck the restaurant's walls, a desk and a door. Maddison said he was there to 'self-investigate' because he believed the pizzeria was harbouring young children as sex slaves as part of a child-abuse ring led by Hillary Clinton. This baseless belief, called PizzaGate, stemmed from social media and far-flung web forums and was amplified by high-profile conspiracy theorists and right-wing blogs. As he later told The New York Times, Maddison sincerely believed Comet was at the centre of a sex ring after reading the bogus claims online. 'The intel on this wasn't 100%,' he admitted. In August, racist rioting flared in more than a dozen towns and cities across England and in Northern Ireland. The spark was anger over the killing of three children at a dance and bracelet-making class for Taylor Swift fans in Southport. Far-right social media users began claiming the killer had an Arabic-sounding name and was a Muslim asylum seeker who had illegally arrived in the country by boat. Just one day after the stabbing, far-right activists tore through a vigil in Southport, attacking a mosque, hurling bricks and setting cars on fire. Libraries, food banks and hotels housing asylum seekers were burned by the rioters who chanted 'enough is enough' and 'stop the boats'. Brain-controlling microchips, DNA-altering nanobots and dangerous metals that can leave people sterile. These are just some of the things that viral social media posts and videos baselessly claimed were inside coronavirus vaccines. The coronavirus pandemic saw conspiracy theories thrive, casting doubt on the existence or seriousness of the disease. The World Health Organization dubbed it an 'infodemic'. Some myths were seemingly well-intentioned, like peddling miracle cures or wishful thinking, the University of Melbourne said. But the pandemic saw disinformation, spread intentionally by people in bad faith, run rampant as people blamed minority groups or 5G towers for the pandemic. This wave of fake news, researchers said, likely killed hundreds of people. Whether they were trying out supposed medical information or believed the virus was a hoax so never sought treatment. There's a simple reason why so many of us are duped into sharing phoney Facebook posts or mistaking a doctored news article as genuine. Zorzeta Bakaki, a senior lecturer in political science at the University of Essex, told Metro: 'Social media platforms inundate users with a constant stream of information, leading to what's termed 'information overload.' 'This overwhelming influx can impair our ability to process and evaluate information effectively.' The associate professor added that repeated exposure to trumped-up stories can make them believable. This is called the 'illusory truth effect'. 'Repeated exposure to the same piece of misinformation can increase its perceived accuracy, a cognitive shortcut our brains use to assess truthfulness,' said Bakaki. 'This effect is particularly potent on social media, where algorithms may repeatedly expose users to the same content.' On January 6, 2021, a mob stormed the Capitol building over the results of the US Presidential Election, where Joe Biden beat Trump. Rioters wearing red, white and blue broke windows, beat police and vandalised offices. Five people died. The violent, anti-democratic attack erupted after Trump published a string of inaccurate and inflammatory posts claiming the vote was fixed. But Trump's claims of election fraud weren't anything new – he had for weeks been urging supporters to go to Washington to stop the certification of the election results. The false claims 'radicalised' hundreds into rioting to such an extent, one researcher told Reuters, that they were living in a 'completely alternative reality'. 'They're not just sitting at home in their pyjamas clicking, 'yes I agree,'' saidClaire Wardle, co-founder of anti-disinformation non-profit First Draft 'They're out there with… guns and pipe bombs.' In 2014, the National Report published an article claiming that a family of five living in Purdon, Texas, had been quarantined. They had tested positive for Ebola, an aggressive, often fatal virus that destroys people's blood vessels. Readers in the comments described how health officials had cut off connection to the town and that the military 'is everywhere', according to internet archives seen by Metro. But the thing is, none of this was true. The National Report is a fake news website, often pushing out cynical political satire. Yet the Purdon story lacked a disclaimer in the body of the text that identified it as satire, duping even a few national broadcasters. Some 337,000 people shared the story on Facebook alone, according to the media database Muck Rack. At the time, parts of Africa were dealing with 30,000 cases of the virus, which had killed 11,000 people. Fact-checkers and local officials had to try to reassure edgy Americans that there was nothing to worry about – the US would see four imported cases and one death during the entire epidemic. While it's safe to say fake news isn't going away anytime soon, Bakaki said that there are a few things people and those in power can do. More Trending She said: 'Combating misinformation requires a multifaceted approach: Media literacy education equips individuals with the skills to critically evaluate information sources, enabling them to discern credible content from falsehoods. 'Prebunking techniques – proactively exposing individuals to weakened forms of misinformation – can build 'mental immunity,' making them more resistant to false information.' Social media titans, she added, must roll out 'read before you share' notifications to ensure people know what they're about to blast to all their followers is, in fact, accurate. Bakaki added: 'Encouraging reflective thinking over impulsive reactions further enhances individuals' ability to assess information credibility effectively.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Donald Trump rolls out his own mobile McDonald's for Saudi Arabia visit MORE: Urgent recall for baby food in the US over fears of lead contamination MORE: Donald Trump plays YMCA on stage while posing for photos with Mohammed bin Salman
New York Post
08-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
James Carville calls out Ilhan Omar over resurfaced ‘radicalization of White men' comments
Democratic strategist James Carville called out Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Wednesday, for comments she made in 2018 about White men. He said controversial members of Congress like Omar 'are more trouble than they're worth' for Democrats. 'Ilhan Omar says that White men are responsible for most of the deaths in the United States. So let me get this straight, 69% of the people — why I'm stuck on that number, I don't know — but 69% of the people going to vote, are White. Of that, 48.5 are males. So, I don't know, my rough math is 33%?' Carville said during a discussion at the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit in London. Advertisement Omar said in 2018 during an interview that the U.S. should be 'fearful' of White men and that the country should be creating policies to 'fight the radicalization of White men.' The interview resurfaced this week on social media, and was criticized by members of the GOP, including Vice President JD Vance. 'That's a lot of pissed-off 33% of people that vote, and that's a smart strategy? And there are people that agree with her! There are people that actually agree with her! And I think it's, honestly, I think these people are more trouble than they're worth,' Carville said on Wednesday. 3 James Carville poses for a portrait at the 27th SCAD Savannah Film Festival on October 31, 2024 in Savannah, Georgia. Getty Images 'I would say our country should be more fearful of White men across our country, because they are actually causing most of the deaths within this country,' Omar said in the 2018 interview with Al-Jazeera while discussing domestic terrorism threats in the U.S. and responding to a question about how much concern 'jihadism' posed to the U.S. Advertisement 'And so, if fear was the driving force of policies to keep America safe, Americans safe inside of this country, we should be profiling, monitoring, and creating policies to fight the radicalization of White men,' she added. The comments were called out by Vance and other conservatives on Tuesday, as the vice president likened Omar's remarks to 'genocidal language.' 3 US Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) waits to speak to protesters near the White House during a Free Kilmar Abrego Garcia Now rally in Washington, DC on May 1, 2025. AFP via Getty Images 'This isn't just sick; it's actually genocidal language,' Vance wrote on social media. 'What a disgrace this person is.' Advertisement 'In this nearly 8yr old clip, I am referring to the rise of white nationalism in an annual report issued by the Anti-Defamation League that said White supremacists were responsible for 78 percent of 'extremist-related murders,'' Omar told Fox News Digital in a statement. 'PS you should look up what 'genocidal' actually means when you're actively supporting a genocide taking place in Gaza.' Omar told Daily Caller News Foundation reporter Myles Morell to 'f— off' earlier this month after he asked her a question about fellow Democratic Party figures traveling to El Salvador to defend illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to the country by the Trump administration. Morell shared the clip on X. 3 Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is seen before President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Omar later responded to the clip being shared on social media and stated, 'I said what I said. You and all your miserable trolls can f— off.'
The Hill
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Carville: People like Omar ‘more trouble than they're worth'
Democratic strategist James Carville went after Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on Wednesday, saying people like her are 'more trouble than they're worth.' Carville, speaking at an event in London, shot back at comments made by Omar seven years ago to Al Jazeera, in which she said the U.S. 'should be more fearful of white men across our country because they are actually causing most of the deaths within this country.' 'Sixty-nine percent of the people going to vote are white,' Carville said in comments highlighted by Mediaite. 'Of that, 48 and a half are males. So, I don't know, my rough math is 33 percent.' 'Let's go out and piss off 33 percent of the people that vote, and that's a smart strategy. And the people that agree with her, there are people that actually agree with her. And I think this honestly, I think these people are more trouble than they're worth,' he added while speaking at 'Truth Tellers, the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit.' Omar also told Al Jazeera in 2018 that they should be 'profiling, monitoring, and creating policies' combatting white men's radicalization, resurfaced this year due to the right-wing Libs of TikTok account. Vice President Vance also went after Omar's past comments in a post on the social platform X earlier this week, referencing a Libs of TikTok post. 'This isn't just sick; it's actually genocidal language. What a disgrace this person is,' Vance posted in response to Omar's comments. Omar later responded to Vance, saying that during 'this nearly 8yr old clip, I am referring to the rise of white nationalism in an annual report issued by the Anti-Defamation League that said white supremacists were responsible for 78 percent of 'extremist-related murders.'' The Hill has reached out to Omar's office for comment.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
James Carville calls out Ilhan Omar over resurfaced 'radicalization of White men' comments
Democratic strategist James Carville called out Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Wednesday, for comments she made in 2018 about White men. He said controversial members of Congress like Omar "are more trouble than they're worth" for Democrats. "Ilhan Omar says that White men are responsible for most of the deaths in the United States. So let me get this straight, 69% of the people — why I'm stuck on that number, I don't know — but 69% of the people going to vote, are White. Of that, 48.5 are males. So, I don't know, my rough math is 33%?" Carville said during a discussion at the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit in London. Omar said in 2018 during an interview that the U.S. should be "fearful" of White men and that the country should be creating policies to "fight the radicalization of White men." The interview resurfaced this week on social media, and was criticized by members of the GOP, including Vice President JD Vance. "That's a lot of pissed-off 33% of people that vote, and that's a smart strategy? And there are people that agree with her! There are people that actually agree with her! And I think it's, honestly, I think these people are more trouble than they're worth," Carville said on Wednesday. Omar Slams Trump, Musk For Changes At Usaid, Accuses President Of Running Dictatorship "I would say our country should be more fearful of White men across our country, because they are actually causing most of the deaths within this country," Omar said in the 2018 interview with Al-Jazeera while discussing domestic terrorism threats in the United States and responding to a question about how much concern "jihadism" posed to the U.S. Read On The Fox News App "And so, if fear was the driving force of policies to keep America safe, Americans safe inside of this country, we should be profiling, monitoring, and creating policies to fight the radicalization of White men," she added. The comments were called out by JD Vance and other conservatives on Tuesday, as the vice president likened Omar's remarks to "genocidal language." "This isn't just sick; it's actually genocidal language," Vance wrote on social media. "What a disgrace this person is." Ilhan Omar Blasts Harris-walz Campaign For Courting Liz Cheney: 'Huge Misstep' "In this nearly 8yr old clip, I am referring to the rise of white nationalism in an annual report issued by the Anti-Defamation League that said White supremacists were responsible for 78 percent of 'extremist-related murders,'" Omar told Fox News Digital in a statement. "PS you should look up what 'genocidal' actually means when you're actively supporting a genocide taking place in Gaza." Omar told Daily Caller News Foundation reporter Myles Morell to "f--- off" earlier this month after he asked her a question about fellow Democratic Party figures traveling to El Salvador to defend illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to the country by the Trump administration. Morell shared the clip on X. Omar later responded to the clip being shared on social media and stated, "I said what I said. You and all your miserable trolls can f--- off."Original article source: James Carville calls out Ilhan Omar over resurfaced 'radicalization of White men' comments
Fox News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
James Carville calls out Ilhan Omar over resurfaced 'radicalization of White men' comments
Democratic strategist James Carville called out Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Wednesday, for comments she made in 2018 about White men. He said controversial members of Congress like Omar "are more trouble than they're worth" for Democrats. "Ilhan Omar says that White men are responsible for most of the deaths in the United States. So let me get this straight, 69% of the people — why I'm stuck on that number, I don't know — but 69% of the people going to vote, are White. Of that, 48.5 are males. So, I don't know, my rough math is 33%?" Carville said during a discussion at the Sir Harry Evans Investigative Journalism Summit in London. Omar said in 2018 during an interview that the U.S. should be "fearful" of White men and that the country should be creating policies to "fight the radicalization of White men." The interview resurfaced this week on social media, and was criticized by members of the GOP, including Vice President JD Vance. "That's a lot of pissed-off 33% of people that vote, and that's a smart strategy? And there are people that agree with her! There are people that actually agree with her! And I think it's, honestly, I think these people are more trouble than they're worth," Carville said on Wednesday. "I would say our country should be more fearful of White men across our country, because they are actually causing most of the deaths within this country," Omar said in the 2018 interview with Al-Jazeera while discussing domestic terrorism threats in the United States and responding to a question about how much concern "jihadism" posed to the U.S. "And so, if fear was the driving force of policies to keep America safe, Americans safe inside of this country, we should be profiling, monitoring, and creating policies to fight the radicalization of White men," she added. The comments were called out by JD Vance and other conservatives on Tuesday, as the vice president likened Omar's remarks to "genocidal language." "This isn't just sick; it's actually genocidal language," Vance wrote on social media. "What a disgrace this person is." "In this nearly 8yr old clip, I am referring to the rise of white nationalism in an annual report issued by the Anti-Defamation League that said White supremacists were responsible for 78 percent of 'extremist-related murders,'" Omar told Fox News Digital in a statement. "PS you should look up what 'genocidal' actually means when you're actively supporting a genocide taking place in Gaza." Omar told Daily Caller News Foundation reporter Myles Morell to "f--- off" earlier this month after he asked her a question about fellow Democratic Party figures traveling to El Salvador to defend illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to the country by the Trump administration. Morell shared the clip on X. Omar later responded to the clip being shared on social media and stated, "I said what I said. You and all your miserable trolls can f--- off."
