Topic: Snopes

A viral TikTok video claiming the word "picnic" originated from racist lynching practices was debunked as an etymological hoax. The word actually dates back to the 1600s and has French origins unrelated to the racial slurs suggested in the video. Researchers suggest such hoaxes are often created to test the susceptibility of social media users to misinformation and to "decolonize" language based on false historical premises.

Kamala Harris repeated several widely debated claims during the debate, including the "fine people on both sides" narrative from Charlottesville and the "bloodbath" comment. Fact-checkers have previously noted that the Charlottesville quote excluded Trump's condemnation of neo-Nazis, and the "bloodbath" remark referred specifically to the economic impact on the auto industry. Harris also blamed Trump for the January 6th Capitol riot, while Trump pointed to Nancy Pelosi's failure to secure the building.

Critics analyzed CBS News and other mainstream outlets for their framing of Donald Trump’s debate answers as "fantastical" or "delusional." Specific focus was placed on the "very fine people" Charlottesville narrative and the deployment of National Guard troops on January 6th. Claims were made that media figures like John Dickerson ignore evidence regarding Nancy Pelosi's role in security decisions while Snopes has recently debunked certain long-standing anti-Trump claims.

Media outlets and platforms like Microsoft Start are increasingly running reports suggesting Donald Trump is experiencing mental decline, a narrative previously focused on Joe Biden. The discussion addresses a viral rumor regarding Trump's physical health and alleged incidents on the set of The Apprentice, noting the lack of evidence from former contestants or staff during his presidency.

The hosts continue testing NewsGuard on various digital platforms, noting that Breitbart is flagged with a red exclamation mark while the Drudge Report remains unrated. Wikipedia receives a blue informational icon due to its user-generated nature. They suggest the rating system is biased against independent media and serves the interests of large advertising agencies.

Journalists at Snopes, including former managing editor Brooke Binkowski, expressed frustration with their fact-checking partnership with Facebook, alleging the social media giant is more interested in public relations than combatting misinformation. The conflict highlights the difficulties of third-party fact-checking agreements and the perceived lack of impact these efforts have on platform-wide content.

John Brennan appears on MSNBC to clarify his previous comments labeling President Trump's actions as treasonous. The segment also addresses unverified rumors regarding Brennan's potential conversion to Islam during his time as a CIA station chief in Saudi Arabia.

A news trend involving Millennials "discovering" broadcast television via digital antennas is discussed as a humorous tech "hack." Simultaneously, the fact-checking website Snopes is reported to be in financial and legal trouble. There is a suggestion for tech-savvy listeners to "spider" or archive the Snopes database before the site potentially goes offline due to its internal disputes.

MSNBC host Joy Reid was criticized for her reliance on the website Snopes during a live segment regarding Hillary Clinton and the Uranium One deal. Reid appeared to be reading directly from the site as prompted by her control room, even mispronouncing the name as "Snokes" initially. The segment is cited as an example of mainstream media's superficial approach to fact-checking complex political controversies.

The hosts discuss feedback from their recent newsletter, including a controversial image of Stevie Wonder purportedly promoting an Atari video game. Snopes later debunked the ad as a fake, though the hosts found the concept humorous regardless of its authenticity. A listener from Westfield, Indiana, is granted the title of Baron of Hamilton County following a significant donation.

A viral meme compares the scientific credentials of actor Dolph Lundgren and Bill Nye, noting Lundgren's Master's in Chemical Engineering and Fulbright scholarship. The hosts review a Snopes fact-check that labeled the meme "problematic" because Lundgren didn't finish his degree at Washington State. They argue Snopes has become a politicized tool for protecting establishment figures like Nye.

The Wall Street Journal published two different headlines regarding Donald Trump's immigration stance on the same day, leading to accusations of media manipulation. Snopes investigated the claim and ruled it a "mixture," stating the headlines were not intended to sway voters but were part of different regional editions. The hosts criticize Snopes for failing to provide a thorough explanation, noting that regional editions are primarily driven by advertiser needs.

Listeners from Southern California and London provide "boots on the ground" reports, with the London correspondent debunking the existence of "no-go zones" in the city. The hosts announce a meetup in Victoria, BC, and celebrate the return of the "No Agenda Search" tool. They also mention new community-driven websites like SnopesforSnopes.com and Hitlersplaybook.com.

Adam Curry explains Donald Trump's negotiation style, noting that he "goes big" initially to create room to move back to his actual target. The hosts promote Snopes4Snopes.com and sign off from the "Crackpot Condo" in Austin. The episode concludes with a complex audio remix featuring clips of Nancy Pelosi, car repossessions, and the "nut story."

Snopes published a fact-check regarding Eric Braverman, labeling the claim that he is missing as "unproven" rather than false. The hosts examine the timeline of Braverman's marriage to Neil Brown and his role at the Clinton Foundation, suggesting a sophisticated system was in place to manage arms sale licenses and "gatekeep" international deals. They argue that the scale of money involved in these operations reaches into the hundreds of billions of dollars.

The website Snopes is accused of political bias regarding its fact-check on California's impact on the 2016 popular vote. The hosts argue that Snopes uses "parsing" and "twisting" to protect liberal narratives, citing an old example involving Al Gore and the invention of the internet. They maintain that without California, Donald Trump would have won the popular vote.

A lawsuit involving the founder of Snopes, David Mikkelson, and his ex-wife is discussed, including allegations of embezzling $98,000 for "hookers and blow." The hosts question the site's financial independence and its claims of being funded solely by Google AdSense. They mock the site's inclusion in the International Fact-Checking Network.

The International Fact-Checking Network, which oversees Facebook's partners, receives financial support from George Soros and the Bill Gates Foundation. Primary organizations involved in this network include Snopes, the Poynter Institute, and ABC News. Critics argue that these entities may use the "fake news" label to target partisan content or unconventional political views rather than strictly false information.

The Washington Post is promoting a browser plugin to fact-check Donald Trump's tweets, prompting calls for a counter-plugin to fact-check the newspaper itself. A new website, Snopes4Snopes.com, was also discussed as a platform to monitor the biases of the popular fact-checking site. The segment notes the increasing trend of digital tools being used to filter political information.

Mark Zuckerberg issued a public note outlining Facebook's plan to combat misinformation through stronger technical detection and third-party verification. The roadmap includes easier reporting tools, warnings on flagged stories, and disrupting the economics of "ad farms." Zuckerberg emphasizes that while the company uses signals from sites like Snopes, it aims to avoid becoming a central arbiter of truth.