News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:The account of realDonaldTrump will be locked for 12 hours by midasuni on Thursday January 07, 2021 @04:52AM (#25669217)
> On the flip side, if everyone hates you equally you're probably on the right track.

This is the false equivalence argument. Some argue that 5g spreads covid. Some argue it doesn’t. You advocate both views and everyone hates you.

Doesn’t make you right.

Re:The account of realDonaldTrump will be locked for 12 hours by qmarchi on Thursday January 07, 2021 @06:06AM (#25669682)
So you're saying that 5G towers don't broadcast both COVID-19 _and_ 5G signaling? Why are there split bands then! /s
Re:The account of realDonaldTrump will be locked for 12 hours by atleta on Thursday January 07, 2021 @08:12AM (#25670589)
I haven't heard of the false equivalence before, but it doesn't sound like this. There is that popular fallacy though, but I'm not aware if it has a name, where people think that the truth is always in the middle (the golden middle).

And you could say that this is it, but given the strong polarization and extremism around topics that involve politics it might be a good measure in this case. (Of course, depending on what exactly 'everybody' means.) By definition extremists of either side will see independent actors as hostile. But, of course, this is just a measure, not a proof.

Re:The account of realDonaldTrump will be locked for 12 hours by Can_Not on Thursday January 07, 2021 @09:56AM (#25671738)
Re:The account of realDonaldTrump will be locked for 12 hours by beowulfey on Thursday January 07, 2021 @08:47AM (#25670935)
The umpire is not going to advocate for either stand in this metaphor. The umpire will restrict or disseminate information for both sides. If the umpire does so in a way that irritates both parties, then they are doing so equally. Thus why PC said this.
Re:The account of realDonaldTrump will be locked for 12 hours by spuz on Thursday January 07, 2021 @06:53AM (#25670000)
What if you weight dislike by the number of people? There are surely more people who believe 5G doesn't cause COVID than those who do.
Re:The account of realDonaldTrump will be locked for 12 hours by hef19898 on Thursday January 07, 2021 @07:30AM (#25670277)
Propably wouldn't work, as the minority is much more liuder and active than the majority.
Re:The account of realDonaldTrump will be locked for 12 hours by pornel on Thursday January 07, 2021 @07:55AM (#25670444)
Some myths and conspiracy theories are dangerously close to being believed by the majority of people:

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/30/951095644/even-if-its-bonkers...

so in the end you have to anchor this to some expertise and grounded-in-reality judgement.

For example, the majority in the aforementioned poll believed that COVID-19 was created in a lab in China. And to be honest, an average person really has no way of truly knowing this. They're not virologists or spies. They can only judge based on a gut feeling whether China is/isn't evil, and that is likely based on other things they've heard, which may include rumors, propaganda and Bond movies.