Re:Perverse Downstream Consequences of Debunking
by Viliam1234 on Monday May 10, 2021 @03:27PM
(#27109799)
Liars adapt. Whatever becomes the popular method of checking the truth, they will create their own version of that tool.
There is a similar arms race in science: Charlatans use scientifically sounding language. So you tell people "to be real science, it needs to be published in a scientific journal". Then the charlatans create their own journals. So you tell people "to be real science, it needs to be supported by a meta-analysis". Then the charlanatans create their own meta-analysis. Etc.
It always takes some time to adapt, but if you tell people e.g. "always verify political statements at fact-checking websites", as soon as your idea becomes popular, politicians will create their own "fact-checking" websites. (Or take over the existing ones, whichever is easier.)
I have some heuristics that I use for myself to determine what information I trust... but if they became public and popular, it would be quite easy to subvert them.
There is a similar arms race in science: Charlatans use scientifically sounding language. So you tell people "to be real science, it needs to be published in a scientific journal". Then the charlatans create their own journals. So you tell people "to be real science, it needs to be supported by a meta-analysis". Then the charlanatans create their own meta-analysis. Etc.
It always takes some time to adapt, but if you tell people e.g. "always verify political statements at fact-checking websites", as soon as your idea becomes popular, politicians will create their own "fact-checking" websites. (Or take over the existing ones, whichever is easier.)
I have some heuristics that I use for myself to determine what information I trust... but if they became public and popular, it would be quite easy to subvert them.