Trust Me, I'm Lying

1. The media landscape is driven by manipulation and deception

Blogs need traffic, being first drives traffic, and so entire stories are created out of whole cloth to make that happen.

Media manipulation is rampant. The modern media landscape, particularly online, is built on a foundation of deception and manipulation. PR professionals, marketers, and even journalists themselves engage in tactics designed to generate traffic and attention, often at the expense of truth and accuracy. These tactics include:

• Creating fake controversies
• Planting stories with bloggers
• Leveraging anonymous sources
• Manufacturing outrage

The attention economy incentivizes bad behavior. In a world where clicks equal revenue, the pressure to produce content that spreads quickly outweighs the responsibility to report accurately. This creates a feedback loop where manipulators feed sensational stories to hungry bloggers, who then amplify and distort them further.

2. Blogs prioritize traffic over truth, leading to a cycle of misinformation

Getting it right is expensive, getting it first is cheap.

Speed trumps accuracy. In the race to be first, blogs often sacrifice fact-checking and verification. This leads to a cycle where:

• Rumors are reported as facts
• Unverified claims spread rapidly
• Corrections come too late to matter

The economics of blogging encourage this behavior. Many bloggers are paid based on the traffic they generate, not the quality or accuracy of their reporting. This creates a perverse incentive structure where:

• Sensational headlines are rewarded
• Nuanced reporting is penalized
• Fact-checking is seen as a luxury

The result is a media ecosystem that values speed and virality over truth and substance, perpetuating a cycle of misinformation that's difficult to break.

3. Sensationalism and controversy are the currency of online media

If it doesn't spread, it's dead.

Emotional content spreads faster. Studies have shown that content that evokes strong emotions, particularly anger, is more likely to be shared and go viral. This leads to a media landscape where:

• Outrage is manufactured
• Nuance is sacrificed
• Complex issues are oversimplified

The "viral" imperative shapes content. In the pursuit of traffic, blogs and online media outlets craft their content to maximize shareability. This results in:

• Clickbait headlines
• Controversial takes on mundane events
• A focus on conflict and drama

The consequence is a media environment that amplifies the most extreme voices and perspectives, drowning out more measured and thoughtful discourse.

4. The "iterative journalism" model sacrifices accuracy for speed

Online, we often publish first and edit later.

The "publish first, verify later" approach. Many online media outlets have adopted an "iterative" model of journalism, where stories are published as they develop, often before key facts are verified. This leads to:

• Incomplete or inaccurate initial reports
• A constant stream of updates and corrections
• Confusion among readers as stories change

The illusion of transparency. Proponents argue that this model allows for greater transparency in the reporting process. However, it often results in:

• The spread of misinformation before corrections can be made
• A blurring of the line between fact and speculation
• A loss of credibility for media outlets

This approach prioritizes speed over accuracy, contributing to an information ecosystem where the first version of a story, even if incorrect, often becomes the prevailing narrative.

5. Corrections and retractions are ineffective in the digital age

Corrections not only don't fix the error—they backfire and make misperception worse.

The persistence of misinformation. In the digital age, the initial version of a story often spreads far wider and faster than any subsequent corrections. This leads to:

• False information continuing to circulate long after it's been debunked
• Readers remembering the original, incorrect version of events
• A general erosion of trust in media

The backfire effect. Psychological research has shown that corrections can sometimes reinforce the original, incorrect belief. This occurs because:

• Corrections reintroduce the false information
• People tend to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs
• The act of correction can be seen as an attack on one's worldview

As a result, the traditional journalistic practice of issuing corrections and retractions is often ineffective in the digital media landscape, allowing misinformation to persist and spread.

6. Online media serves as a modern public shaming and degradation tool

Blogs are vehicles from which mass media reporters—and your most chatty and "informed" friends—discover and borrow the news.

The digital pillory. Online media, particularly social media and blogs, have become modern tools for public shaming and degradation. This manifests in:

• Viral outrage campaigns
• Online harassment and bullying
• The rapid spread of damaging rumors or accusations

The amplification effect. The interconnected nature of online media means that local incidents or minor controversies can quickly become national or even international news. This leads to:

• Disproportionate consequences for perceived transgressions
• A culture of fear around public missteps
• The erosion of nuance and context in public discourse

The result is a media environment that often resembles a digital mob, ready to pounce on the latest target of outrage, with little regard for proportionality or due process.

7. The blurred line between real and fake news creates a dangerous "unreality"

Welcome to unreality, my friends. It's fucking scary.

The collapse of shared reality. The proliferation of fake news, combined with the erosion of trust in traditional media sources, has created a situation where it's increasingly difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. This results in:

• A fragmented information landscape
• The rise of conspiracy theories and alternative facts
• Increased polarization as people retreat into information bubbles

The manipulation of perception. Bad actors, from trolls to state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, exploit this confusion to shape public opinion. Tactics include:

• Creating and amplifying fake news stories
• Using bots and sock puppets to manipulate social media
• Exploiting algorithmic biases in content recommendation systems

The consequence is a media environment where reality itself becomes malleable, making it challenging for citizens to make informed decisions and undermining the foundations of democratic discourse.

8. Readers must approach online content with skepticism and discernment

How to Read a Blog: An Update on Account of All the Lies

Critical reading skills are essential. In the current media landscape, readers must develop a skeptical and discerning approach to online content. This involves:

• Questioning sources and motivations
• Seeking out multiple perspectives on important issues
• Verifying claims independently when possible

Understanding media manipulation tactics. Readers should familiarize themselves with common tactics used to manipulate online narratives, such as:

• Recognizing clickbait headlines
• Being wary of anonymous sources
• Understanding how emotional appeals can be used to bypass critical thinking

By developing these skills, readers can better navigate the complex and often deceptive world of online media, becoming more informed and less susceptible to manipulation.

9. The current media ecosystem is unsustainable and requires systemic change

All aspects of our society suffer because of these economics.

The need for new models. The current economics of online media, driven by advertising revenue and pageviews, are fundamentally flawed and unsustainable. Possible solutions include:

• Subscription-based models that prioritize quality over quantity
• Blockchain-based systems for verifying and tracking the provenance of news
• Increased media literacy education to create more discerning consumers

Regulatory and cultural shifts. Addressing the problems in the media ecosystem will require changes at multiple levels:

• Updated laws and regulations to address digital-age challenges like fake news and data privacy
• Cultural shifts that value accuracy and depth over speed and sensationalism
• Technology solutions to help verify information and combat misinformation

The current media landscape, with its emphasis on manipulation, sensationalism, and speed over accuracy, is causing significant harm to public discourse and democratic institutions. Addressing these issues will require concerted effort from media professionals, technologists, policymakers, and citizens alike.

Last updated: August 7, 2024