५ फेब्रुवारी, २०१९

"A shockingly large majority of health news shared on Facebook is fake or misleading."

Now, there's a clickbait headline.

"Shockingly large"? It would need to be more than 90% to shock me.
Health Feedback approximates that of these 10 [most shared] articles, 2.1 million shares (33%) had very low scientific rating, while 2.6 million shares (41%) ranked neutral. The smallest category belonged to those deemed highly scientific at 1.7 million shares (26%).

Researchers then went on to examine the top 100 articles, many of which were also shared in the hundreds of thousands.... In terms of overall credibility, slightly less than half achieved a high credibility rating. However, highly rated articles received 11 million shares, while poorly rated articles had roughly 8.5 million shares. Of the latter category, there was a piece that linked ramen noodles to Alzheimer’s, and another that claimed onions can be used to treat ear infections.
So... it's shockingly small.

And here I am sharing a misleading health news article!

५८ टिप्पण्या:

AZ Bob म्हणाले...

"A shockingly large majority" is an oxymoron. By using the word majority, the writer appears to be hedging.

Nonapod म्हणाले...

another that claimed onions can be used to treat ear infections.

I immediately imagined someone trying to shove an onion in their ear.

It just seems like the modern equivalent of the grifter rolling into town with his wagon full of snake oils, miracle tonics, and other sure fire remedies.

highdudgeon म्हणाले...

The writer misuses "approximates" for "estimates".

AZ Bob म्हणाले...

On the other hand, I supposed you can be shocked in some instances by 51 percent of something.

Howard म्हणाले...

drill deeper, most peer reviewed science on health and nutrition is bullshit as well. do what grandma suggested and all will be well until it isn't

Howard म्हणाले...

Zenith Pal-trow shows us a shockingly simple trick to regularize bowel movements, film at eleven

Chuck म्हणाले...

So I just gave that Fast Company article a fast read, and I think I understand it. And I think it stands for something significant, which is how and why junk science and medical reporting penetrates so widely and deeply through social media. I really do not get your point on this one, Althouse.

We have a measles outbreak in the Pacific Northwest right now, thanks in large part to anti-vaccine rumors and both Facebook and YouTube accept that their platforms have been part of the problem;

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/feb/01/facebook-youtube-anti-vaccination-misinformation-social-media

robother म्हणाले...

I'll take "Shocking Large Things that Turn out to be Shockingly Small" for 500, Alex.

David in Cal म्हणाले...

A shockingly large majority of health news shared in the mainstream media is fake or misleading.

I Have Misplaced My Pants म्हणाले...

It just seems like the modern equivalent of the grifter rolling into town with his wagon full of snake oils, miracle tonics, and other sure fire remedies.

Now the wagon is Facebook and the snake oil is all that MLM garbage (Plexus, Thrive, etc), essential oils, and the newest woo-woo bullshit fad on the block, CBD oil.

I Have Misplaced My Pants म्हणाले...

And the mother of all fake health news on Facebook: antivax bullshit.

The Bergall म्हणाले...

That's almost as close as the one's advertised on TV.......................

Fernandinande म्हणाले...

A majority of health news is fake or misleading.

Here is "Why Most Published [medical] Research Findings Are False"

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves म्हणाले...

Listen to Hollywood on health issues and politics. You can't go wrong.

Wince म्हणाले...

Does that included "medical news" that says I can achieve a shockingly large penis?

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

"Health Feedback approximates that of these 10 [most shared] articles, 2.1 million shares (33%) had very low scientific rating, while 2.6 million shares (41%) ranked neutral. The smallest category belonged to those deemed highly scientific at 1.7 million shares (26%)."

That's not even a majority!

"In terms of overall credibility, slightly less than half achieved a high credibility rating. However, highly rated articles received 11 million shares, while poorly rated articles had roughly 8.5 million shares."

So... a bare majority is called a "shockingly large majority."

This is one of the worst-written articles I've ever seen. And yet I'm still not shocked by how bad it is. It's exactly what I expect, and I only read past the headline to confirm my suspicion.

I wonder what I would read if I didn't have this blog.

MacMacConnell म्हणाले...

CDC says these mini epidemics are caused by the Antivax movement and infected "international travelers". Gee I wonder which nations these "international travelers" are from?

Lucid-Ideas म्हणाले...

Shockingly large number of headlines use 'shockingly' too much and 'shockingly' turn out to be clickbait. Shockingly people unshocked.

Wilbur म्हणाले...

My Brazilian-American wife listens to this crap in Portuguese all day long on Facebook. She believes all of it, so she does things like spreading raw onion all around the house along with baking soda and, well, I could go on for a while.

Bless her heart.

Ignorance is Bliss म्हणाले...

I wonder what I would read if I didn't have this blog.

I also wonder what I would read if you didn't have this blog.

Meade म्हणाले...

"And here I am sharing a misleading health news article!"

I'm going to call this: "The Paradox Of Here I Am Sharing A Misleading Health News Article."

Chuck म्हणाले...

Oh, your comment is helpful to me, Althouse. The point emphasized in your comment is that “a shockingly large majority” is shockingly bad phraseology. Because we aren’t really talking about “majorities.” We shouldn’t be talking about “majorities.” Medicine and science isn’t a majority vote.

To me, if 10% of medical information in wide social media circulation is false, that alone is shocking. In medicine, if a surgical procedure or a medication has a 4% failure or complication rate, that is shockingly high.

What is the non-compliance rate with the MMR vaccine in Oregon and Washington? 9%. More?

I don’t know, Althouse; would your criticism of the article have been allayed if instead of “shockingly high majority,” the authors and editors had made it “shockingly high percentage”?

Meade म्हणाले...

Chuck said...
"I really do not get your point on this one, Althouse."

That is because your purpose in being here is to smear.

Chuck Schmearer.

Kathy म्हणाले...

Yes, what is the non-compliance rate in Oregon with the MMR vaccine specifically? Because "unvaccinated" doesn't mean "has not had any vaccines."

Curious George म्हणाले...

"Chuck said...
I really do not get your point on this one, Althouse."

Truer words have never been spoken.

Yancey Ward म्हणाले...

Reading Facebook articles has been demonstrated to raise your mortality by 52.54%.

Yancey Ward म्हणाले...

"Chuck Schmearer."

For purely aesthetic reasons, I prefer "Chuck Schumearer".

Sam L. म्हणाले...

One more reason to avoid Facebook.

Sydney म्हणाले...

A shockingly large majority of health news shared in the mainstream media is fake or misleading.

Exactly.

Anne in Rockwall, TX म्हणाले...

Why do you keep it up, Chuck? Do you have nowhere else to go? Does no one else like you? Are you waiting for Meade to kick off so you can woo Althouse?

Why do you persist?

stlcdr म्हणाले...

Except the global worming articles. Those are real.

Yancey Ward म्हणाले...

This, of course, is a good place to apply the Gell-Mann Amnesia Effect.

bagoh20 म्हणाले...

"This is one of the worst-written articles I've ever seen."

You could have used that as the headline for even more clicks.

bagoh20 म्हणाले...

I left facebook years ago. I wonder how much time that has saved me. It has to be enormous. That would be a good facebook article: "How I dropped facebook, got my life back, and lost 50 pounds overnight!"

Chuck म्हणाले...

Blogger Meade said...
Chuck said...
"I really do not get your point on this one, Althouse."

That is because your purpose in being here is to smear.

Chuck Schmearer.


Just stop it with that, Meade. I wrote the word “smear” in connection with Trump once and I regret it. I misused the word “smear” just like Althouse did once:

https://althouse.blogspot.com/2018/01/after-fire-and-fury-and-shithole-smear.html?m=1

I want a bad end to come to the Trump presidency and the sooner the better. Better for the Republican Party, and the country. And for all discussions of real policy. But I don’t want to bring down Trump with any falsehoods or lies or even “smears.” I want Trump brought down with careful applications of facts, evidence and morality.

Your going back over this again and again is just “clutter” in my opinion. But as long as you are doing it again, I am happy to make myself clearer for your benefit.

Have a very nice day.

I Have Misplaced My Pants म्हणाले...

Why do you keep it up, Chuck? Do you have nowhere else to go? Does no one else like you? Are you waiting for Meade to kick off so you can woo Althouse?

Why do you persist?


I feel like you and I (based on past comments you've made) both see Chuck's creepy controlly obsessive attitude toward Althouse and what she thinks/writes/says and are concerned about it. And we don't even see the stuff he emails her; just what he posts here. Meade, listen to us ladies, and watch out for that guy. I've said this before but he acts like a person who one of these days is gonna put on an astronaut diaper and drive to Madison to tell her a thing or two.

Freeman Hunt म्हणाले...

The funniest health tip that comes up on Facebook over and over is to put potato slices inside a sick person's socks. It's the funniest because a surprising number of people try it.

Ryan म्हणाले...

I eat ramen all the time and have never gotten Alzheimer's. PROVEN FUCKING SCIENCE.

I Have Misplaced My Pants म्हणाले...


The funniest health tip that comes up on Facebook over and over is to put potato slices inside a sick person's socks. It's the funniest because a surprising number of people try it.

My husband injured his meniscus some years ago and it's never really healed properly and occasionally acts up. Recently a well-educated friend suggested he apply CBD cream on the outside of his knee. Another friend kindly purchased a copper band bracelet for him. facepalm

Anne in Rockwall, TX म्हणाले...

I agree with you, Pants. Chuck gets too creepy. Watch out Meade.

Chuck म्हणाले...

My email contacts with Meade are zero.

My email contacts with Althouse have been rare; about a dozen in he last five years or so and every one of my emails to her, and her emails to me, have been friendly. I expect that Althouse knows everything about me that she might care to; which may not be much (fine) but in no case would regard me as anything like a threat.

Which makes me wonder why you, “I Have Mislpaced My Pants,” knowing absolutely nothing about me, would write something so bitchy and disgracefully hysterical about me.

Meade म्हणाले...

Chuck said...

"I wrote the word “smear” in connection with Trump once and I regret it."
---------------------------

Nice spin but no dice. This is what you, Chuck, wrote in the comments 3/4/16, 4:46 PM:

"I am afraid you are mistaking me for someone who has an interest in fair treatment of Donald Trump. I'm not your guy. I am interested in smearing him, hurting him and prejudicing people against him."

Fernandinande म्हणाले...

Latvian walk in bar with mule. The bartender say "Why so long of face?"

Latvian sighs, "I am think of daughter. She has been lie with soldier for potato to put in sock of baby."

Meade म्हणाले...

Chuck, you need to take a long vacation from the Althouse blog. I understand Venezuela is warm and sunny this time of year. And by this time of year I mean year around.

Yancey Ward म्हणाले...

Meade quoting Chuck:

"I am afraid you are mistaking me for someone who has an interest in fair treatment of Donald Trump. I'm not your guy. I am interested in smearing him, hurting him and prejudicing people against him."

In fairness to Chuck, he was misusing every word in that paragraph, so the meaning is exactly the opposite of how it reads. To take its meaning literally is libeling Chuck.

Oso Negro म्हणाले...

@Chuck - Civil war could be a bad end for the Trump presidency. Does that possibility light you up?

Chuck म्हणाले...

Meade, you correctly quoted the one time that I wrote that I’d like to smear Trump. Which I had just previously acknowledged, and said that I had regretted.

I regret having written that I wanted to smear Trump, because “smear” indirectly reflects badly on me. A strict definition of “smear” implies an untruth or a falsehood as a mechanism to hurt the target of the smear. And I really want no part of hurting Trump with falsehoods. I want Trump’s public career to be hurt by fact, evidence and truth.

Did you read the Althouse post where she fumbled her own use of “smear” in connection with Trump’s detractors? It happens.

Have I cleared this up for you now, Meade?

Chuck म्हणाले...


Blogger Oso Negro said...
@Chuck - Civil war could be a bad end for the Trump presidency. Does that possibility light you up?


You sound like one of the black radicals from the late 1960’s; “Give is what we want or there will be riots.”

It might be the most pathetic thing about Trumpism. It’s taking otherwise solid and self-reliant Republicans, and turning them into victims. Victims of Mexican immigrants. Victims of Chinese corporations. Victims of liberal judges. Victims of the GOP elites, or Hollywood.

Sheesh! I thought we Republicans were optimistic happy warriors against victimization culture. We should be.

Anyway, there won’t be any civil war when Trump’s base is all aging white men with pensions and 401(k)’s, watching golf and the Fox News Channel on cable.

Meade म्हणाले...

“Regret “ is not good enough, Chuck Schumearer. Take a long vacation. Reflect and make amends. Come back in 2 years and show us what you’ve learned.

Anne in Rockwall, TX म्हणाले...

Thank you, Meade.

traditionalguy म्हणाले...

Down at the Herb Shops everywhere there are products for whatever ails you. And some of them work some of the time. No visit to an MD for your Rx is required.

But antibiotics are still the true Miracle Drugs and visiting your MD is worth the trouble, but never even fill the Rx for Oxycodone, just take an Advil.

Bay Area Guy म्हणाले...

Anyway, there won’t be any civil war when Trump’s base is all aging white men with pensions and 401(k)’s, watching golf and the Fox News Channel on cable.

Hey! I resemble, er, resent this remark!

iowan2 म्हणाले...

Working in agriculture for more than 40 years, and being directly involved for life, I have seen lots of science prostituted in terrible ways. Take one little university study, take a small snippet of revealed science and then...come to a wildly wrong conclusion.

Leftist latest talking point is deferring to the experts. The wall? EXPERTS, CAGCC? EXPERTS, etc. Then they go and find their experts.

How can you get mad at facebook? When the whole nation knows who Dr. Oz is?
Organic? 100% scam. Bio engineered grains? 100% safe. Chemical fertilizer? I can't begin to define what that means. N P K are all from the earth. I could go on forever, but you get the point.

madAsHell म्हणाले...

My wife's grandmother from Tuxla lived with us when our daughter was born. Our daughter had chronic runny nose, and the solution was to put red thread in the shape of a cross on my daughter's forehead.

When grandmother moved out, we put tubes in my daughter's ears. What a difference that made in speech development!!

rehajm म्हणाले...

Bay Area Guy said...
Anyway, there won’t be any civil war when Trump’s base is all aging white men with pensions and 401(k)’s, watching golf and the Fox News Channel on cable.

Hey! I resemble, er, resent this remark!


Stinks for you, Guy! (I'm so glad I only watch Golf Channel on cable...)

Howard म्हणाले...

funny iowan2, from outside looking in, agriculture has benefited the most from all of our great land grant colleges and such. You people get tons of free research, free marketing, get paid to go fallow, get paid for food stamps food, protective tariffs, etc, etc: the most socialized bidness in these United States... mostly paid for by the rich librul elites on the coasts.

iowan2 म्हणाले...

Yea, Howard. Terrible.
Ready for solutions.
Not sure what Land Grant Universities have to do with people adopting junk medicine.

Howard म्हणाले...

Oh, I thought you were talking ag and how experts fucked that up too. Do you still have your Farm-Labor Party card?