General Discussion

Hekate

(96,011 posts)

47. I'm not afraid of any such thing, as long as there are funds to pay "formal fact checkers"

Sun Jan 12, 2025, 04:19 AM

Jan 12

The place operates 24/7, and I can’t imagine the kind of bottleneck it would create if there were insufficient people to check every post. The DU Admins are not operating on the scale of budget that Zuckerberg has — so, members would have to pay, I think.

Everything here is run by member-volunteers except the Admins, who founded the place on the day BushCheney were sworn in. They sank their own funds into DU and their own blood, sweat, and tears. They deserve whatever they earn, and believe me, they earn it. The amount of technical professionalism that goes on behind the scenes is phenomenal. The amount of thought that goes into the ever-evolving TOS gets worked out with input from the members.

People can join up and post at DU without paying any dues — I sure did, back in the early days when my finances were tight. Or they can pay a small affordable amount and all the ads will go away. Or they can donate a lot. But people are not excluded on the basis of inability to pay.

The honor system requires a lot of honor, if it’s to work. It’s DU’s versions of “norms. “

But am I “afraid” of someone checking my facts and opinions? Be my guest. I just won’t volunteer to pay you for it.

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drray23 Unwind Your Mind

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Highlight:

Do we need fact-checkers here at Democratic Underground? [View all] IcyPeas Jan 11 OP

We are fact checkers! Clouds Passing Jan 11 #1

What power do you have? Renew Deal Jan 12 #52

We have the power, at this point, to check sources of real info. Clouds Passing Jan 12 #54

disinfo as an alert category is probably a good idea orleans Jan 12 #68

YES! There should be a "dis/misinfo alert category. Think. Again. Jan 12 #71

Disinformation should be an alert category, imo Maru Kitteh Jan 12 #99

Agree blm Jan 12 #101

when i'm wrong i hear about it fairly quickly rampartd Jan 11 #2

same Skittles Jan 11 #9

I get my butt kicked here all the time. Irish_Dem Jan 11 #26

Me too, and I usually appreciate it. yardwork Jan 12 #51

But there is plenty of gaslighting.... Think. Again. Jan 12 #72

Sure. Lots of people pushing agendas. yardwork Jan 12 #73

Yes, lots. Think. Again. Jan 12 #75

I get warning DeepWinter Jan 12 #70

Are you married? True Dough Jan 12 #77

next you guys will start with the "i told yu so" n/t rampartd Jan 12 #97

Yes SocialDemocrat61 Jan 11 #3

from what I can tell, we DO fact-check each other Skittles Jan 11 #4

No. Fact-checking is what Reply Boxes are for. I also think that is true on Facebook, X, etc. Silent Type Jan 11 #5

DUers are good at looking for errors. Haggard Celine Jan 11 #6

There is nothing in the TOS against spreading misinformation Fiendish Thingy Jan 11 #7

but it DOES get called out here Skittles Jan 11 #10

Go ahead and post spreading misinformation William769 Jan 12 #58

I have seen posts with provably false information rise to the top of the greatest page Fiendish Thingy Jan 12 #63

I have seen DU Administrators toss people for this very fact William769 Jan 12 #64

Nope JustAnotherGen Jan 11 #8

We have spell checkers and grammarians. cachukis Jan 11 #11

Are you volunteering? canetoad Jan 11 #12

You just volunteered to be a fact checker DBoon Jan 11 #13

I think we do need an OP alert option for misinformation and disinformation Emrys Jan 11 #14

Well said 👏 SocialDemocrat61 Jan 11 #19

Then, even after being called out for misinformation, they continue to post it again and again MichMan Jan 12 #90

Every one of the people reading this is a fact checker.... William Gustafson Jan 11 #15

You're a very trusting soul. Think. Again. Jan 12 #74

We need more receptiveness to being fact-checked on issues of confirmation bias. Ms. Toad Jan 11 #16

FACT CHECK: Trump Wrongly States Obama Administration Had Child Separation Policy W_HAMILTON Jan 11 #25

Thank you for making my point. Ms. Toad Jan 11 #31

I think this exchange is a good example of how well DUers fact check one another. yardwork Jan 12 #56

The problem I have is the "facts don't matter" nature of the response. Ms. Toad Jan 12 #66

To me, that's a good example of differing opinions. yardwork Jan 12 #69

It is not an example of differing opinions, because I didn't express any. Ms. Toad Jan 12 #81

👏 "We also need more of us to read past the headline, even if it is just the content in the post. Better yet... chia Jan 12 #60

Greater need for FUD checkers IMO. nt Disaffected Jan 11 #17

I have received several corrections over the years. SamKnause Jan 11 #18

Not really. Many times I'm on DU while cable is on and we're quite often... brush Jan 11 #20

We are the fact-checkers, & do a pretty good job of it. It's outlined in the TOS... Hekate Jan 11 #21

The Sam Vimes series is my absolute favorite! LearnedHand Jan 11 #34

The Witches and the City Watch -- impossible to choose, so I reread them all over time Hekate Jan 11 #37

Doesn't the woman who played Lady Mary LearnedHand Jan 11 #39

Well spotted! I was blown away when I figured that out. I think there's a consistency in personality, too. Hekate Jan 11 #41

Please tell me! Unwind Your Mind Jan 12 #78

Sir Terry Pratchett and the series is Discworld. Start with The Color of Magic. yellowdogintexas Jan 12 #86

Thank you Unwind Your Mind Jan 12 #89

This would be a good spot for everyone's favorite Discworld character(s) Mine is The Luggage yellowdogintexas Jan 12 #87

Granny Weatherwax. Wyrd Sisters was good, but Witches Abroad included a send-up on Hemingway... Hekate Jan 12 #96

In the football forum, 100%. Xavier Breath Jan 11 #22

There is one big difference between us and them: surfered Jan 11 #23

I agree, but the problem is "they" are here too. Think. Again. Jan 12 #80

Without formal fact checking SocialDemocrat61 Jan 11 #24

Nah. Moderation, alert juries, and admin take care serious "back and forths". I stay out of the mosh pits. marble falls Jan 11 #28

No. We should respect and embrace the truth SocialDemocrat61 Jan 11 #32

We do -- otherwise I wouldn't have stuck around for 22+ years Hekate Jan 11 #40

I've served on juries SocialDemocrat61 Jan 12 #46

I'm not afraid of any such thing, as long as there are funds to pay "formal fact checkers" Hekate Jan 12 #47

Good, No one should be afraid of objective fact checking SocialDemocrat61 Jan 12 #48

I'll chime in here EarlG Jan 12 #91

I think Facebook, X and other social media sites should have fact checking too SocialDemocrat61 Jan 12 #92

Understood EarlG Jan 12 #94

That's fair SocialDemocrat61 Jan 12 #95

Excellently explained, EarlG Hekate Jan 12 #100

Thanks for chiming in Earl. IcyPeas Jan 12 #104

DUers are well capable of factchecking this board LearnedHand Jan 11 #35

While true at the moment SocialDemocrat61 Jan 12 #45

agree with Social Democrat Tetrachloride Jan 12 #83

I trust the people here. I HAVE seen/read that someone calls-out someone else.But.... chouchou Jan 11 #27

I get cuffed about on occasion BOSSHOG Jan 11 #29

Yes krawhitham Jan 11 #30

We DO! elleng Jan 11 #33

Nope... I've returned and I work pro bono Blue_Tires Jan 11 #36

There are fact checkers and there are nit-pickers. Nit pickers are worse. MMBeilis Jan 11 #38

I'm skilled at both depending on which is called for Blue_Tires Jan 11 #42

Nitpicking defined as SocialDemocrat61 Jan 12 #49

Thanks for posting this. Helpful, perhaps, for some of us who are guilty. MMBeilis Jan 14 #106

we already have some RussBLib Jan 12 #43

What brought this on? niyad Jan 12 #44

Not sure for them, but I was just thinking about it. Renew Deal Jan 12 #53

Absolutely. I've pointed out false info OPs so often (as did others in the threads) & the OP just leaves the bollocks up Celerity Jan 12 #59

The alert category is "right wing talking points," hedda_foil Jan 12 #62

That rules doesn't apply to the disinfo I'm talking about. Renew Deal Jan 12 #67

Yes, that info is usually propaganda meant to sway people. However, when posted here it either: LeftInTX Jan 12 #85

I've posted a much lengthier response upthread EarlG Jan 12 #93

I think you're right Renew Deal Jan 13 #105

I once forgot to post a URL with a news story. Jacson6 Jan 12 #50

If we were a bunch of liars and conspiracy theorists, I'd say yes. But we're not, so no. Vinca Jan 12 #55

I think what is needed everywhere nationwide genxlib Jan 12 #57

No flvegan Jan 12 #61

Over the years... kentuck Jan 12 #65

Too often when posts are "good news" on our part, they stay up besides not being factual or provable. LeftInTX Jan 12 #76

Don't think so, since this is an opinion site and not a factual site. republianmushroom Jan 12 #79

Will it have a "splitting hairs" component? Will everyone be able to scold other DUers? FSogol Jan 12 #82

Yes. The shit people fall for... demmiblue Jan 12 #84

Agree Kaleva Jan 12 #98

No. We have knowledgeable members & a good jury system. "Coffee lady" 😳 underpants Jan 12 #88

No, we need DU Crystal Ball so we can predict 2025 and beyond. bucolic_frolic Jan 12 #102

no Groundhawg Jan 12 #103