The extent to which people casually believe screenshots is alarming

[tzhu07]

Once in a while, you'll see something on social media go viral. It's a screenshot of someone saying something stupid or being a jerk. And predictably, it causes many to be angry on the Internet, with some people trying to dox the person who allegedly made the post, and people trying to get that person fired.

I think there's a lot of people who don't realize how easy it is to fabricate a screenshot. And that there's plenty of people who are willing to do that to get their 15 minutes of viral fame, or maybe to just be vindictive and frame someone for something they never said.

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[tromboneaholic]

Quotes too

 

[D.T.]

What now?

 

[Huntn]

Once in a while, you'll see something on social media go viral. It's a screenshot of someone saying something stupid or being a jerk. And predictably, it causes many to be angry on the Internet, with some people trying to dox the person who allegedly made the post, and people trying to get that person fired.

I think there's a lot of people who don't realize how easy it is to fabricate a screenshot. And that there's plenty of people who are willing to do that to get their 15 minutes of viral fame, or maybe to just be vindictive and frame someone for something they never said.

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Everything needs confirmation these days. It’s easy to verify tweets. Now the one above, I would automatically be suspect of. It all has to do with your frame of mind, familiarity with how easy it is to Photoshop/edit, and being familiar with the person who made or supposedly made the tweet.

The problem on the Trump side of things is we are dealing with a lot of stupid, gullible, calculating (people in on the scam), or people who automatically latch onto any message that reinforces their prejudices. Now to be fair, this could happen on the Left, but at this point in time, Trump seems to have gathered up an abundance of stupid just like an evil Pied Piper.

 

[Gutwrench]

Believe it. Relaxing on Sunday like a boss.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Once in a while, you'll see something on social media go viral. It's a screenshot of someone saying something stupid or being a jerk. And predictably, it causes many to be angry on the Internet, with some people trying to dox the person who allegedly made the post, and people trying to get that person fired.

I think there's a lot of people who don't realize how easy it is to fabricate a screenshot. And that there's plenty of people who are willing to do that to get their 15 minutes of viral fame, or maybe to just be vindictive and frame someone for something they never said.

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I think that visual sources (because they tap into the internal vetting system, and thus, credibility, of something that is reinforced when you can say, "I saw with my own eyes") can be very powerful, both positive and negative in sending a message.

 

[chown33]

What now?

View attachment 798947

Nice escalation. Now there's an arms rage. Or arms race. One of those. Maybe both. Saw it on the internet.

 

[eyoungren]

Once in a while, you'll see something on social media go viral. It's a screenshot of someone saying something stupid or being a jerk. And predictably, it causes many to be angry on the Internet, with some people trying to dox the person who allegedly made the post, and people trying to get that person fired.

I think there's a lot of people who don't realize how easy it is to fabricate a screenshot. And that there's plenty of people who are willing to do that to get their 15 minutes of viral fame, or maybe to just be vindictive and frame someone for something they never said.

---

This is today's version of "You believe everything you see on TV?"

Screencaps are so easy to doctor because Photoshop is such a natural part of things now.

Unfortunately, as @Huntn says…

…we are dealing with a lot of stupid, gullible, calculating (people in on the scam), or people who automatically latch onto any message that reinforces their prejudices.

There is a level of stupidity and laziness in society today. People do not want to think for themselves and that includes questioning things they'd rather believe. It's easier to have others do their thinking for them especially when it squares with their beliefs. Add in feelings of superiority and you get what we have today.

I see a lot of people in the world today exhibiting the Dunning-Kruger effect:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning–Kruger_effect

I work with a person like that.

It used to be that stupid people managed to keep to themselves and most people could figure it out and didn't deal with them. But eventually they got smart enough to turn on a computer and open a browser or operate a cellphone - and there we go.

 

[StralyanPithecus]

As Abraham Lincoln said, internet is making us all dumber...