November 20 - 23, 2024
Commentary
A Quick Aside About Fact-Checking Vs. Critical Thinking
- by Cory Treffiletti , Featured Contributor, January 15, 2025
Coming out of CES there was a lot of news, but the piece of news I found most surprising for the industry was the announcement that Meta would be shuttering its fact-checking team in favor of community-driven methods.
I am admittedly split on social media. On one side of things, I realize its value in enabling and maintaining connections between people. On the flipside, social media seems to be at the core of most conflict, negativity and mental health issues affecting our lives daily. When people use social media as their primary news source, they are shutting out opposing points of view, and now they are relying on sources that are not fact-checked across most any platform, with Meta adopting the same basic model as X.
For the most part, the industry reported this as a statement of fact rather than editorializing on it. I expected hand-wringing and finger-pointing.
I don’t think this is a good move for social media, but I do understand the business reason for Meta’s making this change.
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All that being said, the Meta move opens the door for a different conversation, one that’s important for all of us to participate in -- especially if you are a parent of a child who uses social media. We all need a discussion about critical thinking.
Critical thinking is not really taught in schools, although it should be. Young minds need to know that critical thinking is an important skill that will help them in every aspect of their lives.
Critical thinking is not cynicism. It is simply based on a single idea: Consider the source. When you read news of any kind, or when you read about products or ideas, you should always consider the source. First, where was this POV or news item originating, and is that source reputable? Second, can you confirm that POV or item from a secondary source? Third, is that source considered biased in some manner? Fourth, and probably most importantly, can you ask questions and get straight answers about that topic?
These are important steps, and since social media is so easily accessible, and influenced -- and no longer self-policed -- you must be able to employ your own critical thinking to know what’s correct.
Now if you made it this far, you are probably of the opinion that this is an article about politics. Nope, I don’t care about yours or anyone else’s politics. You can and should employ everything I am saying about political points of view, but I am more focused on the immediate world around me as a parent.
If you have a teenager, you’ve likely heard about things like beef tallow as a skin care product or chewing gum as a tool to create a more well-defined jawline. These are relatively benign ideas, but if you ask a doctor or dermatologist, they will steer you away from them. Social media is filled with far more more ridiculous claims and POVs that can be very dangerous to a young mind and psyche.
Critical thinking is important because these kids are the future of everything. They will rely on a medium we created, one which has ruined much of their ability to think on their own. Since we literally made this mess, it’s on us to clean it up.
Social media companies can do whatever they want when it comes to fact-checking. It’s on us to make sure we are not relying on an unreliable source for information. We need to be the fact-checkers. We need to be the critical thinkers. It’s on each of us to do our part. Maybe then, things will turn out OK.
7 comments about "A Quick Aside About Fact-Checking Vs. Critical Thinking".
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Please check this fact. I found a video with Polar Bears in Davos. It looks real to me. I googled it - https://sora.com/g/gen_01jhkfacw9f29adccng3t3vdx8
then i asked Chat.GPT - "If polar bears escaped from a zoo and somehow made it to Davos (or anywhere in Switzerland), it would be an extraordinary and unprecedented event. Polar bears are powerful animals but are highly specialized for cold Arctic environments, and their survival in the Swiss Alps would be challenging.
In such an unusual scenario, authorities would likely intervene quickly to ensure both public safety and the well-being of the animals, given the risks involved. Escapes of large predators from zoos are extremely rare due to stringent containment measures.
If you're curious about a hypothetical or historical story, let me know—I can explore the specifics for you!"
Is that a good way to check facts? If i'm going to Davos, should i bring Bear Spray just in case?
Fact checkers got plenty of "facts" wrong and their inherent bias was constantly on display.
The list of "experts" who also gave bad information, sometimes knowingly, is also long.
I agree, critical thinking is in short supply. People need to learn to think and not simply follow the political narrative on either side of the divide. Nobody has a monopoly on the truth and both sides have told gianatic whoppers over the past several years that have hurt people and the nation.
Good analysis and advice Cory. Thanks.
-Ken
Just a reminder that one definition of the word "check" is: "to stop or slow down the progress of something, usually undesirable."
"Fact Checkers" were indeed "stopping" and "slowing" the attempt to get Facts and Truth to the public, which are undesirable to the occupying WEF regime. This is another example of double-edged linguistic magick, crafted to hoodwink the public.
Fortunately, a counter-force of benevolent mystics who love the Ideal of America broke this anti-American, anti-free speech, anti-Constitutional paradigm. Media Matters won't exist by this time next year. Nor will Newsguard or any of the other dishonest "fact checkers." Good riddance!
One wonders what will happen to publications that embraced the "fact checkers" fundamental dishonesty. Especially the ones who stubbornly cling to the use the linguistic diktats of misinformation, like continuing to call the Fed-driven Jan 6th 2021 an "insurrection" when even the courts and Congress have decreed it was not. One wonders about the existential danger facing any publication that continues to use such disproven terms, particularly under the incoming Trump administration. Strange Days.
A great post Cory.
May I suggest that, when appropriate, that you don't refer to 'fact checkers but instead replace that with the term "facile checkers".
Media Matters will be around I don't see them going away in my opinion. I don't like them since their bias since they don't go after CNN or MSNBC if media did matter they'd go after everyone not just conservative media. Meda Doesn't Matter should be their name.
I agree critical thinking should be taught in school and at home as well.
Totally agree. Thanks.