To think that if governments and media were honest, people wouldn’t fall for fake news?

[JustHelper]

I keep seeing people blame “fake news” and misinformation for the way public opinion shifts, whether it’s about politics, health, or social issues. But isn’t the real problem that people have lost trust in official sources? If governments and mainstream media were more transparent and honest, would the general public be less likely to believe conspiracy theories and sensationalised misinformation?

I’m not saying fake news isn’t a problem but surely it thrives in an environment where people already feel like they’re being misled. If people actually trusted what they were being told, wouldn’t they be less likely to seek out alternative narratives, even if they’re false?

AIBU to think the root of the issue isn’t fake news itself but the lack of credibility from those who are supposed to inform us?

Governments don't tell the truth because the general public don't reward then for being truthful. Most of the general public aren't capable of understanding the truth as nearly every subject matter is complex, nuanced and non-trivial, most people don't have the patience or inclination to want to be deeply informed. Hence why they reach for the over simplification or "fake news" because its understandable, accessible without too much effort.

If a Government were to say "OK, everyone listen up. Essentially as a nation we are broke, growth has been flat-lining for 20 years, we can't afford the health and benefits culture, we are going to have to cut public services or you are all going to have to pay more tax"... guess what, nobody would vote for them. I guess that's why politicians tell us lies. It's all most of the general public can handle.

Copernicus has nailed it.

Conspiracy theories and fake news are carefully contrived to draw you in and generate money. It's nothing to do with government, its about vile, calculated criminals extorting the vulnerable, the gullible and the stupid.

You cant handle the truth

And thats the truth.

And actually the truth is not that we cant afford public services, its that we wanted and have effectively paid private companies public money because the political forces for the majority of the last few decades have valued small government.

So no general public, you wont get effective services because we prefer to run public services like business and if you cant turn a profit with your disability or your SEN or your health needs or your child abuse or your housing needs well then quite frankly no one is interested.

I don’t think it’s because we can’t handle the truth, I think governments don’t want to tell us the truth because they don’t like the truth, they rob us blind for their benefit whilst the lemmings suffer.

Did Thatcher general tell the truth? She was known for saying what she meant, and meaning what she said. I remember reading a comment “in thatchers time, it was acceptable for politicians to tell the blunt economic truth: for example, buses with conductors cost twice as much to run.” Was this true about her? Now, they dress it up with lies and spin, to make it more palatable. The rot set in with Tony Blair.

As soon as politicians start promising the moon on a stick, without mentioning downsides at all, as did Blair, Johnson, Farage, I distrust them at once. To me, starmer was refreshing for not doing this. (But I do think he is overdoing the gloom, though, and giving people nothing to hope for.)

But yes, when politicians lie so much, people will look elsewhere for “truth”. Unfortunately, alternative viewpoints can be silenced by government, as we saw in 2020.

Conspiracy theories have been around forever in one form or another. What's changed recently is how quickly and far they can spread across social media. 40 years ago you'd be unlikely to come across anyone claiming that the earth is flat. Now they're on YouTube.

One person with a dumb conspiracy theory is just an easily-ignored loon. Once they can group together and spin new theories between them and gain enough believers to be statistically noticeable (eg QAnon) then they start getting courted by politicians and sooner or later you end up with a demagogue in charge.

It is absolutely because the government can't be trusted.

I read somewhere that Americans are particularly vulnerable to believing conspiracy theories due to how much their politicians lie combined with poor education.

When you believe that the government is lying to you and trying to con you, lots of ridiculous shit from other people starts to sound plausible. E.g. The government says there aren't aliens at Roswell/well the government are liars and they hide all sorts so there's DEFINITELY aliens at Roswell, in come the conspiracy theories. The government tells you vaccines are safe/well the government are liars and we know big pharma are selling addictive drugs to doctors for prescription to patients so why believe the government when you know they are liars and are harming your health for money, then comes all the anti Vax conspiracies.

The more a government lies, the less the population can trust them, the more vulnerable they are to misinformation and conspiracy theories. If you could just watch the news and know it was true then that would be the end of it wouldn't it.

And I think it's for the same reason that some people are believing everything Reform says, and what they are promising. Reform are promising a rainbows and unicorns utopia, all you have to do is kneel down and worship us. And actually they are lying their heads off. They have never dealt with the reality of being in government, and that is the least of their concerns. The reason people are believing their lies is because they are not believing the government, and Reform are providing a vision of a "comforting" alternative.

Well that's exactly the same as Labour and Starmer were promising rainbows, golden rocking horse shit for every one and and candyfloss unicorns.

So far all they delivered are shit storms, horse shit and evil farmer/OAP/fishermen/disabled people killing unicorn, same old story same old politics.

People don't want to hear the truth. We now know the truth about Brexit but it would still be political suicide for a politician to come out and say it.

People aren't interested in the truth, it doesn't matter to them as long as it fits their agenda

Well that's exactly the same as Labour and Starmer were promising rainbows, golden rocking horse shit for every one and and candyfloss unicorns.
Were they? I thought they were carefully underpromising everything, knowing that their "success" was because the Conservatives were now so bad and they were the least bad alternative. Even now, they still can't bring themselves to talk about their achievements at all.