Should ATS have hidden hoax threads to teach people how to do their own research?

I was just thinking it'd be cool if ATS ran 'hoax' threads in the regular sections to try and intentionally fool the readers. It'd be a GREAT way to ensure that readers take the time to research the topics a bit before starring and flagging and believing everything the read word for word. Hoaxes would be identified after a specified time-period.

what say ye, ATS community? IS this a good idea? DO they already do it and I'm clueless?

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


No, there's already enough hoax threads to do that thankyou..
We don't need any more rubbish on here..

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


Sounds like a good idea, but I think most people are just too lazy to do their own research. I don't think that would prevent the laziness.

I think it's a funny idea, but it would cause problems. It would embarrass posters who were fooled and could even cause them to launch a vendetta against the site. In addition, it could lower the standing of the site in the eyes of ATS posters and the public.

Yes.

You don't know how many times I've nearly made hoax threads just to prove how gullible some our posters really are.

I have stopped short because I don't think it would end well from me..
But we should be teaching people to actually think critically. If it weren't tragic, it would be a joke at how many of our people that claim to be "awake" are actually as easily programmed as any other segment of the population.

Originally posted by Miraj
Yes.

You don't know how many times I've nearly made hoax threads just to prove how gullible some our posters really are.

Gee. This would be something new

People have been coming to ATS for years creating hoax threads for just that very reason. It's tantamount to teenagers thinking THEY are the ones who invented sex and they know something their parents don't.

Sorry OP, but this is truly a dumb idea.... move along on this one.

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


IMHO - a recepie fore disaster

we do not need ` planted hoaxes ` to ` test ` our critical thinking - there are already hundreds per week

such ` planted hoaxes ` would alienate genuine investigators - as they would ask themselves `why did i waste time on this `

such planted hoaxes would also alienate the " i want to beleive " desperadoes who would still cling to thre belief that it was real - and accuse ATS of " disinfo "

pseudo skeptics would fall over them selves to be the fists to denounce the ` planted hoax ` to " proove " thier brilliance and superiority

people with limited time for such matter would be put off - for the same reason as genuine investigators

it would be ammunition for trolls and belittlers ie " har har - you didnt spot that planted hoax #13 was a fake for 5 days - you suck "

i cannot think of any redeming qualitiues for this idea - sorry

Maybe a thread where screen shots are taken of searches being done and links to source that are open source that any one can use to find data. Maybe video of some one doing searches showing how easy it is. But I guess flagging and staring is easier.

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


Silly idea- it's up to the OP to do the research for creating a thread, not the people reading the thread......

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


So you want them to intentionally lie and hoax us? Something they forbid in their own rules?

Um yeah no BAD idea sorry..It is just bad. I see no good coming out of this idea.

If someone is interested in a topic they will research it themselves if not they don't care or they are just too lazy.

NO... this will spread disinfo and heresay more than ever and undermine the integrity of the site... what is left of integrity here.

I suggest an exercise thread...a work shop thread that walks you through posting a thread. It would include an exercise on how to download or attach pictures and videos...how to properly set up a thread... retorical exercises on what is acceptable and what is not... and you can advance to whatever technical level you wish depending on what items you include in your thread.

For instance..if it is only a thread with words and opinions...pretty simple...However, if you want to include a link, perhaps an exercise to do so. Next time, want to include a video..an exercise to walk you through that...and so on.

That way, you won't have dud threads with this spectacular video " you must watch"...so you point and click and.....nothing.

Hoaxing is a violation of the Terms and Conditions of the site, for all of us. It would be rather hypocritical to have a different set of rules for staff vs. the membership. At least once in the distant past, ATS had an April Fools Joke go wrong, for which there is still fallout all around the net to this day. When any public events, April fools pranks, games, or the like are presented, its done with the utmost care as not to cause another event such as I mentioned above.

deliberate hoaxes = obviously bad.
Having hoaxes showing in a hoax forum = obviously good.

Saying that everyone should do their own research into every topic is silly. Do you really have time to go and interview people involved in certain cases? Which may involve traveling from country to country to do so? No, i didn't think you did. The thing with stuff that has been proven to be a hoax, is that the information is there to prove it so, and that cuts out the neeed for people to waste valuble time on doing their own research. (unless there is reasonable doubt to suspect that a hoax isn't a hoax, then knock yoyrself out and dig deeper) But the point remains, the hoax forum is a useful measuing tool (if you will) to see if a topic has been debunked or not. No point in going round in circles, if something has been done to death already.

Originally posted by incrediblelousminds
I was just thinking it'd be cool if ATS ran 'hoax' threads in the regular sections to try and intentionally fool the readers. It'd be a GREAT way to ensure that readers take the time to research the topics a bit before starring and flagging and believing everything the read word for word. Hoaxes would be identified after a specified time-period.

what say ye, ATS community? IS this a good idea? DO they already do it and I'm clueless?

edit on 19-4-2011 by incrediblelousminds because: typo in headline

for me, any TRUE ATS MEMBER who finds a compelling subject on this board, should already be doing cross referencing on that subject, before reaching any solid conclusion. that is the nature of this forum, or should be. obviously, certain members observations are given more gravitas than others. i hope all new members realize this. truth is very hard to come by, we rely on documents and reputations to formulate of own way of percieving a said subject, but in no way should we ever be satisfied, or definantly express to others what we percieve to be 100% true. Man, in a generic sense, has caused many ills in history due to incomplete beliefs and misconceptions. and unfortunetly, i see this every time i log onto ATS.

reply to post by defcon5


I do remember this QUITE vividly. Back then I was a continuous lurker here and remember specifically thinking to myself "Who are going to be the idiots and what groups are going to jump on this"... In retrospect I could never have imagined what KL said THEN would have such far reaching effects .... I also remember thinking at that time, what the mods SHOULD have done, was inject some code into that specific message that anyone who viewed it, would have their own IP address shown to them

Personally, I thought it was great, but knew it was going to cause some BS here and there, and so, it has come to pass

reply to post by alphabetaone


And what about the ones that never get called for a hoax.

What about those ones?
You know. The ones with BS or non existent science to prove some stupid point that's a horrible conclusion.

Originally posted by Miraj
reply to post by alphabetaone

 

And what about the ones that never get called for a hoax.

What about those ones?
You know. The ones with BS or non existent science to prove some stupid point that's a horrible conclusion.

Well, I'm not sure I follow your line of thinking precisely, but what of them? It's been my experience over the past 7+ years that the threads that have been created out of mere sensationalism usually die a painful death into thread obscurity, and those that create them for the SAKE of creating them, typically end up leaving or being banned if they do it continuously.

That doesn't detract though, from the very negative connotations that can arise from what the OP has suggested. What they're suggesting is tantamount to a parent instead of telling their child that the stove is hot, instead, placing their hand on it to prove it. Thereby defeating the purpose of ever having warned them.

Shoot no
most of us are adults here and can figure out a relevant thread from non..

On a totally unrelated note. How bout that part ofnMcGruber when he intially brings out the selary in the butt tactic, we should look into using that in theatre..

A truly dreadful idea. Once a certain type of person is convinced of The Truth of a hoax, there is no amount of evidence, including the confession of the hoaxer, that will change their mind. They simply conclude that "they" got to him or her, and pass the embellished story along. I do wish that people would at least click on the links provided by the OP before flagging, starring and saying "great thread!" Just recently, one thread was started based on an article in the satirical weekly "The Onion," and on another thread the posted link led through a series of other links that eventually landed on a page that said: "April Fools!"

Thanks all, for responding.

Sounds like the consensus is it's a bad idea.

Still, I like it, because people might PAUSE for a moment when they read something outrageous and think 'is this one of those clever ATS hoaxes that, once exposed, will make me look like a tool for starring and flagging and commenting on in total support?"

I think it would keep everyone on their toes.