NYT: Misinformation is ‘Its Own Pandemic’ Among Parents
Here’s how to push back on social media and in person.
In January 2019, Scott Weiner, a California State Senator, introduced what he thought was an L.G.B.T.Q. Civil Rights Bill. At the time, California law gave judges discretion on whether to put a 19-year-old man on a sex offender registry if he had vaginal sex with a 16-year-old girl, but if that 19-year-old man had anal or oral sex with a 16-year-old boy, he would automatically be registered as a sex offender. Weiner’s bill sought to fix that discrepancy by giving the same discretion to judges over oral or anal sex offenses. Sex with any minor would be a crime in the state of California if this bill passed.
According to Weiner’s communications director, Catie Stewart, the bill was moving through the legislature with little fanfare or opposition until this summer, when a mom with tens of thousands of followers on Instagram got wind of a politically motivated misrepresentation from earlier in the year — one with the headline “California lawmakers introduce bill to protect pedophiles who sexually abuse innocent kids.” She then posted about it, and encouraged her followers to contact Weiner’s office to complain.
They just saw that there was a bill appearing to protect pedophiles and were understandably horrified. Weiner’s official Instagram was bombarded with thousands of comments and D.M.s, ranging from upset to violent. “#SaveTheChildren seemed to be the way in for many people, Since the bill passed on Sept. 2, the torrent of comments and D.M.s have become “a monsoon.”
Since July, at least three reality-TV-star moms with over four million Instagram followers collectively have posted about #SaveTheChildren, including incorrect information like the statistic that “300,000 American children a year will be lured into the sex trade,” a figure that has been thoroughly debunked.
Discover more from Florida Action Committee
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Typical American, always jump to conclusions, before actually getting the facts.
I’ve noticed how this bill is causing people to actually admit that registration as punishment. Take, for this example, this article (from an actual news station, not QAnon) that describes the bill as “reducing penalties for sexual relations with minors.” https://www.kusi.com/democrat-led-california-legislature-passes-bill-reducing-penalties-for-sexual-relations-with-minors/
It’s like registration can only be considered punishment if you’re criticizing a politician for being “soft on pedophiles.”
Scott Weiner also has conceded that registration is punishment, albeit in a somewhat backhanded way. (Talking about how registration makes it harder for people to get jobs, leads to harassment from neighbors, etc.)
All too often people will go Chicken Little over a headline and not bother actually reading the story, much less do any research beyond that.
The link provided has good information in it as to how to combat misinformation.
It’s noteworthy however to realize that you can lead a horse to water… Js.
This is why I am an independent with some conservative leaning views on only some issues. The conservative right always accuse the liberal left of being “misinformed” and “not doing their research”. Well, even people like Donald Trump, Jr are spreading misinformation about this California bill on his Instagram (which I have messaged him about but I’m sure he doesn’t care because it’s an opposing view) and his followers take his word for everything rather than looking it up. This bill does NOT make it legal to have sex with minors. It’s about allowing the judge to determine if the person should be registered as a sex offender. Amazing how these conservatives overlook what Wiener is saying about the heterosexual relationships with minors and that he’s just asking that the same be done for homosexuals.
The conservative right have the exact same “group think” and “mob mentality” that they accuse the left of having. The hypocrisy is astounding!
Yep, they don’t see it. Here’s to our Independence. 🙂
Any parent who gets their information from Instagram IS the problem.
As the year 2020 progresses, i’m becoming more in favor of a law governing licensing systems and enforcement for:
Procreation
Internet Access
The punishment should be public shaming.
Good subject for a TV show . Debunking all the false information that has destroyed the lives of Americans.
There have been shows like Penn and Teller’s Bullshit! That did just that.
The problem with arguing with conspiracy theorists is they dont value traditional research. They particularly despise fact checkers like Snopes.
Interestingly, while they do not trust the government research or government in general, they look to these same untrusted government agencies to save them from sex trafficking and registered persons.
Exactly!