A story posted on a mysterious website has been widely circulated on social media after it made a baseless claim that Kamala Harris - the Democratic presidential nominee - was involved in an alleged hit-and-run incident.
It claims, without providing evidence, that a 13-year-old girl was left paralysed by the crash, which it says took place in San Francisco in 2011.
The story, which was published on 2 September by a website purporting to be a media organisation called KBSF-San Francisco News, has been widely shared online. Some online posts by right-leaning users citing the story have been viewed millions of times.
BBC Verify has found numerous false details indicating it is fake and the website has now been taken down.
[…]
Fake news stories targeting the US
The story and the website it originally appeared on share striking similarities with a network of fake news websites that masquerade as US local news outlets, which BBC Verify has previously extensively reported on.
John Mark Dougan, a former Florida police officer who relocated to Moscow is one of the key figures behind the network.
Approached by BBC Verify to comment on the hit-and-run story, Mr Dougan denied any involvement, saying: “Do I ever admit to anything? Of course it’s not one of mine.”
The websites mix dozens of genuine news stories taken from real news outlets with what is essentially the real meat of the operation - totally fabricated stories that often include misinformation about Ukraine or target US audiences.
The websites are often set up shortly before the fake stories appear on them, and then go offline after they serve their purpose.
And now you, the mainstream media, are amplifying it and giving it oxygen.
It’s like y’all never learned the old Usenet adage: “don’t feed (quote) the trolls”.
Fact checking and clarifying fake news is not amplifying it, especially when it is already this widely spread.
Yes it is.
You might not wish it to be, but fact-checking absolutely does amplify fake news, especially if you give details.
A simple “this story is bullshit” is all that’s needed
That’s what this is? I don’t know what else you see or how your “this story is bullshit” wouldn’t amplify it either then.
Exactly lol “this story is bullshit” with no further explanation is exactly what someone who is full of shit would say.
No, fact checking is not amplifying it is correcting the narrative.
JD “couch fucker” Vance would beg to differ.
JD “couch fucker” Vance would beg to differ.
true. This article has a responsiblly worded headline, but it only takes one outlet to get the words just wrong enough…
Streisand effect
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