New Guidelines Recommend Staying 30 Feet Away from Bad Science, Sloppy Reporting
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Bad information, resulting from slipshod research and lazy journalism, travels much faster and farther than thought, a research group said today. The findings prompted experts to revise distancing guidelines, urging social media users to maintain at least 30 feet (9 meters) between themselves and unvetted, shaky speculation masquerading as news.
“We were stunned to find how easily sloppy ‘studies’ that don’t remotely meet accepted standards for scientific research can infect people,” said Henry Hackett, a spokesman for Journalists For Clarity (JFC), the group behind the report. “People share this stuff without pausing to question it, when even a cursory critical look would reveal its shaky foundations and often-absurd assumptions.”
The result, said Hackett, can be confusion, uncertainty, and a general distrust of media and journalism at a time when quality journalism is more important than ever.
“It’s frustrating,” he said, “because there’s plenty of great journalism happening today—good reporting from reputable outlets, full of solid information, nuance, and thoughtful context.”
Those article, Hackett noted, tend not to be shared as quickly or as widely as “the lazy, sloppy stuff,” which tends to appear with breathless headlines and fun, colorful graphics or videos.
“Therefore, we are asking all social media users to please give this stuff a very wide berth—at least 30 feet,” said Hackett. “The only way to halt its spread is to stop sharing it, and the best way to stop sharing it is to avoid letting it infect you in the first place.”
“Seriously,” he said. “This shit is dangerous.”
