Discussion Forum

This story came across a local news station. As people who write fake news, I'm just wondering what your thoughts are.

For me, there are lines I won't cross. And this story seems to have crossed every single one of them.

Fake News Stories Spark Anger

"The story above is a satire or parody. It is entirely fictitious."

Not everyone gets it.

I wouldn't want to start a riot.

Ferguson's a bit of a hot potato at the moment. Best left alone I reckon.

Regards

Skoob.

Yes, it's all a bit tetchy at the moment, isn't it, Skoob?

my last Ferguson story

Fake?
Call me Naïve but I thought the news on this website was real!
So I no longer need to hang around dodgy bus stops, dirty railway stations and damp dockyards with my notebook waiting for something funny to happen? I can just make up stories myself?
Though I'll miss the money that strange men keep offering me ...

LOL! Yes! Isn't it great!

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Quote: Anne of Cleavage

Fake?
Call me Naïve but I thought the news on this website was real!
So I no longer need to hang around dodgy bus stops, dirty railway stations and damp dockyards with my notebook waiting for something funny to happen? I can just make up stories myself?
Though I'll miss the money that strange men keep offering me ...

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The story in question was not from The Spoof. It's from another fake news site that no longer indicates to the reader a story is meant to be taken as fake or satire. They leave it up to the reader to decide if it's fake or not. The sole purpose is NOT to entertain, to be satirical, etc. The sole purpose of this story is to go viral. So, they write a story that COULD be true. And people have very strong opinions about it and sometimes don't see how something like this could be fake.

There is nothing wrong with having a Spoof story go viral. But, The Spoof's main purpose is to be funny, satirical and entertain. Right?

What I find so horrible about this story that was written about Ferguson is that they chose to use a picture of someone who died in a motor cross accident yet claimed it was the police officer. I see nothing funny about using a dead person's photo and linking it to Ferguson just to have a million hits on a story.

Does it give someone a high or something? I don't know. I don't get it.

None of those stories I've read on a site like National Report are even funny.

Good point. It's a fine line. I think spoofing the media, the reaction to a situation or anything peripheral is acceptable. Spoofing an event where somebody has been killed is tricky at best. It's great when somebody hits the right spot, but there are too many unscrupulous click-bait sites out there who seem to be devoid of a moral compass of any description.

All comes down to the writer/site owner.

Regards

Skoob.

I think aggression isn't and will never will be the right answer in such situation. Everyone should calm down and try to solve the problems as civilized people, not like savages.