Tech Note: LGF Now Warns You About Fake News Sites

Fakers who exploit confirmation bias for page views
LGF • Views: 76,586
Image via Shutterstock

We have some new code that tries to prevent fake news sites from being promoted at LGF. If someone posts a link to a fake news site (like abcnews​.com​.co) in a comment, when you click on it you’ll see a warning message that it’s a fake news site. You can still choose to go there if you want, but at least you’ll know what you’re getting into.

And if someone opens the LGF Pages bookmarklet from a fake news site, they’ll see a warning that those sites can’t be posted in LGF Pages and the window will come up with all the fields blanked out.

Here’s the list of fake news sites we’re checking links against; let me know in a comment if I missed any.

abcnews​.com​.co
lincolnreport​.com
BigAmericanNews​.com
ChristWire​.org
CivicTribune​.com
DailyCurrant​.com
DCClothesLine​.com
DerfMagazine​.com
DrudgeReport​.com​.co
DuhProgressive​.com
EmpireNews​.com
EnduringVision​.com
MSNBC​.co
MSNBC​.website
MediaMass​.net
NationalReport​.net
NewsBiscuit​.com
NewsLo​.com
NewsMutiny​.com
now8news​.com
PoliticalEars​.com
RealNewsRightNow​.com
RileNews​.com
satiratribune​.com
Sprotspickle​.com
TheNewsNerd​.com
TheUsPatriot​.com
WitScience​.org

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55 comments
1
Testy Toad T  May 8, 2016 • 12:17:47pm

I was really excited when I saw that you listed drudgereport.com as a fake news site.

Then I read more carefully.

2
Lidane  May 8, 2016 • 12:20:09pm

Awesome. Some of those fake news sites are really slick and can easily fool people.

3
Charles Johnson  May 8, 2016 • 12:21:31pm

By the way, that list came from here: fakenewswatch.com

I added “abcnews​.com​.co” to it.

4
Backwoods_Sleuth  May 8, 2016 • 12:22:25pm

Two that I’ve been seeing pretty regularly lately are:
Satira Tribune
Now8News

5
Charles Johnson  May 8, 2016 • 12:23:18pm

re: #2 Lidane

Awesome. Some of those fake news sites are really slick and can easily fool people.

That’s exactly what they’re trying to do. They exploit people’s biases by posting semi-plausible outrageous stories, so people will click the link and they’ll get views on their advertisements. They’re profiting by deliberately spreading misinformation.

Basically, they really suck.

6
Jenner7  May 8, 2016 • 12:25:30pm

Super cool. Thanks Charles.

7
unproven innocence  May 8, 2016 • 12:26:09pm

I’m sorely tempted to help drive “fake news sites” closer to the top of google™ search.

8
Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  May 8, 2016 • 12:26:20pm

Very cool! Thanks!

9
blueraven  May 8, 2016 • 12:26:44pm

Mother!

10
Brother Holy Cruise Missile of Mild Acceptance  May 8, 2016 • 12:27:50pm

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mom’s. Went with the in-laws to brunch now working on Mother’s Day Dinner:

Image: 13177701_10153505882171560_3075605389083600320_n.jpg

Pork loin coated with olive oil, fresh rosemary, minced garlic, salt and pepper that’s currently being smoked with apple. Also doing herb roasted baby red potatoes and some fresh green beans.

11
Dr. Matt  May 8, 2016 • 12:28:04pm

NOT from a fake news site: Jan Brewer calls for fewer female candidates: ‘This woman thing has gotten way out of control’

During a discussion on CNN about presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s possible running mates, host Jake Tapper asked Brewer if she would be interested in the job.

“Who made up that list? They didn’t put me on there,” Brewer complained. “Of course, I would be — I would be willing to serve in any capacity that I could be of help with Donald on.”

“Do you think he needs to pick a woman?” Tapper wondered. “Given how bad his numbers are with women.”

“I don’t necessarily think you need to pick a woman,” Brewer insisted. “You know, this woman thing has gotten way out of control I believe.

12
Charles Johnson  May 8, 2016 • 12:28:15pm

re: #4 Backwoods_Sleuth

Two that I’ve been seeing pretty regularly lately are:
Satira Tribune
Now8News

Thanks, added those.

13
goddamnedfrank  May 8, 2016 • 12:36:35pm

Charles, this is prime for turning into a Safari / Chrome Extension.

14
CuriousLurker  May 8, 2016 • 12:37:01pm

Since this is a Tech Note I guess I’m not really going OT. I saw the article below during the week and wanted to drop it off before I go find something else to do for the afternoon. It’s for Windows users only:

A free, almost foolproof way to check for malware
How to scan every running process on your system for malware in seconds, without installing antimalware software

infoworld.com

15
calochortus  May 8, 2016 • 12:39:30pm

Happy Mothers’ Day everyone (whether you’re a mom or not.)

Things are low key here-the kids usually call at some point. Daughter and son-in-law go to visit his mom because she really cares about a visit on the appropriate date and I don’t . Son usually works, so he just calls too. We’ll get together another time.

Mr. C. was going to cook dinner, but then I came home from the farmers’ market with fresh, first of the season CA wild-caught salmon. Since I’m the one who roasts the salmon with rosemary and beurre blanc, I’ll be cooking tonight.

16
freetoken  May 8, 2016 • 12:40:51pm

Sunrise approaches over at the Marianas… the ship has traveled overnight to be just west of Saipan. I believe today is the last day of ROV diving in this leg:

Okeanos Explorer - Camera 3

17
PhillyPretzel  May 8, 2016 • 12:41:05pm

I am going to save this thread to my favorites. It is great reference.

18
goddamnedfrank  May 8, 2016 • 12:58:41pm
19
Charles Johnson  May 8, 2016 • 1:03:56pm

abcnews.com.core: #13 goddamnedfrank

Charles, this is prime for turning into a Safari / Chrome Extension.

Safari extensions are kind of a hassle - you have to pay to join Apple’s developer program and then they have to approve it. But I think Chrome extensions are easier to create - I’ll check into it.

20
Le Lapin Tueur  May 8, 2016 • 1:05:45pm

*Blush*

Ima hide in a hole for awhile…

21
dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  May 8, 2016 • 1:12:44pm

i expect somebody soon to publish something “proving” that some of the most successful presidential campaigns have started out w most of the senior members of the party rejecting the nominee

22
Charles Johnson  May 8, 2016 • 1:12:52pm

re: #20 Le Lapin Tueur

*Blush*

Ima hide in a hole for awhile…

No worries! You’re not the first to get tricked by these sites and you won’t be the last. But at least your Page inspired me to come up with this warning code.

23
dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸  May 8, 2016 • 1:14:05pm

Trump Just Killed The Republican Party By Agreeing With Obama On Raising Taxes On The Rich

what the well dressed pundit is wearing this weekend

24
nines09  May 8, 2016 • 1:15:37pm

re: #20 Le Lapin Tueur

*Blush*

Ima hide in a hole for awhile…

For what it’s worth, I bit too. So at least we are educated a bit today. Now think of all those who have no clue. And we wonder how a turd like Trump can evade multiple flushes.

25
calochortus  May 8, 2016 • 1:15:46pm

Hmm, work in the garden or take a walk? Maybe I’ll do both.

BBL

26
The Vicious Babushka  May 8, 2016 • 1:16:53pm

Wow such Presidential very leadership wow so class

27
Stanley Sea  May 8, 2016 • 1:21:10pm

re: #26 The Vicious Babushka

Wow such Presidential very leadership wow so class

[Embedded content]

Did he do a Mother’s Day tweet to his 3 baby mama’s?

28
Belafon  May 8, 2016 • 1:27:51pm

re: #26 The Vicious Babushka

Wow such Presidential very leadership wow so class

[Embedded content]

From the guy who didn’t get the majority of the votes from his own party.

29
CriticalDragon1177  May 8, 2016 • 1:27:51pm

In its defense, the “satiratribune​.com” sounds kind of like they’re telling you its a fake news site.

30
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  May 8, 2016 • 1:31:36pm

re: #23 dog philosopher ஐஒஔ௸

Trump Just Killed The Republican Party By Agreeing With Obama On Raising Taxes On The Rich

what the well dressed pundit is wearing this weekend

From that interview:

Let me explain how the world works. Okay? I think nobody knows more about taxes than I do, and income than I do. But I’ll explain how it all works. I don’t come up with it. I come up with the biggest tax cut of any candidate by far of any candidate. Anybody, and I put it in. But that doesn’t mean that’s what we’re going to get. We have to negotiate. The thing I am going to do is make sure the middle-class gets good taxes, tax breaks, because they have been absolutely shunned. The other thing. I’m going to fight very hard for business. For the wealthy, frankly, I think it’s going to go up. And you know what? I think it should go up.

…

Let me explain something, I’m putting in a plan, Chuck. I have to negotiate now with Senators, Congressman, lots of others. The fact that I put in a plan. It really is a floor. That’s what it is, whether we like it or not.

It’s kind of frightening that Deadbeat Donnie has a better grasp of the governmental process than Bernie Sanders, who’s been in Congress over 20 years….

31
CriticalDragon1177  May 8, 2016 • 1:31:37pm

You just got to love the religious racist, who thinks that his god is whiter than yours,

Also ironically the guy lives in Canada, and its safe to say he’s either an Immigrant himself, or his ancestors at some point were, unless of course he’s native American, but than I don’t think he’d see himself as “white”

32
The Vicious Babushka  May 8, 2016 • 1:41:07pm

These are horrible garbage human beings==>

33
Feline Fearless Leader  May 8, 2016 • 1:41:32pm

re: #31 CriticalDragon1177

When I see “pro Western Christianity” and “pro Viking volkish” my conclusion is that the person’s main priority lies along certain lines since their commonality does not include much toleration of each other.

34
Joe Bacon  May 8, 2016 • 1:46:46pm

re: #32 The Vicious Babushka

These are horrible garbage human beings==>

[Embedded content]

According to Fox News, a lot of their audience are “looters” as well. But the typical FAUX News viewer is too brainwashed to realize that!

35
Charles Johnson  May 8, 2016 • 1:47:07pm

Here’s a trick to post a web address without having our auto-linking code turn it into a link.

There’s a special Unicode character called the “zero-width space,” that’s basically an invisible space that takes up no horizontal room. Just put a zero-width space before the period(s) in any URL you don’t want to be auto-linked.

The character code for the zero-width space is ​ — so here’s what an address looks like when you don’t want it to be auto-linked.

abcnews&8203;.com&8203;.co
36
Belafon  May 8, 2016 • 1:49:56pm

re: #35 Charles Johnson

Thanks. I won’t remember it, but thanks.

37
Charles Johnson  May 8, 2016 • 1:52:19pm

re: #36 Belafon

Thanks. I won’t remember it, but thanks.

That’s what the little red heart Favorite icon is for. There’s a link to your Favorites page in the registration menu at top right.

38
PhillyPretzel  May 8, 2016 • 1:54:50pm

re: #36 Belafon

And that is why I am saving this whole thread. One has to be aware of these fake websites.

39
CriticalDragon1177  May 8, 2016 • 1:55:25pm

This guy really get’s “science.” I’m so “convinced” that evolution is a “lie” now.

40
sagehen  May 8, 2016 • 1:57:46pm

Maybe you thought it was too obvious to mention, but

THE ONION

41
Lidane  May 8, 2016 • 1:58:33pm

Some positive news on this rainy, overcast Sunday:

42
CriticalDragon1177  May 8, 2016 • 1:59:27pm

Yes Ken Ham, people only accept the reality of evolution because we want to go to Hell. Yeah, like we wouldn’t care about something called, “evidence” unlike you.

Ken Ham’s Ark Park to “Debunk” the Happy Story of Noah

43
William Lewis  May 8, 2016 • 2:00:51pm

re: #40 sagehen

Maybe you thought it was too obvious to mention, but

THE ONION

Except the Onion isn’t a fake news site, it is a satire site that doesn’t intend to be taken as real. While it has been, that is not what they are trying to do, unlike the other sites on the black list.

44
Kragar  May 8, 2016 • 2:14:49pm

Putin’s buttpuppet on the Trump staff says what?

45
ObserverArt  May 8, 2016 • 2:17:09pm

re: #29 CriticalDragon1177

In its defense, the “satiratribune​.com” sounds kind of like they’re telling you its a fake news site.

I got that too. And after taking a look at it, I think the story titles are outrageous enough to hint at it too. That doesn’t mean that people wouldn’t fall for them being real, that happens often enough with The Onion.

46
GlutenFreeJesus  May 8, 2016 • 2:26:19pm

Charles, you forgot to add gop.com to the list.

47
Blind Frog Belly White  May 8, 2016 • 2:27:46pm

re: #39 CriticalDragon1177

This guy really get’s “science.” I’m so “convinced” that evolution is a “lie” now.

[Embedded content]

Homo erectus. Long, long duration on Earth, from 1.9 Million years ago till only 70,000 years ago. Gradually changed over that time, most notably the size of the cranial vault. They started out with chimp-sized brains and ended up at the low end of the observed range for Homo sapiens.

Show a Creationist an early Homo erectus skeleton, and they say “It’s just a monkey.

Show them a late Homo erectus skeleton, and they say, “It’s a human”.

But they gradually acquired traits only seen in later hominids.

The guy you’re arguing with is one of those Believers who’s trapped in the middle between what he can’t deny and what he wants to believe. Hence all non-human hominids are ‘just animals’. Tell him about the Human/Neanderthal crossbreeding that we can see remnants of in European and Asian, but not African populations. Ask him whether Humans can crossbreed with Animals.

48
Smith25's Liberal Thighs  May 8, 2016 • 4:22:20pm

re: #41 Lidane

Some positive news on this rainy, overcast Sunday:

[Embedded content]

Graduation weekend is always pretty cool around here. It’s always Derby weekend, so we always got a three day party in(at least in my younger days).

49
Anymouse  May 8, 2016 • 6:03:52pm

re: #43 William Lewis

My favourite Onion article (about my town of 128 people):

Nation’s Landmarks Piled in One Place for Easier Monitoring

BROADWATER, NE—In a move aimed at protecting the nation’s natural and historical heritage from potential threats, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced this week it had relocated all major American landmarks into one big, carefully guarded pile in the center of the country.

Spanning 25 square miles in a remote section of western Nebraska, the densely packed, 5,000-foot-high mound is said to contain every prominent national monument, historically designated building, and notable piece of public infrastructure from across the United States.

The article goes on at the link

50
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge  May 8, 2016 • 6:09:44pm

re: #49 Anymouse

My favourite Onion article (about my town of 128 people):

Nation’s Landmarks Piled in One Place for Easier Monitoring

The article goes on at the link

They should consult the people who moved the Space Needle downtown, then shoved all the tall buildings onto the same block and put them across the street from Frasier Crane’s window.

51
Anymouse  May 8, 2016 • 6:18:08pm

re: #50 The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge

They should consult the people who moved the Space Needle downtown, then shoved all the tall buildings onto the same block and put them across the street from Frasier Crane’s window.

Just dump ‘em all into the Grand Canyon (now just outside of my town)

52
BadExampleMan  May 8, 2016 • 9:18:50pm

You could add worldnewsdailyreport.com to your fake list.

53
CriticalDragon1177  May 8, 2016 • 9:43:27pm

re: #47 Blind Frog Belly White

Homo erectus. Long, long duration on Earth, from 1.9 Million years ago till only 70,000 years ago. Gradually changed over that time, most notably the size of the cranial vault. They started out with chimp-sized brains and ended up at the low end of the observed range for Homo sapiens.

Show a Creationist an early Homo erectus skeleton, and they say “It’s just a monkey.

Show them a late Homo erectus skeleton, and they say, “It’s a human”.

But they gradually acquired traits only seen in later hominids.

The guy you’re arguing with is one of those Believers who’s trapped in the middle between what he can’t deny and what he wants to believe. Hence all non-human hominids are ‘just animals’. Tell him about the Human/Neanderthal crossbreeding that we can see remnants of in European and Asian, but not African populations. Ask him whether Humans can crossbreed with Animals.

I might do that, except I really don’t want to waste too much more time with Alexander Young. The guy is already convince that evolution is a lie, and that God wiped out all life on Earth multiple times, only to magically create new species from scratch to replace the old ones.

54
CriticalDragon1177  May 8, 2016 • 9:46:24pm

re: #33 Feline Fearless Leader

When I see “pro Western Christianity” and “pro Viking volkish” my conclusion is that the person’s main priority lies along certain lines since their commonality does not include much toleration of each other.

I know. The Vikings were polytheistic warriors, not Christians, and if not for the fact that they were white, “West and Christ” would probably regard them as barbarians, instead of a group of people who should be emulated.

55
Birth Control Works  May 9, 2016 • 12:50:49am

Very Kewl!


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