Couric & Co.
March 5, 2010 7:19 PM

Katie Couric's Notebook: Online Rumors

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Katie Couric
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Katie Couric's Notebook
In 2005, a Wikipedia entry claimed that veteran journalist John Siegenthaler had been a suspect in President Kennedy's assassination.

Last month, comedian Bill Cosby was surprised to read that he had died.

And yesterday, Chief Justice John Roberts was the last to know...he resigned from the Supreme Court for personal reasons.

All of those stories are pure poppycock that proliferated online until they were proven false.

At this point in the notebook I could wag a finger at the Internet and extol the virtues of accuracy in reporting...but I like to keep you guessing.

Rebecca Jeschke of the Electronic Frontier Foundation pointed out to us...truth can rip through cyberspace as quickly as lies. Rumors like these are often squashed within minutes...as bloggers gnaw at new information like piranhas in a pool.

But that's little solace for the subject of the rumor, or a reader who simply wants to surf the Web...without getting pulled under by a rip tide of lies.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

Add a Comment
by maxCohen2 March 15, 2010 1:15 PM EDT
I agree the lies are bad but wow, network news give wrong information. I can easily catch computer news that's wrong, I can't imagine how many other errors are made in areas that I'm not as knowledgeable about. I for one am glad we have bloggers. They help us find lies when certain networks claim things about a President of the U.S. but end up using the wrong font on their faked "proof".

I'm glad we have bloggers who inform us what's going on in their country when nothing is ever mentioned on the mainstream "news". I'm glad we have bloggers and sites like WikiLeaks and the EFF who are willing to take the chance to fight for freedom of speech when such topics are taboo in other forms of media. And I'm glad for bloggers who let people comment without jumping through the hoops of registration.
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by edixope4842 March 10, 2010 8:01 PM EST
How bout the "rumor" that CBS is going broke and using outdated articles on it's website?
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by jsfitzgerrel March 6, 2010 5:59 AM EST
at least on the net I think a lot or false rumors start as jokes. it is still a lie though.
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