The AI – e.g. ChatGPT – may become the “appeal to authority” argument source within another year or so. Disagree with someone or something? Just quote them what The AI says – that will be seen as the authority. And those who control The AI will control the world.
Judge rules that “anything CDC recommends is per se rational and cannot be challenged in court”.
I had never investigated the Blue Check program until moments ago. It is used to further our neo-feudalism of elite versus the plebians, ensuring that we know our place. Only the truly elite are supposed to get Blue Check marks. Blue Checks are a mark of techno-nobility.
Two appalling bad studies were widely shared by “experts” on social media. One was so bad, and its errors so obvious, that they only way they could have decided to share was to do so without having read even the abstract of the study.
A former US Surgeon General asserts the “appeal to authority” argument form – where neither facts nor logic supported his position. Instead, he came across as arrogant and dismissive of those lacking the qualifications to question his errant comments – even though he was wrong. This attitude has become common during the Covid era and has led to “the suicide of expertise” – that is, the loss of trust in experts and even Science itself.
Scientific American reports on how government agencies use “media embargoes” to control reporting.
Youtube will promote videos on some subjects based on the “Authority” of those producing the video. Youtube has not defined what “authoritative” means – it may mean that Youtube will gradually give more focus to views produced by those with many initials after their name, as a proxy for “authoritative”. What could go wrong?
Member of Facebook’s Content Moderation Board says free speech is not an absolute human right.
Facebook, Twitter and Google outrageously censored scientists and doctors for asking questions about challenging issues in the pandemic. Today, we are recognizing that these discussions were important – but silenced by the unethical billionaires of social media.
Link to an essay on the role that “technical authority”, media propaganda, and how “consensus of experts” are used to influence the public and to exert control over us. This essay is an eye opener.