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Misinformation: Baseless claim about U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris crash spread by mysterious website (www.bbc.com)

submitted 1 year ago by tardigrada@beehaw.org to c/technology@beehaw.org

10 comments fedilink hide all child comments

A story posted on a mysterious website has been widely circulated on social media after it made a baseless claim that Kamala Harris - the Democratic presidential nominee - was involved in an alleged hit-and-run incident.

It claims, without providing evidence, that a 13-year-old girl was left paralysed by the crash, which it says took place in San Francisco in 2011.

The story, which was published on 2 September by a website purporting to be a media organisation called KBSF-San Francisco News, has been widely shared online. Some online posts by right-leaning users citing the story have been viewed millions of times.

BBC Verify has found numerous false details indicating it is fake and the website has now been taken down.

[...]

Fake news stories targeting the US

The story and the website it originally appeared on share striking similarities with a network of fake news websites that masquerade as US local news outlets, which BBC Verify has previously extensively reported on.

John Mark Dougan, a former Florida police officer who relocated to Moscow is one of the key figures behind the network.

Approached by BBC Verify to comment on the hit-and-run story, Mr Dougan denied any involvement, saying: “Do I ever admit to anything? Of course it’s not one of mine.”

The websites mix dozens of genuine news stories taken from real news outlets with what is essentially the real meat of the operation - totally fabricated stories that often include misinformation about Ukraine or target US audiences.

The websites are often set up shortly before the fake stories appear on them, and then go offline after they serve their purpose.

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[–] tate@lemmy.sdf.org -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Electing someone who believes that we should have laws and enforce them is exactly what we should do.

When she was a prosecutor, it was not her job to change the laws or decide which ones to enforce. If we don't want non-violent drug users and truants prosecuted, then we should change those laws. We have a process for that, and it doesn't include prosecutors making those decisions for us.

[–] FlashMobOfOne@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Electing someone who believes that we should have laws and enforce them is exactly what we should do.

That is an exceedingly euphemistic statement about Harris' career.