Monday, January 10, 2022

The SLAP Test

We all know (or should know) how rumors and conspiracy theories run wild on the interweb, especially when there's a dire breaking news situation.

The latest issue of Skeptical Inquirer had an article by Utah State University folklorist Jeannie Banks Thomas, who outlined what she calls the SLAP test. It's particularly important to use when you see information (or should I put the word information in quotes) from an unverified source, but these days... too often even verified sources repeat unverified materials. 

She turned it into this handy graphic.

Scare stories that rely on far-fetched logic, involve A-list people (or products or events), and use prejudice to demonize or other a person or group.

It's not an actual slap: Bigfoot "slap"s the stories, not the people.


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