Culture

Don't click on this -- it's a fake story! (The 3:59, Ep. 141)

We talk about the trend of bogus articles on Facebook and Google as well as Twitter trolls and Amazon counterfeits.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News

Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.

Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials

SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.

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Ben Fox Rubin Former senior reporter

Ben Fox Rubin was a senior reporter for CNET News in Manhattan, reporting on Amazon, e-commerce and mobile payments. He previously worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and got his start at newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

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Roger Cheng

Ben Fox Rubin

Nov. 15, 2016 9:21 a.m. PT

You really can't trust anyone on the internet.

Facebook's already dealing with controversy around hoax stories, and now Google is in the same pot of hot water. A search for election results brought up a story about Donald Trump winning the popular vote (he didn't). Between Google and Facebook, one has to question whether we can believe anything on the internet.

There are no easy answers to such a complex dilemma, which is why we try to tackle the issue in less than 2 minutes.

We also look at how Twitter is dealing with another tough issue: the epidemic of trolls ruining things for everyone; and how Amazon is cracking down on counterfeit goods and fake reviews.

We do a lot of venting on today's episode.

The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by the CNET News team in New York and producer Bryan VanGelder.

Check out the extended shows on YouTube.

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