Posted September 22, 2015
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Naturally people want to hear what strengthens their own opinions (so neo-nazis are more likely to believe The Holocaust was a hoax, or the anarchists are more likely to believe that bank managers eat small babies for breakfast), but this also gives a level playing field to discredit those false rumors, and even the people who make them.
I think even common people have learned that there is also lots of false information out there. In my opinion any normal people learns that already in their childhood, sometimes people lie for different reasons.
All in all, I think internet also increases discussion (and arguments) between different people. Exchanging information. So not just reading what a newspaper told us, and then make up our own mind how we feel about it, or discuss with our closest friends. Now we can discuss about it with the whole world if we want to. Take for example Greece: discussing (and arguing) online the different point of view that people in different countries feel about it (including the Greeks themselves)?
The playing field is nowhere near as level as you believe it is. Truth is almost always a middle ground, and the middle ground just doesn't interest people. The more outrageous the claim, the more interest it gathers, whereas the more mediocre the truth, the more likely it is to be ignored.
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As you say, far-left anarchists claim to be all in favour of absolute freedom, but frequently stoop to censorship and strict moderation on online forums. Far-right extremists claim to value freedom of opinion, but really only want to have a soapbox to shout out their vile views with impunity, again to gain control.
Post edited September 22, 2015 by jamyskis