Fake news is everywhere, encouraged by those with something to gain by setting one part of the population against another part. Even without their efforts, people are incredibly eager to believe the rumours that fly around. It has always been the case – once upon a time it was Bolshevics infiltrating the country, they could be detected by the snow still on their boots even in midsummer. At another time, it was the French – in Hartlepool, during the Napoleonic wars, a ship's monkey survived a shipwreck, only to be hanged by the townspeople as a “hairy French spy” A similar thing happened in 1772, at Boddam, near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire.
Here are a couple of modern ones - with links to their true stories - I am sure you can think of others, but please try to find the truth and post it to counteract the fake spin.
Illegal immigrants getting benefits No they don't. If they are here illegally, they have no official existence, and to get official benefits you have to fill in forms. Illegal immigrants get only what they work for, which is often peanuts. If they are ill, or sacked, or laid off, or their boss delays paying them, they get zilch, zero, nothing at all, and they have no defence. Stacks of regulations, reports etc here - www.gov.uk/government/organisations/immigration-enforcement
Asylum seekers jumping housing queues, having enormous families, and getting vast amounts of benefits The facts about asylum seekers can be seen here - england.shelter.org.uk/legal/housing_options/asylum_seekers
Devices listening in to your conversation This isn't Big Brother in Westminster, it is a marketing ploy to send you as much advertising as possible so as to make you spend, spend, spend! Yes, it is true that unless you opt out most of the websites you visit have links to advertising organisations which harvest your email address, buying habits and past Google searches BUT you can go onto your Google account and block the ones which act through Google. Be aware that the sites have an account with Google too – by signing up to the ads programme, they get a very small amount every time someone clicks on an ad, and Google send you an ad if you click on certain words, mention certain words, or if your browser even just sees certain words on the screen. If you don't want that, you can stop it. It is up to you. Note – there are many other online advertising agencies as well as Google! www.youronlinechoices.com/uk/about-behavioural-advertising
The bottom line is - take seriously the request that appears for you to choose your online privacy settings^
Another week, another Tory MP sex scandal!
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