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Co-founder of fact-checking site Snopes is suspended after investigation revealed he plagiarized at least 54 articles and used a fake name
daily mail ^

Posted on 08/13/2021 9:18:19 PM PDT by algore

The co-founder of fact-checking website Snopes has apologized for plagiarizing more than 50 articles and writing under a fake name.

David Mikkelson, a computer science graduate who founded the site in 1994, blamed the behavior on a lack of journalistic training.

'I didn't come from a journalism background,' he said. 'I wasn't used to doing news aggregation. A number of times I crossed the line to where it was copyright infringement. I own that.'

Following an investigation by BuzzFeed News, he is no longer allowed to publish articles on the page - although he retains his position as chief executive.

'As you can imagine, our staff are gutted and appalled by this,' said Vinny Green, Snopes's chief operating officer.

Mikkelson acknowledged he had committed 'multiple serious copyright violations of content that Snopes didn't have rights to use', and said he was embarrassed to have angered the 20 'dedicated, professional journalists' employed by Snopes

'There is no excuse for my serious lapses in judgment,' he wrote.

'I want to express how sorry I am to those whose copyright I violated, to our staff, and to our readers.'

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 1moretime; chat; chatforum; credibilityproblem; fraud; internet; liberalagenda; mikkelson; plagiarism; plagiarizing; poeticjustice; snopes; suspension
Fact
1 posted on 08/13/2021 9:18:19 PM PDT by algore
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To: algore

Fact: This is the Obama democrat donor who dumped his wife for a skanky porn star.


2 posted on 08/13/2021 9:20:34 PM PDT by White Lives Matter
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To: algore

How is this different from the NYT Slimes and the DC Bezos’ Post?


3 posted on 08/13/2021 9:22:01 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Critical Marx Theory is The SOLUTION....)
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To: algore

Again,

TTIUWOP.


4 posted on 08/13/2021 9:22:59 PM PDT by Paladin2 (Critical Marx Theory is The SOLUTION....)
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To: algore
 
 
We've always known those "fact checkers" could use a lot of fact checking themselves.
 
 

5 posted on 08/13/2021 9:23:36 PM PDT by lapsus calami (What's that stink? Code Pink ! ! And their buddy Murtha, too!)
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To: algore

You learn in middle school what plagiarism is and the need to cite your sources.


6 posted on 08/13/2021 9:24:51 PM PDT by LukeL
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To: algore

So, he’s blaming the fact that he doesn’t know right from wrong on his lack of a ‘journalistic background’?

I think a moral background is what he lacks.

I can’t imagine doing something like this just for money. (I guess that’s why I’m poor.)

I’d be interested in actually investigating things, and putting my findings into my own words. Lots of people make good money at that - but it takes actual WORK.


7 posted on 08/13/2021 9:27:06 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: algore

Libtards always go libtard.

They have a hard time not going full libtard.

It’s what they do.


8 posted on 08/13/2021 9:38:16 PM PDT by eyedigress (Trump is my President!)
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To: algore

He wasn’t used to being honest either. That shows. Real sorry he got caught he is.


9 posted on 08/13/2021 9:48:02 PM PDT by Louis Foxwell (RISE UP O MEN OF GOD. BE DONE WITH LESSER THINGS.)
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To: algore
Bowie obit, E! online:

Bowie was born David Robert Jones in England on January 8, 1947 and landed his first hit song at just 22-years-old with "Space Oddity"—a single that landed in the top five of the U.K. Singles Chart at the time of its release.

All throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Bowie became well-known for endlessly pushing boundaries during the glam-rock era, and even more famous for his androgynous alter ego named Ziggy Stardust.

Snopes, Mr. Plagarist:

Bowie was born David Robert Jones in England on 8 January 1947 and first hit the charts at age 22 with “Space Oddity.” Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Bowie became known for pushing musical and social boundaries during the glam-rock era through such works as the album named for his androgynous alter ego, Ziggy Stardust.

What a lazy, piece of work ....Bowie is one of the most famous musicians ever. It would have been EASY to write something original.

10 posted on 08/13/2021 10:04:24 PM PDT by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s^2)
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To: Paladin2
How is this different from the NYT Slimes and the DC Bezos’ Post?

According to the article, it's a matter of degree.

11 posted on 08/13/2021 10:06:47 PM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham ("God is a spirit, and man His means of walking on the earth.")
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To: algore

Ooh—suspended!


12 posted on 08/13/2021 10:12:53 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: White Lives Matter

Did u see the old lady?
Just saying


13 posted on 08/13/2021 10:14:02 PM PDT by wardaddy (Girls...in the end ....it's about them )
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To: 9YearLurker

Sounds like Free Republic, in a way.


14 posted on 08/13/2021 11:36:30 PM PDT by Laslo Fripp (The Sybil of Free Republic)
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To: algore

lack of journalistic training

no lying is something you learn is wrong at kindergarten age

it sounds like he HAS journalitic training and was sloppy and caught


15 posted on 08/14/2021 12:47:42 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not Averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: White Lives Matter

His first wife looked like a man. “That’s a man baby” came to mind.


16 posted on 08/14/2021 1:58:50 AM PDT by setter
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To: algore

“he retains his position as chief executive”?

Snopes’s scandals should have seen it closed down long ago. instead, people still quote from it!


17 posted on 08/14/2021 2:20:12 AM PDT by MAGAthon
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To: Paladin2
How is this different from the NYT Slimes and the DC Bezos’ Post?

It's okay to lie, it's just not okay to copy someone else's lies.

18 posted on 08/14/2021 4:00:24 AM PDT by KevinB (''... and to the Banana Republic for which it stands ...")
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To: White Lives Matter

And the first wife embezzled from the company. I thought he lost the rights Snopes during their divorce. I haven’t been to the site in over 20 years.


19 posted on 08/14/2021 5:31:55 AM PDT by KosmicKitty (i am not responsible for gremlins attacking this tagline)
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To: algore

Clearly the lack of a journalism degree did not stop him from being just as honest as the rest of the corporate media.


20 posted on 08/14/2021 6:42:05 AM PDT by FLT-bird
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