NEWS BRIEFS: On trolls, a big ship and a big gift

By Lindsay Street  |  Two Clemson University professors want to fight online misinformation by giving everyone a pop quiz. But don’t worry, it’s only eight questions.

Darren Linvill and Patrick Warren have debuted this week “Spot the Troll,” an educational tool to guide users toward being better informed on social media while asking participants to divine the legitimate profiles from those linked to foreign governments. 

Spreading wrong or deliberately false information online often starts with fake accounts. A post is then shared by real people who feel the posts speak to their personal or political beliefs. Linvill and Warren have identified millions of such posts since the 2016 election where U.S. officials uncovered efforts by Russians to sow disinformation on social media. 

Social media’s proliferation of disinformation has been listed as a top security concern for the 2020 election. This week, intelligence officials warned that Russian meddling has intensified.

If the thought of a pop quiz is giving you anxiety (hello, recurrent nightmare in the meritocracy), you’re not alone. Linvill told the Charleston City Paper he is hearing from participants who are “overthinking” or not going with their gut (although, he warned, sometimes your gut isn’t always right). And for those who just want to get it right? Relax — no GPAs to worry about.

“This quiz is about the journey, not the destination. I don’t care what your score is. I care that you went through it and thought about it,” Linvill said. “Our goal is to get people to consider who they’re engaging with, who they are retweeting and not do it lightly because their accounts are the tools of disinformation. Disinformation doesn’t spread without people spreading it.”

The quiz is part of Clemson’s new Media Forensics Hub, which seeks to engage and educate the public at large, to make it easier to spot disinformation. 

So, how can you get a perfect score on the quiz?

“The main thing is to be wary. When something looks too good to be true, it probably is. And at the end of the day, strangers don’t always have your best interests at heart. There are signs one can look for that someone is a real human being,” Linvill said. “Trolls don’t have depth.”

In other words: Legitimate profiles tend to have personal posts and information scattered amid the political beliefs and post-sharing. 

• Take the quiz at: spotthetroll.org.

In other recent news:

Huge ship visits deep port of Charleston

The biggest container ship to ever call the U.S. East Coast — the 15,072-TEU CMA CGM Brazil — sailed into Charleston Harbor on Sunday.

Photo provided.

Port officials said the ship’s visit was significant because it showcased big-ship capabilities and global competitiveness of the port now possible due to recent harbor deepening. Larger ships carry more cargo, furthering supporting businesses and jobs throughout South Carolina and the Southeast.

“We congratulate CMA CGM [the ship’s owner] on this landmark record ship. We are excited by all it represents for SC Ports and South Carolina’s economy,” SC Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome said. “The CMA CGM Brazil’s visit to SC Ports points to our long-term strategy of investing in port infrastructure and deepening our harbor to accommodate the large vessels visiting the East Coast.”

The CMA CGM Brazil worked its way down the East Coast, saving the deepest port for last. Charleston’s deep harbor and wide channels can seamlessly handle the loaded vessel, making Charleston the last U.S. port of call before it heads overseas. The Charleston Harbor is currently being deepened to 52 feet, according to a press release.

Publix gives $125,000 to food bank to battle hunger

The Lowcountry Food Bank (LCFB) this month received a $125,000 donation from Publix Super Markets Charities to help feed Lowcountry neighbors who struggle with hunger. A socially-distanced Publix check presentation was held at the LCFB on September 3 to kick off Hunger Action Month, a time when people all across the country are taking action to fight hunger.  

Walker

The overall food insecurity rate in the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina has increased by 58 percent  since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March. The increase in food insecurity for children is even more devastating at 76 percent, resulting in a total of 75,000 children who do not have consistent access to the nutritious food they need to live healthy, active lives. 

“Since April 2020, through its initiative to purchase surplus produce and milk from farmers and deliver it directly to food banks, Publix has donated more than 714,000 pounds of produce and 9,900 gallons of milk to the Lowcountry Food Bank,” said Pat Walker, LCFB President and CEO. “Publix practices an ongoing commitment to help alleviate hunger in all the communities they serve. We are grateful to Publix for consistently helping the Lowcountry Food Bank address the needs of the people we serve.”

Statehouse Report’s Lindsay Street is our special troll correspondent.  Have a comment?  Send to:  editor@charlestoncurrents.com