Fact checks exists because they influence numbers of people. To establish the importance for a surprising admission from Facebook, some evidence and factual context are useful. There are billions globally who have one or more social media accounts. Not all are daily social media users. But for tens of millions of Americans, and hundreds of millions around the world, social media is a daily exercise that may be more routine than eating three meals a day. For young, middle age, and the senior set, social media has an oversized effect on virtually every aspect of contemporary living. “On average, we spend 144 minutes, or two hours and twenty-four minutes, on social media but this number is just that – an average. In some places in the world, people spend far more time on social media, and in others, they spend far less.” So said BroadbandSearch about the “latest” data for 2021. According to Pew Research on August 30, 2021, social media trust is lower than trust in news media. That noted, still somewhat more than 1 in 3 Democrats (34%) say that have some to “a lot” of trust in social media. That’s down only 2 percent from 2016. By contrast, trust by independents in social media is down 7 points, pegged by Pew at 27 percent in 2021. For Republicans, trust was at 32 percent in 2016, and is now at 19 percent in 2021 – a sharp 13-point fall. To the point made by Dr. Robert Epstein and other researchers in recent years, even those reduced levels of trust is social media are more than enough to swing an election outcome. Meaning, social media and other ‘fact checks’ matter. The practice of social media labelling comments to direct a narrative backed by so-called third-party “fact checks” have been an issue for several years. It is against that backdrop that a statement made by Facebook (rebranding as Meta) in response to a lawsuit by columnist, author, and Fox News pundit John Stossel may have opened a door that could start the process of changing such labels and fact check.

 

 

Given how much influence Facebook and Google are said by the News Media Alliance and others to have by dominating media traffic flow and advertising dollars, this ‘fact check’ admission could prove to be more significant than some might think at first blush.

As USA Today put it on June 11, 2019 – “Google and Facebook have robbed journalism of its revenue.” That was one day after the News Media Alliance said that Google alone receives $4.7 billion dollars in revenue due to its handling of journalism.

News and social media clearly impact business, the economy, and politics. Meaning, like it or not, these facts directly and indirectly impact your profession and earning power.

 

With that backdrop, from the WND Newscenter to MHProNews is the following report.

 

Facebook admits it’s ‘fact-checks’ are nothing but someone’s opinion

Concession appears in court document

By Bob Unruh
Published December 10, 2021 at 3:31pm

But now Americans know that those comments essentially are used to try to direct the narrative on an issue, whether it is global warming or corruption in the Democrat party.

It’s because Facebook has admitted in a court filing its “fact-checks” are nothing but someone’s opinion.

But now Americans know that those comments essentially are used to try to direct the narrative on an issue, whether it is global warming or corruption in the Democrat party.

It’s because Facebook has admitted in a court filing its “fact-checks” are nothing but someone’s opinion.

Longtime climate change blogger Anthony Watts explained on his site that Facebook’s confession came in a court fight with commentator and journalist John Stossel.

The Hollywood Reporter explained only weeks ago that Stossel sued Facebook for adding the corporation’s comments to his posting about 2020 California forest fires.

His complaint explained, “This case presents a simple question: do Facebook and its vendors defame a user who posts factually accurate content, when they publicly announce that the content failed a ‘fact-check’ and is ‘partly false,’ and by attributing to the user a false claim that he never made? The answer, of course, is yes.”

The dispute arose out of Stossel’s post called “Government Fueled Fires” when he wrote about the hypothesis that climate change is behind forest fires.

It undoubtedly contributes, he suggested, but it likely was not the primary cause of the 2020 fires in California.

Facebook immediately said his posting was “missing context. Independent fact-checkers say this information could mislead people.”

It also claimed Stossel was “misleading” because “Claim – ‘forest fires are caused by poor management. Not by climate change.'”

“The labels themselves are neither false nor defamatory; to the contrary, they constitute protected opinion,” claimed the company.

Watts pointed out opinions are not subject to defamation claims, while false assertions of fact can be.

He explained, “So, in a court of law, in a legal filing, Facebook admits that its ‘fact checks’ are not really ‘fact’ checks at all, but merely ‘opinion assertions.’ This strikes me as public relations disaster, and possibly a looming legal disaster for Facebook, PolitiFact, Climate Feedback and other left-leaning entities that engage in biased ‘fact checking.'”

He said it appears now that “fact checks” are nothing more than part of an agenda to suppress free speech and the open discussion of science, “by disguising liberal media activism as something supposedly factual, noble, neutral, trustworthy, and based on science.”

“The labels themselves are neither false nor defamatory; to the contrary, they constitute protected opinion,” claimed the company.

Watts pointed out opinions are not subject to defamation claims, while false assertions of fact can be.

He explained, “So, in a court of law, in a legal filing, Facebook admits that its ‘fact checks’ are not really ‘fact’ checks at all, but merely ‘opinion assertions.’ This strikes me as public relations disaster, and possibly a looming legal disaster for Facebook, PolitiFact, Climate Feedback and other left-leaning entities that engage in biased ‘fact checking.'”

He said it appears now that “fact checks” are nothing more than part of an agenda to suppress free speech and the open discussion of science, “by disguising liberal media activism as something supposedly factual, noble, neutral, trustworthy, and based on science.” ##

Court filing: Facebook admits its “fact checkers” don’t check facts!https://t.co/dW1gAGpyhL

— John Stossel (@JohnStossel) December 10, 2021

Additional Information, MHProNews Analysis and Commentary in Brief

Fact checks are performed by various media because they are demonstrated to influence numbers of people. While WND reported on Facebook, the principle is arguably far broader. Logon to YouTube, and you may see labels on various posted videos that direct someone to a ‘fact check’ or ‘reliable source.’ But when the fact checkers or reliable sources are biased, so too is the fact check. It is no surprise that some try to ‘game the system’ with social media, the search engines, and consumer reviews processes.  MHProNews, in conjunction with our MHLivingNews sister site, has for some time been leading the charge for broad as well as specific influences of these topics on our profession.

 

This full version of the ground-breaking The Creepy Line documentary video was uploaded on August 27, 2020, just a few weeks before the general election last year.

 

 

If you haven’t already seen it, this is viewing worth setting your time aside for the roughly 80 minutes of the documentary. Research since then has often continued to confirm their findings. These trends matter to your business. In a real sense, this Facebook admission is good news. But it ought to be widely understood for that good news to meaningfully impact others.

While there are many possible takeaways, there is one more that explains “why this matters” to manufactured housing professionals. What has caused this admission? A lawsuit.  What caused the hold ordered by this or that court on Biden regime COVID vax mandates? Again, lawsuits.  So, why has the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) not sued to get favorable, existing laws enforced?

##

Next up is our business daily recap of yesterday evening’s market report, related left-right headlines, and manufactured housing connected equities.

The Business Daily Manufactured Home Industry Connected Stock Market Updates.  Plus, Market Moving Left (CNN) – Right (Newsmax) Headlines Snapshot. While the layout of this daily business report has been evolving over time, several elements of the basic concepts used previously are still the same. For instance. The headlines that follow below can be reviewed at a glance to save time while providing insights across the left-right media divide. Additionally, those headlines often provide clues as to possible ‘market-moving’ news items.

 

Market Indicator Closing Summaries – Yahoo Finance Closing Tickers on MHProNews…

Headlines from left-of-center CNN Business – from the evening of 12.10.2021

• Peloton breakup
• A person rides her Peloton exercise bike at her home on April 06, 2020 in San Anselmo, California.
• The company’s shares hit a 52-week low as people rush back to pre-Covid routines
• com CEO is taking time off after laying off 900 employees on Zoom
• Consumer prices climbed by 6.8% last month. Here’s what’s more expensive
• Inflation is soaring. Enter the Omicron variant
• Get ready for even more bitcoin and other exotic ETFs in 2022
• Evergrande can’t pay its debts. China is scrambling to contain the fallout
• ANALYSIS China’s currency is having an even better year than the US dollar. Here’s why
• OPINION This is our best chance to help low-income Americans deal with rising inflation
• CEOs of Target, Best Buy, CVS and other retail chains ask Congress for help amid crime surge
• TELL US Are you having trouble affording holiday gifts? Share your story
• Elon Musk says he’s thinking of becoming a full-time influencer
• Amazon is misleading consumers with ‘deceptive’ ads, FTC complaint says
• Walking from your bed to home office now counts as commuting in Germany
• ANALYSIS How Sean Hannity and right-wing media personalities are using the Smollett verdict to attack the media
• Tenisha Tate-Austin and Paul Austin.
• A Black couple had a White friend show their home. Its appraisal jumped half a million dollars
• A pickup truck drives past a mural of billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, right, and his brother Mark Bezos with a Blue Origin rocket in Van Horn, Texas on October 11, 2021.
• FAA says lack of federal whistleblower protections is ‘enormous factor’ hindering Blue Origin safety review
• Michael Strahan is about to go where no American journalist has gone before
• HOLIDAY SHOPPING
• A shopper carries bags over her shoulder while passing a holiday display window outside the Macy's store in the Downtown Crossing district, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, in Boston.
• Going to the store may be your smartest bet for holiday shopping
• Glimmers of hope emerge in the supply chain nightmare
• Kiss those juicy post-holiday clearance sales goodbye
• How much the gifts from ’12 Days of Christmas’ cost
• Big chains boomed as small retailers closed up shop
• OMICRON
• FILe – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during an event in the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, on Nov. 22, 2021. Powell says that the appearance of a new COVID-19 variant could slow the economy and hiring. He also says it raises uncertainty about inflation. Powell says in remarks to be delivered to the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday that he recent increase in coronavirus cases and the emergence of the omicron variant pose downside risks to employment and economic activity and increased uncertainty for inflation.
• Omicron poses 3 major threats to the US economy, says Jerome Powell
• TUI says new variant is hurting winter bookings
• Ford delays return to office for 30,000 workers
• Travel is back, but Omicron could change everything
• How Omicron could make supply chain mess worse

Headlines from right-of-center Newsmax – evening of 12.10.2021

• No Respect: Biden Touts US as Democracy’s Champion, but China, Other Critics Scoff
• China and Russia, not invited to the event, both derided Biden and America for trying to claim global leadership for itself. Meanwhile, Biden’s democracy appeal also met a mixed reception at home as political critics bashed him for not being tough enough on Beijing or other adversaries. [Full Story]
• Newsmax TV
• AG: Suit Seeks Answers on Critical Race Theory Plan | video
• Mark Meadows: Committee Has No Grounds for Contempt Charges | video
• McCarthy: All Republicans United Around ‘Fire Pelosi’ | video
• Jha: COVID Booster Shots Don’t Endanger Patients’ Health | video
• Trump Jr.: ‘Asinine’ Media Still Covering for Biden ‘Disaster’ | video
• Gooden: McConnell Conceded to Democrats, Raised Debt Ceiling | video
• McCarthy: Putin Doesn’t Take Biden Seriously | video
• Gohmert: Jan. 6 Committee a ‘Vigilante Group’ | video
• More Newsmax TV
• Bob Dole Funeral
• Biden Pays Tribute to ‘Genuine Hero’ Bob Dole
• Dole Celebrated at National Cathedral, World War II Memorial
• Services in Washington, Kansas Will Continue to Honor Dole
• Biden Honors ‘Giant of Our History’ Bob Dole at US Capitol
• More Bob Dole Funeral
• Newsfront
• 6 Panel Subpoenas Six Who Helped Plan Trump Rallies
• The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection is subpoenaing six more people who the panel says were involved in the organization and planning of rallies that aimed to overturn Donald Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election.The committee…… [Full Story]
• Related Stories
• Trump-Backed House Candidate Max Miller Notified of Jan. 6 Committee Subpoena
• Updated: Supreme Court Preserves Texas 6-Week Abortion Ban but Allows Challenge
• The Supreme Court on Friday left in place Texas’ ban on most [Full Story]
• Related
• Timeline of Events Surrounding Texas’ Ban on Most Abortions
• California’s Abortion Proposal ‘Anything but a Sanctuary for Mothers’ |Platinum Article
• CBO Report: ‘Build Back Better’ Could Cost $3 Trillion Over Next Decade if Permanent
• The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an analysis on Friday [Full Story]
• A Year After First US Vaccinations, Pandemic Hallmarks Reemerge
• Nearly a year after COVID-19 vaccines were first administered in the [Full Story]
• Justice Roberts Refuses to Halt Airline Mask Mandate
• Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has rejected a request to [Full Story]
• Related
• Months After Biden Says US ‘Closer Than Ever’ to COVID Freedom, Cases Jump
• Biden Admin Shot Down Free Universal COVID Tests Over Cost, Logistics
• NY Gov. Hochul Issues Mask Mandate for Indoor Public Places
• Judge Denies GOP Request to Halt NJ Capitol Mandate
• New York’s Met Museum Removes Sackler Name From Dedicated Galleries
• New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) will remove the [Full Story]
• Record Inflation Fuels Questions About Dems’ $2T Spending Bill
• A report showing inflation rising at its fastest rate in nearly four [Full Story]
• Related
• Inflation Puts Fed Under the Gun to Wind Down Bond Purchases
• US Consumer Prices Soared 6.8 Percent Over Past 12 Months, Biggest Spike Since 1982
• Biden: US Inflation Has Likely Peaked
• Burgess Owens Backing New Missouri GOP House Contender
• It’s already shaping up to be a crowded Republican field vying to [Full Story] | Platinum Article
• US Imposes Sweeping Human Rights Sanctions on China, Myanmar, N. Korea
• The United States on Friday imposed extensive human rights-related [Full Story]
• Trump Remarks Show He’s No Longer a Fan of Netanyahu
• Ex-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a “terrible [Full Story]
• CNBC: GOP Holds Historic Advantage on Generic Ballot
• The Republican Party holds a significant lead over the Democratic [Full Story]
• Biden Touts US as Democracy Champion, but China and Domestic Critics Scoff
• President Joe Biden said Friday that democracy “knows no borders” as [Full Story]
• Ron Johnson Making Reelection Decision in ‘Next Few Weeks’
• Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said Friday he will soon decide whether to [Full Story]
• Sergeant Was Holding Daunte Wright’s Arm Before Shooting
• A police sergeant who was at the scene when Daunte Wright was shot [Full Story]
• Former Sen. Perdue Joins Lawsuit Over 2020 Election
• Former Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga. has joined a lawsuit claiming that [Full Story]
• Incredible Miniature Telescope Lets You See for Miles
• Michael Nesmith of American Rock Band The Monkees Dead at 78
• Musician Michael Nesmith, who gained fame as a member of the American [Full Story]
• Dershowitz: Ghislaine’s Prosecutors Won’t Call Her Main Accuser. Why?
• Prosecutors dont believe Virginia Giuffre because she has accused, in [Full Story]
• Former NFL Player Who Died in Police Custody May Might’ve Had Manic Episode
• The father of Glenn Foster Jr., the former NFL player who died in [Full Story]
• com CEO Gets Forced Time Off After Firing 900 via Video Call
• com CEO Vishal Garg is “taking time off effective immediately” [Full Story]
• US Sanctions Hit China, Myanmar, Others Over Human Rights
• The U.S. government announced financial sanctions and other [Full Story]
• Texas Sheriff Changes Mind After Crime Spike, Works With State to Arrest Migrants
• A Texas border sheriff has changed his mind due to a crime spike in [Full Story]
• GOP Threatens to Sue NYC Over Decision to Let Noncitizens Vote
• GOP Threatens to Sue NYC Over Decision to Let Noncitizens Vote
• The Republican National Committee is raising the possibility of a [Full Story]
• Congressional Report Hits Drugmakers for Predatory Pricing
• Congressional Report Hits Drugmakers for Predatory Pricing
• The pharmaceutical industry is targeting vulnerable Americans with [Full Story]
• DeSantis Issues Order Aimed at Curtailing Migrant Relocation to Florida: Report
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis planned to issue an executive order Friday [Full Story]
• Hawley Blasts Biden Over ‘Summit for Democracy’
• Josh Hawley, R-Mo., ripped into President Joe Biden and claimed [Full Story]
• Moderna’s MRNA-Based Flu Vaccine Shows Promise in Early-Stage Study
• Moderna Inc.’s messenger RNA-based experimental seasonal flu vaccine [Full Story]
• US Consumer Prices Soared 6.8 Percent Over Past 12 Months, Biggest Spike Since 1982
• Prices for U.S. consumers jumped 6.8% in November compared with a [Full Story]
• White House Blames Media for Problems
• The White House, stung by President Joe Biden’s low approval ratings, [Full Story]
• Tesla’s Musk Says He Is ‘Thinking of’ Quitting His Jobs
• Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk is “thinking of” leaving [Full Story]
• Dollar Gains Ahead of Inflation Data
• The dollar rose on Friday as traders prepared for U.S. inflation [Full Story]
• Al Unser, a Four-Time Winner of Indianapolis 500, Dies at 82
• Al Unser, one of only four drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 a [Full Story]
• Trump Issues Free Holster To All Supporters, (Liberals Demanding It Be Banned!)
• More Newsfront
• Finance
• Bill Gates Reflects on ‘Most Unusual and Difficult Year’
• Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates released a blog post this week in which he reflected on 2021, which he described as ”the most unusual and difficult year of my life” due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and his divorce from his wife of almost 30 years…. [Full Story]
• Biden’s ‘Infrastructure’ Bill Contains Backdoor ‘Kill Switch’ for Cars
• Michael Busler: Government-Inflicted Inflation Worsens
• Turkish Lira Dramatically Falls, Threatening Economy and Citizens
• Biden: US Inflation Has Likely Peaked
• More Finance
• Health
• A Year After First US Vaccinations, Pandemic Hallmarks Reemerge
• Nearly a year after COVID-19 vaccines were first administered in the United States, the country is returning to many of the hallmarks that defined earlier pandemic life: mask mandates, mass vaccination sites, crowded hospitals and a rising death toll. Amid hope that humanity…… [Full Story]
• Beware of ‘Wellness’ Vapes, FDA Warns
• Health App Tracks Disease Symptoms, Medications, Side Effects, More
• Overactive Bladder Linked to Dangerous Falls Seniors
• Report Finds World Ill-Prepared for Next Pandemic

Manufactured Housing Industry Investments Connected Equities Closing TickersSome of these firms invest in manufactured housing, or are otherwise connected, but may do other forms of investing or business activities too.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • NOTE: The chart below includes the Canadian stock, ECN, which purchased Triad Financial Services, a manufactured home industry lender
                          • NOTE: Drew changed its name and trading symbol at the end of 2016 to Lippert (LCII).
                          • NOTE: Deer Valley was largely taken private, say company insiders in a message to MHProNews on 12.15.2020, but there are still some outstanding shares of  the stock from the days when it was a publicly traded firm.  Thus, there is still periodic activity on DVLY.

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  • As 2021 draws to a close…Berkshire Hathaway is the parent company to Clayton Homes, 21^st Mortgage, Vanderbilt Mortgage and other factory built housing industry suppliers.
    · LCI Industries, Patrick, UFPI, and LP each are suppliers to the manufactured housing industry, among others.
    · AMG, CG, and TAVFX have investments in manufactured housing related businesses. For insights from third-parties and clients about our publisher, click here.
    Enjoy these ‘blast from the past’ comments.MHProNews. MHProNews – previously a.k.a. MHMSM.com – has celebrated our 11th year of publishing, and is starting our 12th year of serving the industry as the runaway most-read trade media.

    Sample Kudos over the years…

    It is now 11+ years and counting…

    Learn more about our evolutionary journey as the industry’s leading trade media, at the report linked below.

    · For expert manufactured housing business development or other professional services, click here.
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    Disclosure. MHProNews holds no positions in the stocks in this report.

    

    

    

    

    That’s a wrap on this installment of “News Through the Lens of Manufactured Homes and Factory-Built Housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, stock, investing, data, metrics, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)

    

    By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.
    Tony earned a journalism scholarship along with numerous awards in history. There have been several awards and honors and also recognition in manufactured housing. For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com. This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position, and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.