The Fake Sex Doctor Who Conned the Media Into Publicizing His Bizarre Research on Suicide, Butt-Fisting, and Bestiality 

Illustration: GMG Art, Photo: Damien Sendler’s promotional headshot Warning: This article includes discussion about suicide and sexual assault. The subject sometimes speaks about sensitive mental health topics with language that departs from best practices. If you look up Dr. Damian Jacob Markiewicz Sendler online, you might think he has a MD and a PhD from Harvard…

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The Shadow Workforce of Facebook’s Content Moderation

Photo: Moises Saman/Magnum Photos There’s a famous Ursula K. Le Guin short story called “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” about a fantasy city called Omelas, a joyous metropolis without guilt or violence, populated by “mature, intelligent, passionate” people who celebrate beautiful festivals and shop at (duh) a “magnificent Farmer’s Market.” Le Guin is…

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How local TV news stations are playing a major (and enthusiastic) role in spreading the Momo hoax » Nieman Journalism Lab

The growing stream of reporting on and data about fake news, misinformation, partisan content, and news literacy is hard to keep up with. This weekly roundup offers the highlights of what you might have missed. Here are two truths and a lie. Which one’s the lie? 1. Pedophiles are taking advantage of YouTube’s algorithm to…

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AOC Gets Cohen to Admit Trump May Have Committed More Crimes

Photo: Alex Brandon (AP) During today’s House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing, Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made Michael Cohen a stepping stone, focusing her questioning instead on what the committee needed to know. In doing so, she effectively made a list of the Democratic majority’s next targets. Ocasio-Cortez’s Republican colleagues attempted to make the…

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