What if there was a real life “bull**** meter”? I’m imagining a browser plug-in that would rate the credibility of website claims by searching for the authority of the site and author, the propositions and data in the excerpt (comparing it to other credible sources online). There could also be a crowd-sourced element where individuals (with their own authority ratings) would comment on and rate the claim. It could give back a credibility rating score that people could look at. If all the reviews of a product were by employees, the credibility of the testimonial would be low. If a number of leading data scientists agree to the recidivism rate in Orange County, then it would have a high score. It would help people navigate the world of internet information overload and make sense of their world. It might also elevate the dialogue around critical issues beyond the sound byte by aggregating sound bytes (in big data fashion) to provide better and more predictive patterns.
Someone should do this. And tell me about it. You’re welcome.