Fake News: Disinformation, Deception, and Magical Thinking Over TimeMain MenuConnecticut's Own Bigfoot: The Winsted Wild Man"I Have Convinced Myself": The Cottingley Fairies and the Desire to BelieveCF0Going Viral: Disinformation and the Smallpox VaccineCigarettes: Advertising, Fake News and Fighting ScienceThe tobacco industry in the United States saw huge increases in sales in the 20th century. Industry leaders were early adopters of both advertising, public relations and more subtle forms of product promotion. As research mounted linking cancer to smoking, the industry started a campaign to fight the scientific evidence.Explore Themes in this ExhibitCovid - 19: Real Debates and Fake NewsAbout the AuthorsWe did this thing
Stone of Winsted
12020-02-19T17:21:09+00:00Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce99911A full page feature on Louis Stone ran in the San Francisco call on August 21, 1910. It describes his personality, lifestyle, and news stories he tended to invent.plain2020-02-19T17:21:09+00:00Winsted, ConnecticutSan Francisco CallAugust 21, 1910Amy Harrellf057e4aa476562d6e6ff010d16933a34f37ce999
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12020-02-27T15:53:59+00:00Follow the Money12plain2020-05-05T13:51:43+00:00Money is a frequent motivator to generate news that sells, whether the goal is to sell the story itself, or to sell a particular product or idea using the news.
I. The cigarette industry made millions of dollars by carefully molding an image of smoking as desirable, safe, and even healthy. When their profits were threatened, they made a concerted effort to convince the public that research linking cigarettes to cancer was controversial, when in fact the vast majority of scientists believed the link to be true.
III. The Winsted, Connecticut reporter, Lou Stone, eventually admitted that he spun a tall tale about the Wild Man, in part, to sell newspapers and bring tourist business to Winsted. Stone had an active imagination that was able to write stories with wide public appeal and turn a profit.