Original link: https://onojyun.com/2022/10/02/7363/
△ 275｜How to find the original truth in the fake news in Simplified Chinese?
Last night, a friend sent me a piece of news, roughly saying that Switzerland will use a “criminal law” to restrict the “legal” use of natural gas in winter.
Swiss officials have stated that in order to save energy, everyone’s indoor temperature cannot exceed 19 degrees, otherwise they will be sentenced to up to three years in prison for “illegal heating”.
——“New Swiss Energy Conservation Regulations: This winter, the room temperature of heating should not exceed 19 degrees, and the offender will be sentenced to a maximum of 3 years” [1]
When I had nothing to do, I went back to find the original source of this news. Obviously, if you use Google to search for the above news content, they are all from simplified Chinese networks, including but not limited to Zhihu, mouthpiece media, etc. If you use Baidu to search for the above news content, the results will be wonderful, almost overwhelmingly using the rhetoric of “illegal heating crime”. After all, I have worked in the media industry before. Although this kind of news cannot be said to have a more sensitive sense of smell than those who like to hold a plate, but I can understand the doorway inside to some extent – this is just a “clear purpose” oriented news.
A summary of the presentation of this news in Simplified Chinese, they all cite an original source, such as “Watcher”, “Huan*wang Daily”, “Zhong* Daily” and other mainstream mouthpiece media – that Where did these mouthpiece media get this news source? They all point to a common medium: the Swiss daily Blick.
So, let’s go on – what exactly is the “ingredient” of the so-called “Blick”? Interestingly, if you have the ability, go back and search “Viewpoint Daily (Blick)” with Google, you will find that its recent exposure is all because of the “illegal heating crime” news just mentioned, all in simplified form. One of the original citation sources for the source by the Chinese network.
So before that, who is “Blick”? Why does it exist, as if it was “prepared” for this time’s news. Out of “news sensitivity”, the most direct reason I can think of is: to replace the news source with a rhetoric to avoid some possible risks. For example, many news media often use “according to reliable information”, so the source of reliable information has not been verified by the journalists themselves. They use this second-hand information dissemination to avoid the risk of news sources. Obviously, “Blick” just appeared in this news, which itself makes people wonder if it has been “adjusted”.
Next, find news sources. A search engine searches for “Blick Switzerland”, and apparently, this medium exists. Then we will start to verify its “ingredients” – the most effective way is to search for “sensitive words” that cannot be searched in simplified Chinese on the news platform, and see what kind of results it will give you. Of course, this method can only be understood and cannot be described in words, so far.
Since the news media is real, you can check its distribution organization, circulation and industry evaluation in turn. So at this time, we have solved the problems left over from the previous part – “Blick” is obviously changing its face to promote this news, and its original name in simplified Chinese should be “Observer (Blick)” . As for the reason for avoiding this “name taboo”, we cannot draw a conclusion without definite evidence. Interestingly, however, according to Wikipedia’s description of the Observer newspaper: “Observer” (German: Blick) [2] , also translated as “Blick”, is a Swiss German-language newspaper that covers current affairs, sports, entertainment, everyday life. The Observatory was founded in 1959 and was Switzerland’s first tabloid*.
*The part that can’t be said too clearly: Tabloid news is a type of news that is mostly sensationalized, sometimes unverifiable, or even fake news. It is called tabloid news because the newspapers that report tabloid news are mostly smaller, i.e. tabloids. Because tabloid news is often associated with false news, such media outlets are often sued for defamation, and the media are likely to lose. Entering the 2010s, tabloid news outlets published more content through online platforms that similarly drew attention with unverified celebrity and entertainment news.
——Wikipedia | Tabloid News [3]
Since then, we have solved whether the content of “Blick” is thick-eyed or sly-eyed, so let’s solve the problem that the second “unscrupulous journalist” will not help us solve – the authenticity of the news.
In the description of the news on the “Observer” website, the German word used is “Heiz-Sündern”, and in turn, use Google to search for this keyword. Of course, in order to find the source of the news faster, when you search for any keyword in the future, add a prefix “Fake” or “Factcheck”, so that the information will be more targeted.
The earliest rumors about “Heiz-Sündern”, which cheered Simplified Chinese, were enough to set off an ideological upsurge of “capitalist people being arbitrarily fished by a ruthless capitalist government.” Get rewarded by reporting neighbors for using heating above 19°C” online picture:
Source [4]
This news is an extension of an appearance. Simply put, in order to make a fake news more real, it has to be corroborated by another fake news. When the extended news of this appearance is defined as Fake News, then there are two possibilities for the extended and demonstrated news – one is that the original news itself is a fake news, which is to corroborate and recreate more Fake news; another is a major misunderstanding of the original news, or a deliberate misinterpretation to create a news topic.
For example, Xiao Wang was sent to the bureau for 10 days for drunk driving. After coming out, Xiao Wang felt humiliated and hid at home for 4 days, afraid to go out, for fear of being known that he was in trouble. But on the 15th day, Xiao Wang had eaten up all the instant noodles at home and had to go out to buy. Seen by neighbors, neighbor Xiao Zhang “concerned” about Xiao Wang and asked him where he was going during this time. Xiao Wang hesitated and said that he had just returned from a business trip. When Xiao Zhang heard this, his brain came alive, and he disappeared in one breath for 14 days, and he also found out that Xiao Wang might be involved in something and appeared in the police station. According to Xiao Zhang, 14 days, isn’t this the time when prostitutes are imprisoned! So, Zhang Fengren secretly and casually chatted about Xiao Wang with other neighbors. Xiao Zhang felt that he had “first-hand information” and became the center of the topic. People gathered around him to discuss Xiao Wang’s 14-day arrest for prostitutes. The fact of “prostitution” is of course false, because Xiao Zhang made a “misunderstanding” of the news about the 10 days Xiao Wang himself was detained and the 4 days he hid at home. The topicality, he further “distorted”, that is, inserting a fact about prostitutes for Xiao Wangan.
After “reporting a neighbor’s illegal heating” was identified as a rumor, what was the original news?
According to the news descriptions of the tabloids and the Observer, there is a logic in it:
- The federal government wants to take tough action if there isn’t enough gas in the winter.
- In buildings heated by gas, the maximum temperature in the interior rooms should reach 19 degrees. Hot water can only be heated to 60 degrees.
- But it got worse: Anyone who violated the guidelines could face jail time or a fine. In the case of intentional conduct, the penalty is up to three years in prison or a fine. Even negligent violations of the measures can result in a daily fine of up to $180.
If this logic is to be fully worked out, there are several key points that cannot be avoided . First, the federal government “thinks” , so do they want it or not, whether it has been implemented, and has the bill been introduced? Second, the parties must be intentional to trigger the “penalty” and fines. What is the definition of the middle? Apparently, when Simplified Chinese quoted this tabloid, they used their favorite “generalization” and saw from the results that “three years in prison may be imposed”, but instead “illegal heating will be sentenced to three years in prison”. imprisonment”.
Since then, the news seems to have a certain degree of “reasonableness”, at least it did mention the three-year prison sentence, so it can only be said that Simplified Chinese intentionally “generalizes” the news. Still, the game of news authenticity can continue.
We go ahead and add “Faktencheck” (German: fact-check) in front of “Heiz-Sündern” (German: crime of heating) and, apparently, the ultimate trump card is revealed. This news is released by “swissinfo.ch”, the same process, let’s first see whether the ingredients of swissinfo.ch are thick-eyed or thirsty- Swiss Info (SWI, Swissinfo.ch ), is the Swiss Radio and Television Group (SRG SSR) ) international service agency. The only Chinese-language public service news media in Switzerland, providing news in 10 languages - obviously, this is an official media, and its Chinese is officially provided. [5]
After confirming your identity, and then confirming the content of the article, in Fact Check: If you heat your home to more than 19°C, will you go to jail in Switzerland? (Faktencheck: Kommt man in der Schweiz ins Gefängnis, wenn man die Wohnung über 19°C heizt?)
Many newspapers took this information from the Swiss tabloid Blick, which published an article external link on September 6 titled “Heating Sinners Face Jail”. It said: “In an emergency, the following applies: Reduction of heat. Energy sinners must tremble. Violation of gas regulations is punishable by imprisonment and fines.”
– “Faktencheck: Kommt man in der Schweiz ins Gefängnis, wenn man die Wohnung über 19°C heizt?” [6]
Apparently, swissinfo.ch has a special “Factcheck” department, which censored this news and provided corresponding conclusions:
- Measures under negotiation: The gas regulations mentioned by Blick are part of a four-phase plan proposed by Bern in the face of gas shortages. Given the geopolitical situation this winter, this cannot be ruled out. Draft regulations have been sent to advisory bodies – those affected have until September 22 to comment on them.
- Fake News: No reward for reporting neighbors
- Conclusion: Swiss authorities are not imposing any fines or jail time for homes with heating temperatures above 19°C, as there is currently neither a natural gas shortage nor official limits on heating temperatures. Proposed regulations to introduce such restrictions are still under discussion. It will only take effect if there is a severe shortage of natural gas. Fines are theoretically possible, but difficult for authorities to enforce. Imprisonment is extremely unlikely.
To sum up, a set of methodology for tracing the authenticity of news is in it. Seems like that’s the point of today’s article.
Before the end of the article, I searched for “Swiss 19 ℃ fake news” on Baidu. It is gratifying that the news that refuted the rumors has been released in simplified Chinese, but its popularity is naturally not as good as when the news first broke out. Enthusiasm for the denunciation of the Swiss government in Simplified Chinese is high.
One last Easter egg:
When Guan*wang first grabbed the news disk that Switzerland wanted to “close people”, it killed the news content mentioned at the beginning of this article. As a result, when Simplified Chinese began to refute rumors one after another, it stopped talking. Of course, it has a column called “Almost Believed”, but it refuted the rumor “Reporting the neighbor’s heating over 19°C, will you be rewarded with 200 Swiss francs?” But the full text is just a refutation of the picture. At the same time, it is still affirming that “the policy introduced by Switzerland to limit indoor heating to 19 degrees is real”.
In the comment area under the news, a netizen replied: The photos are fake, the fines and jail time are real: The Swiss government has recently introduced regulations to limit energy use in winter, including that the indoor heating temperature must not exceed 19 degrees Celsius , hot water can not exceed 60 degrees Celsius, disable all kinds of heating equipment and so on. Violators will face a minimum daily fine of 30 Swiss francs (about 212 yuan) and a maximum of 3,000 Swiss francs (about 21,200 yuan). Repeated violations could result in up to three years in prison.
——If you report that your neighbor’s heating exceeds 19°C, will you be rewarded with 200 Swiss francs? [Almost believed it] [7]
- ^ “New Swiss Energy Conservation Regulations: This winter, the room temperature for heating must not exceed 19 degrees, and the offender will be sentenced to a maximum of 3 years” observer [2022-09-08]
- ^ Observer (Switzerland) Wikipedia
- ^ Tabloid News Wikipedia
- ^ “Fake: Schweizer Behörden rufen nicht zum Verpetzen von Heizsündern auf” www.mimikama.at [2022-9-11]
- ^ Swiss Info Wikipedia
- ^ “Faktencheck: Kommt man in der Schweiz ins Gefängnis, wenn man die Wohnung über 19°C heizt?” swissinfo.ch [2022-9-13]
- ^ “Reporting a neighbor whose heating exceeds 19°C will receive a reward of 200 Swiss francs? [Almost believed it]” Editorial Department of Guanwang [2022-9-16]
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