If you happen to read a hub that is meant to be educational...

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   Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years ago

   If you happen to read a hub that is meant to be educational...
   
   ...but all of the facts in it are wrong, what do you do? Do you tell the person their facts are wrong? Or do you just leave it?
   
   It drives me insane to find a hub by someone who has thousands of followers but all of the information in the hub is completely inaccurate. I just never know what I should do. I don't want to be rude, but people shouldn't be disseminating erroneous information either.

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   duffsmomposted 12 years ago

   YES!! That is quite a dilemma.  I read a hub about bi-polar illness that was so off base it was a little frightening.  I even exchanged a few emails with another concerned hubber. We contacted admin but never heard anything.
   
   Any hubber here represents the entire site and it is absolutely frightening to think someone might read a hub full of misinformation and take it as fact.
   
   I wish I had the answere.  Hubpages needs to do some fact checking before approval.

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      Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, the one I read today wasn't as dangerous as misinformation on Bipolar disorder. But I know what you mean. Many people write about the eye, and the majority of them are wrong and that can be really dangerous too! Drives me nuts!

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   Michelle Taylorposted 12 years ago

   I think you have to point out any factual errors you find in someones writing.  It could be an honest mistake, or perhaps they think their source is accurate but is full of false information as well.  A person cannot learn unless they know an error exists.  If the person is offended by your help then that is their problem.  I think more often than not anyone would be grateful to gain more knowledge and correct their mistakes.

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      Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I would think so too Michelle, but I've gotten emails from ticked off hubbers that I've tried to "help." But I totally agree with you!

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   Andre Sanchezposted 12 years ago

   Well we need to make a distinction between differences of opinion and plain wrong. If someone says the United States has 85 states, that is wrong. If they say bipolar disorder is not a real illness, that is an opinion. In some cases right and wrong are hard to figure out, like say "does vitamin c reduce wrinkles?". Also consider that in many cases, facts change; or rather, we discover that what we thought was accurate is actually wrong and the guy we thought was wrong is actually right. If the content really is wrong, like say "Lincon died of aids, a rare disease at the time" you can contact the hub owner to correct him (if he seems honest) or you can also click on the "report" flag in the top right corner.

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      Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree Andre, there needs to be a distinction there. And in this case, it was absolutely a fact reported erroneously. In fact, the link to the "evidence" of their fact actually proved the hubber wrong.

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   ArtzGirlposted 12 years ago

   Prove it.  Prove that you have the correct information-- but I wouldn't call out the hub page author.  You will alienate yourself at that point.  You can post a private comment to them, and let them know links that support your own position... but I certainly wouldn't call them out.
   
   A number of topics can lead down different Rabbit Holes of information. 
   
   I write on very controversial topics.  There will always be a very ill informed ninny who accepts the "official story of 9/11" and considers that all of the information that was given to us by the press was TRUE and FACTUAL based on the fact that "they saw this with their own two eyes on TV"!  Very few people will do their homework to realize that 1700 architects and engineers are now questioning the official story of 9/11 and are calling for a new investigation into that case.
   
   Someone could write a story based on the fact that the events of 9/11, as originally reported to us on 9/11... are true and factual-- because they were reported on TV.  However, if you do your homework, you will see that very few of the things that were reported to us about 9/11 are true.

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      Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      OMG I love you! Why am I not following you??

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   fpherj48posted 12 years ago

   DOM....I have come across this very thing on several occasions.  All of the hubs written on some sort of mental illness or disorder or syndrome, etc.  I recall cringing and nearly dying of shock at what I was reading.  Blatantly inaccurate information, seriously erroneous statements which were obviously totally fabricated or pulled out of a cracker jack box. Some absolute nonsense and/or misguided "opinions." THIS is highly unacceptable, not to mention, downright dangerous.   I nearly felt panicked, thinking of readers, who may be digesting this bogus material and taking it to heart or actually believing it to be FACT.
   I immediately left a comment as tactfully as I possibly could, explaining the serious errors, fictitious beliefs, etc.   Feeling that this reader would simply ignore my comment....I did flag it and write HP a long explanation as to the dangers of the hub.
   You have to do what you think is right, regardless of any repercussions.  At least, that's my opinion.........Good luck.

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      Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Paula! I've left comments before, but they usually always get deleted or ignored. One hubber, I tried to tell them in their title and hub the condition they were reporting on was actually misspelled!! So I flagged it.

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      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have to concur with Paula.  Tell the truth to the hubber in question.  Accuracy is more important than so called hurt feelings. Furthermore, this erroneous information can be quite libelous down the road if a reader is negatively affected.

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   DzyMsLizzyposted 12 years ago

   I would not call out the person in the comments, but I certainly would send them an e-mail (via the "contact hubber" link), in which I would point out the erroneous information, and provide sources showing the correct version.
   
   This is all assuming it was a topic I have any knowledge about myself; otherwise, I'd merely be submitting an opinion, and that would be no better.

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      Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Indeed Lizzy. I think that's the route I'm going to take. Email them with the right information and hope they don't take offense!

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   Rfordinposted 12 years ago

   As a hubber who writes on mental health (gulp) I feel like I do enough research on each individual topic I write about. I also feel my degree helps me theorize and understand these topics more than say the "average Joe".
   
   That said....
   
   IF anyone were to see misinformation or a misspelling (YIKES) in one of my hubs I would (eventually) appreciate it if they informed me. That is after I choked back my pride and looked over what they mentioned.
   
   We all make mistakes and I think those that "jump down your throat" for pointing it out feel attacked or embarrassed so they respond rudely.
   
   Of course pointing it out in the comment section seems a little harsh, especially if it's someone that generally tries here at Hubpages to do their best. Sending them an email would not be nearly as harsh and would avoid humilating anyone.
   
   ~Becky

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      Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, but I think either way most people feel attacked and so choose to ignore it. I've corrected several hubbers on misinformation provided on the eye, and even though I that is my background and expertise, my corrections are ignored.

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      ScottLooganposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I'm fortunate enough not to have an area of expertise, so i don't really expect anyone to listen to me about anything.

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   DrMark1961posted 12 years ago

   I have noticed this problem several times. One hubber, who has been on this site a lot longer than I have, just recommended I ignore it and let the hub die on its own. The problem is, as you mention, when the hubber has thousands of followers and gets comments like "I didn´t know this before. Learning this will change things for me." At times some of those factual errors are serious, and not just a difference of opinion, as Andre mentions.
   Leaving a comment does no good. Sending an email does no good. About the only thing that might work is ignoring the hub.
   Congratulations on your new accolade! I expect to get there by the end of this month, and want to thank you for the assistance you have provided me on this journey! Victoria Lynn said the second 100,000 comes along a lot faster, so I will be looking for your 1,000,000 accolade this year.

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      Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You're absolutely right DrMark. Comments don't work and neither do emails. But it's scary to just leave the erroneous info out there. Thank you for the congrats. I take it your traffic has improved then? Awesome! Ill be looking for your 100,000 soon!

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    ScottLooganposted 12 years ago

    I think we are obligated to tell the author and if possible all the readers of the hub, the actual facts. We are basically a modernized form of press. And I think it's a duty we have when we partake to write infotainment, that we try to get things as accurate as possible. Unless it's obviously an opinion piece. I would love for someone to point out my errors to me, so I could know what I'd done wrong. Anyone who can't handle it shouldn't be writing things online. We're not breaking down their poetry, or their opinion. We are fact checking and editing for them. For free. Everyone should be so lucky.

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       Daughter Of Maatposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       That's a great way to look at it Scott. I, too, would want someone to correct me if an error was found in my hub. I want my work to be as accurate as possible. Paul E once corrected me for a duplicate text error and I greatly appreciated it!

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    Sherry Hewinsposted 12 years ago

    I saw a hub about a medical issue that I had written about, actually I found it by the related hubs at the bottom of my hub. The hub was written in very poor English, also the information was just wrong. The advice given would have made the condition worse. I knew because I've had experience with that condition. I didn't comment, I flagged the hub and explained my objection to HP. I don't know what the outcome was, but I feel that that's the best I could do.

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    datajhonpriposted 12 years ago

    I prefer leaving the hub as it is. Or what you can do is to post a hub with the most accurate information. May be, that will guide those people who think ('that person' with the 1000 followers is right)

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    Silver Poetposted 12 years ago

    I would not contact the hubber or leave a contradiction in the comments. I would write my own hub and say what I wanted to say. If I thought any of the readers who commented were in danger from bad advice or incorrect info, I could open a friendly conversation with them and with subtlety draw them to read what I wrote without criticizing the other person.

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