So as I spoke about in my opening paragraph today, this IG account @deuxmoi has really taken off recently, I think it’s problematic, and here’s why:
While posting that on your bio is great and all, there’s a couple things wrong here:
1) That WASN’T their bio as of a week ago. So they basically just changed it, I assume, because they were getting a lot of shit for posting stories that weren’t corroborated or vetted in any way. So now this disclaimer,I guess, makes them feel like they’re absolved of any responsibility for what they post? I just know within the last couple weeks that bio specifically asked for tips, pictures, and gossip on celebrity culture. It definitely didn’t say what it does now. So why change to this? Hmmmm.
2) Because you put in a disclaimer, does that somehow make it right? Have you seen some of the stories they post? “Oh, it’s just fun Steve. People know these stories aren’t real.” Really? Then how come every time they post a story related to the Bachelor/ette, I get over a 100 screen shots sent to me saying, “Hey, not sure if you saw this, but any truth to this?” So if you really think people are reading the bio of that account before believing and/or sending the story to all their friends, you’re sorely mistaken.
Look, if you want to run a gossip/tabloid IG account, all the power to you. I might actually respect it more if the person running this account was some major socialite that has seen/heard things directly herself (yes, it’s a woman who runs the account which I just found out yesterday) and is reporting stuff THEY know or believe to be true. But that’s not what this is. It’s anyone who sends in a tip in an email, she screen shots it, and posts it. And she posts so many of them on her IG stories every day, if there is a story that ends up getting debunked or she posts a different email in later on, you can’t bank on people seeing that when it’s lost in a myriad of stories. And lets face it, anyone who sees an email they find juicy that @deuxmoi posts, do you really think they’re looking to find a possible email to debunk it? Of course not. They’re screen shotting it and sending it to a bunch of their friends. Or, unfortunately, me. Do you know how many people sent me this one over the last few days?
First off, Kelley did an interview with ET yesterday and said it wasn’t true. So all the people who wasted time believing that, it was proven wrong with one interview. But secondly, just look at that tip. Do you really think that’s something that should’ve been posted? “Peter Flanagan?” That’s not his name. And then this idea that Peter and Kelley got engaged, didn’t post it on IG, didn’t announce it on social media, didn’t sell it to an entertainment outlet at all, but privately did the whole thing, yet mailed out “Save the Dates?” For Christ sakes, ANYONE from this franchise that gets engaged, we’re gonna know about it withing hours. Like if that were true, they’d be the biggest morons to think that not one person who received a “Save the Date” would tell anyone. Huh? Yet what happened? Over 100 people screen shot, sent it to me, and asked “Is this true?” So don’t tell me most know that site is just for fun and people know it’s not based in fact. Wrong. I’d say 90% of the people reading that stuff believe every word of it.
After I gave my thoughts on Twitter last night, I was getting told to calm down, was called “Boomer,” said I needed to chill, it’s just for fun, etc. Look at what you’re telling me to do. Just think about this. There are people out there that are basically telling me to not worry about sites that post misinformation. Openly admitting they don’t corroborate any stories, there’s zero vetting process, and nothing they post is based in fact. Yet, people are ok with this? You don’t find this the least bit troubling, especially when NUMEROUS people are believing most of the stuff they post? Any of you that have followed me for a while now know my stance on this. Facts don’t matter to people anymore. It’s people’s own self truths and whatever fits their narrative. This is a very dangerous precedent to set. And all this site is doing is perpetuating this culture we live in now where as long it’s juicy, salacious, and headline grabbing – facts be damned – at least it’s entertaining. It’s frankly disgusting.
Is deuxmoi going to suspend their IG account and give up doing what they’re doing after listening to my issue with them? Of course not. What I’m asking of all of you who read this site, and maybe that site as well, is two things: 1) Never send me anything from there asking “Is this true?” or “What have you heard about this?” You’re wasting your time. I’m done responding to those and 2) To not believe everything you read, and maybe re-examine why you’re giving unsubstantiated rumors the time of day. Maybe you won’t send them to me, but don’t even send them to your friends. Because that’s when it spreads like wildfire since seemingly people start believing stuff.
I know a major argument that came up yesterday was in regards to my site and what I do, and somehow it’s the same as what @deuxmoi is doing. Couldn’t be further from the truth. While I have put out information in the past that ended up being wrong, I’ve never put out anything intentionally not caring whether it was true or not. Can you imagine if my site consisted of me posting every tip I’ve ever received about anyone from this franchise, not asking ANY questions, and just screen shotting the first email I got and posted it? Holy shit, you guys would CRUCIFY me. But because they put a disclaimer on theirs saying, “yeah hey, you make up your own mind whether or not to believe this stuff, we’re just throwing it out there for you,” that’s ok? I’m shocked at how many people are defending this type of gossip/trash/garbage. Hell, I got a tip this weekend about a couple from this franchise that would make your head spin and probably completely change your opinion of them. I have no idea if it’s true or not, I have no interest in following up on it, nor will I ever talk about it or post it. Is it juicy? For sure. Salacious? Absolutely. Great tea? I’d say so. It’d have everyone talking. But without any proof, evidence, or vetting of this story, I have zero interest in ever sharing it publicly. Yet that’s what deuxmoi does but it’s “ok” since they’re telling you upfront nothing they post is based in fact. That is such backwards thinking, it’s mind boggling.
What I’m saying is this is a very dangerous thing to be doing now in this world of misinformation. They are posting things that they are admitting aren’t fact checked. Yet people are mad at me for reacting to it and giving my opinion on it? Where’s the logic in that? And when it comes to people/couples in the Bachelor world, don’t you think that’s a little irresponsible. Deuxmoi had a field day posting all these stories about how Dale was cheating on Clare this weekend in NY, or he was holding some girls hand, and some woman “saw” him kiss another girl, etc. You find this acceptable to just throw out there because someone says it’s true?
Again, NONE of it with any proof. So now it’s acceptable news to tell someone “Hey, I saw Dale kissing another woman this weekend,” provide zero proof, and someone can run with that, thus making news online, and then Dale and Clare have to deal with the fallout of something that isn’t true? I can’t harp on this enough: just because you have a disclaimer telling people “hey it’s up to you whether or not to believe what we post,” doesn’t make it right to post it in the first place. Period. End of story.
Some will listen, some won’t. Some will continue to be suckered by garbage sites like that, and some won’t. All I ask is to be better. I WAS that guy in the past. I’m doing my best to get away from reporting like that, and I think it’s reflected in my work for the past couple years. I’ve definitely become more passionate about this recently. Am I without mistakes? Absolutely not. But it’s not because I’m reckless or don’t care and just throw anything out there for clicks. And that’s the difference here. So please do not send me anything you hear/see from that site anymore, regardless of if you think it could be true or not. Because it most likely isn’t.
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