[NEWS] Explosions near Boston Marathon Finish Line (UPDATE: MIT/Watertown shootout w/ suspects)

I think things like Twitter and other social media are good for providing raw eyewitness info about an event but for something like a terrorist attack, big accident, or other disaster they have to be taken with a ton of salt. As I said earlier these things are so chaotic and so many people have different POV's, along with a lot of rumor that it is hard to get a clear picture of what happened in the immediate aftermath.

 

This isn't the first incident where there was unfactual reporting at the beginning stages. Go back and read the 9/11 thread to see all the rumors that Twitter was reporting then!

 

This is the key part of this. Twitter was reporting things - sometimes erroneous - that were being said by first responders and police and official government spokespeople. The reporting on there was about as accurate as anything else - the main difference is speed.

Yes, if you're using random people on Twitter as your primary source, you've got a problem. But it's great at aggregating data and disseminating it faster than would be done on TV or website. There are lots of official twitter sources that can be relied on - the twitter sources of the police, news agencies, etc.

 

Sounds like a Directional bomb (also known as a cannon) aimed straight at the crowd. b*stard

 

Twitter was born in 2006, so I'm guessing they didn't say much in 2001

 

Finally no auto-play on this page.

 

I think that was the point - bad reporting is not a twitter phenomenon. Mainstream news agencies do the same. It's the nature of the beast.

 

Twitter wasnt around till 06....


Conspiracy!

 

Yeah, I know. Just messing with Hangout Boy

 

Maybe I'm missing an inside joke, but Twitter was founded in 2006?

 

Funny thing I actually checked how long ago I created my Twitter account....2008. Damn.

 

yeah, listen to Arrendondo's description of the blast in the video here- it fits.

 

Yea but that's to be expected. When something breaks, it's not easy to get it 100% accurate with details as it happens real time, instantly. So yea, false reporting is bound to happen if youre blindly looking through twitter. If you are looking for 100% accuracy, wait until the next days news or do your own research. But like you said, we are not a patient society.

I see twitter as more for breaking headlines, or first hand takes. Like the guy that was tweeting about hearing loud bangs before we knew they went in to get bid laden. You take the good with the bad.

 

Major is correct.

 

Thats bs you don't just search someones house because he is brown. On what grounds did they get the warrant. He should sue.

 

That's what I'm sayin??? But people on here and news article states that he cooperated and give them permission to search his home, which to me if it's not the guy you're looking for, why the **** are you wasting time searching for something he/she has no part of?

 

He said yes because if he said no all hell would have broke loose. Imagine the reports. Saudi man refusing to cooperate with officers, won't allow them to search roommates home who's missing.

 

On what grounds should he sue? Do you know any of the potential reasons they might have gotten a warrant? It seems you're just as quick to jump to conclusions as you're claiming the officers did.

 

I'm not, he's obviously innocent. They wasted time and resources questioning and searching him. They made others think they had a lead when they had nothing. If all we do is chase brown people whenever there is an explosion then we will only find brown people who blow things up. Quit chasing stereotypes and do some actual investigating.

 

Pretty sure that is investigating...