Fake Experts – Type 1: The wrong kind expertise.

Published Dec 18, 2021

Be wary of Fake Experts!

Example 1: Experts in an irrelevant field.

People spreading disinformation have a bag of tricks you’ll see over and over. Trying to pass off experts in one thing as experts in another is one we’ve seen a lot in 2020.

Spot it:

Should you trust that expert someone’s putting on TV? If a brain surgeon talks about climate change or a politician talks about science, they may sound like an expert – but are they? If an expert in computer science is making big claims about national security that disagree with most national security experts, be wary.

Knowing a lot about cancer doesn’t mean you know much about measles.

If a divorce lawyer goes off on Constitutional law, be careful. There’s a chance they’re right, and a big chance they’re wrong.

Stop it:

Should you trust this person on this issue? Real experts will point out the limits of what they know.

Google them. Make sure you look at credible sites. Wikipedia is usually reliable for biographical info.
Do they have any educational or career experience in this field?
Do the majority of experts in the field dismiss the idea or do they think it deserves consideration?
Could this person have a conflict of interest or other reason to mislead?

Sometimes good ideas come from unlikely places – but use caution when making important decisions based on these types of “experts.”