The claim
A Spiegel article says that the German Association of Cities and Municipalities estimates the cost of dental visits by asylum seekers in 2022 to be 690 million euros.
Our conclusion
That is not completely right. Der Spiegel noticed the error and changed its article. The 690 million euros are the costs for all doctor's visits by asylum seekers in 2022, not just dentist visits.
A twist of numbers, an article in “Spiegel” about visits to the dentist, and suddenly the political discussion finds itself in a whirlpool of misunderstandings. The CDU leader Friedrich Merz sounded the alarm about supposed appointment difficulties for dentists, triggered by rejected asylum seekers. In no time, a discussion about the costs of refugee care is sparked, which quickly spreads across social media.
One wrong tip, a long shadow
Due to Friedrich Merz's erroneous statement, a screenshot of a "Spiegel" article went viral, in which the German Association of Cities and Municipalities (DStGB) estimated the costs of dental visits for asylum seekers at 690 million euros in 2022.
Only, the number referred to total medical costs, not just dental costs. The “Spiegel” noticed the error and corrected it immediately.
A blunder that resonates
Despite the quick correction, the incorrect number found its way through social media and was even echoed in the posts of CDU politician Julia Klöckner. The incorrect information was spread under the hashtag “#Facts”, even after readers and “Spiegel” themselves pointed out the correction.
The search for the truth in the dentist article
Anyone looking for the original “Spiegel” article will be directed to a text about the demands of the community association, which calls for a quick work permit for refugees with prospects of staying in order to promote integration and stimulate the labor market.
Real-time media correction
The “Spiegel” reacted promptly. The article was published on September 29 at 9:47 a.m., and already at 1:43 p.m. of the same day the corrected version was archived. But the four-hour gap was enough for the misinformation to spread.
Conclusion
The episode shows how quickly an erroneous number can develop its own momentum and fuel political debates, even when corrections are made. The responsibility for accurate information lies with politicians, the media and all of us to counteract the digital domino effect caused by misinformation.
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Also read: Fact check: Is “VirX” actually a nasal vaccine in disguise?
Source:
DPA
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )