Where I’ve Been, and What’s Ahead

(Copied from my Facebook post)

My long-time friend Raja Narain asked where I’ve been since November. That question deserves a full answer. So, this will be long.

Basically, after Halloween (when things can be a bit wild in this field), I needed a good, long break. I was irked because – on TV – far too many “ghost hunting” shows have become like parodies of what this field is… Or what it is for people like me.

I see people doing dangerous and/or silly things, just to hold the TV audiences’ attention. Maybe like a “Mr. Beast” version of paranormal research…?

That’s almost the polar opposite of why I’m in this field.

I enjoy visiting historical and “haunted” sites for the ambience, the mood (perhaps residual energy), and the sense of connection with people and events of the past.

The main reason I use ghost hunting equipment (like EMF meters) is mostly to rule out natural explanations for that “spooky” feeling.

For example, someone sensitive to elevated EMF levels may feel uneasy (or worse) if the site has bad wiring, or unshielded electrical devices.

(A classic example: If a really old refrigerator is used in a home, if you’re in the room on the other side – facing the back of the refrigerator – you may feel uncomfortable, or even as if the house is haunted. I’ve lost count of the number of “haunted” college dorms and old cottages where the eerie feeling is simply high EMF levels from old refrigerators, etc.)

But, when I can’t find a reasonable explanation for high EMF levels, then – yes – the site might be haunted.

However – for me – ghost hunting equipment is an adjunct to the experience. It’s not what I focus on… ever.

Seeing someone on TV, waving a radio-like device, grabbing words he hears, and thinking it’s a ghost talking to him…? Yikes.

As I saw it at Halloween 2023, much of ghost hunting – at least on TV and at events where people are mimicking those shows – has been leaning heavily in that direction.

I needed a break. I needed to step back and evaluate just what I’m doing in this field, and how I want to talk/post about it.

I’m still in the midst of that process, but I’m (gradually) doing a reset with my websites, YouTube channels, etc.

I’m pretty sure most of my friends will understand this, and I’d like to hear your thoughts about the future of real ghost hunting.

YouTube – Answers and Shocking Stats

As you know, I was thoroughly irked this week, seeing unattractive comments about me and my research.

Then, once I stopped saying rude things to my computer monitor and calmed down, I decided to take action.

First, I posted a couple of YouTube videos, trying to correct apparent misunderstandings.

After that, I hired a team to see whether it’s worth my time to make YouTube a priority… but I’ll talk about that in a moment.

Anyway, about the videos…

For years, there’s been a curious, online fascination with my surname. (This has never made sense to me. Per Forebears, Broome is the 23,815th most common surname in the world, and 62% of Broomes are in the U.S.A.)

In case you’re as interested in quirks and oddities as I am, I stumbled onto this list of 100+ least-common surnames.  My favorite might be “Bytheseashore.” (Seriously. It’s a surname. I would love to see the comments it attracts.)

So anyway, in case it might bring clarity, I created a YouTube video, sharing some details about the my surname. (Admittedly, this might be an absolute snooze for most people.)

I’m pleased that I managed to keep this video under one minute. As a genealogy enthusiast, it’s far too easy for me to go on and on (and on) about the Broomes and related families.

In addition to the obsession with my name, even more people seem to think I’m a newcomer to the Mandela Effect. Some suggest that I’m a usurper.

Really, as soon as I’d posted my four-part audiobook recordings at YouTube, one person actually said, “she came along and took ownership.”  And then others followed with similar accusations.

Umm… wow.

So, in case it will do any good — admittedly unlikely — I created a YouTube Short video addressing that, too.

Meanwhile, musing about the general YouTube dilemma, I’d decided to ask some professionals whether I could create more videos on my two main topics – ghost hunting and the Mandela Effect – and get adequate traction with either channel.

I’m still in blink-blink mode, looking at their report.

Apparently, every month, an average of 930 people search on YouTube for “Fiona Broome.”  Just my name. Nothing else with it. (Is there another Fiona Broome they’re looking for…?)

But – and this is what really astonishes me – the competition for that keyword is pretty steep.

So, at this point, unless the YouTube algorithm is being indulgent, neither of my YouTube channels is likely to be on the first page of results.

Even one that’s “FionaBroome.” (That’s the actual URL/name of my ghost hunting YouTube channel.)

And then there’s “Mandela Effect.” YouTube receives over 73,000 searches for that phrase, every month.

I have zero chance of ranking well for that phrase, too.

However, the team did find a couple of YouTube niches where I might be able to shine.

I’ll consider them as we’re packing for our next cross-country trip.

They might be on my to-do list for 2024.

Why I (Should?) Rarely Talk About the Mandela Effect

Ick.

This afternoon, checking to see how my latest videos look on YouTube, I stumbled onto…

Well, here’s what I said at my Facebook Page:

On one hand, I’m flattered that my recent audiobook recordings so quickly attracted attention. (Thank you, MoneyBags73!)

Really, I thought it was kind of meta/hilarious that someone posted a video… about me posting videos.

However, I probably shouldn’t have read the comments at that gentleman’s YouTube video page. They were harsh reminders of why, several years ago, I stepped back from the Mandela Effect topic.

I’m sitting here, shaking my head and muttering, “Trolls, and those who repeat their nonsense, as if it’s true…” * sigh *

In case there’s any doubt:

1) Yes, I did start the original Mandela Effect website. (In my book/recording, I reference the topic’s quirky, collaborative start, and mentioned Shadowe in the book’s dedication.)

2) Yes, I do understand the scope of the Mandela Effect; I just don’t see the point in trying to prove it. Or even that the Mandela Effect is real.

3) No, my surname was never Broon, Broone, Broom, or Bloom. And the “witch” label actually evolved when trolls first described me as a “b—-,” and several conservative (lower-case C) critics preferred to use a euphemism instead. (I never thought they were serious about me being an actual witch… but maybe they were?)

However, I’m okay with people criticizing my voice* or my recordings. Mostly, I just wanted to put the contents of my latest book in a free – not paid – version of an audiobook. So there it is.

Okay, feeling really annoyed, that’s what I’d initially posted on Facebook.

Here’s what else I’d like to say: I don’t regret publishing the book. Or even putting the audiobook online, and making everything as free as possible. (The Kindle book is free in Kindle Unlimited, too.)

After all, I think it’s important for people to know the facts about the Mandela Effect, including

  • how the topic started,
  • some of its quirkier aspects and intriguing theories (like Mr. Stain’s cryptic comments, referenced in the audiobook/podcast)
  • and why the original website isn’t online now.

But now, seeing what’s said about me and my work, in the first 24 hours since I became far more vocal (literally) about the Mandela Effect… yikes.

Oh, the Mandela Effect site was tremendous fun for the first year or two or three.

But once the trolls showed up… the fun:exhaustion ratio wasn’t good, and it seems as if that hasn’t improved.

I’m rethinking how to deal with this, while ensuring the visibility of the astonishingly deep insights shared in our early conversations.

Many of those observations and theories haven’t been fully explored. In the future, they may lead to important answers.

To me, it feels almost immoral to let trolls – and those who see the Mandela Effect as something to exploit – control the focus, and how the topic is perceived.

I may regret this, but I think I’m going to speak up a bit more, in case it helps. Clarify points where people are being misled. Highlight the most original theories and  curious, quirky “rabbit holes” of our original conversations.

Well… maybe. I’ll need to see if that’s worth my time. If it’d be just another blog post or YouTube video (or two or three) that get lost in the algorithms, I may give this a pass.

Meanwhile, most reliable media resources give me appropriate credit for my work, establishing the Mandela Effect.

Long-time friends and fans know my role in that, as well.

I’m not sure if that’s good enough for current and future researchers to find the earliest Mandela Effect materials. But maybe it has to be?


* Should I have chosen an AI voice instead?

No, I’m not serious. LOL. Sites like ElevenLabs are producing some pretty good AI voices, but – to me – it seems important for people to hear the tone in my voice, in case that better conveys my sentiments. How flippant I am, and also what a science geek I am. The whimsical ideas that intrigue me, the cultural notes I reference, and how I say “heck” and “darn” instead of anything stronger. And so on. How all of that defines who I am. After all, text can be so vapid.

New and Old Podcasts Ahead!

Though we’re in the midst of travelling right now – in Texas for another week or two, after a year in Maine – I’m restoring almost all of my old ghost-related podcasts… to YouTube.

Yes, all ~100 of them. It’s a big project and the trial-and-error phase – testing software – has been daunting… but successful! (Well, more or less. I mean, some of those old podcasts had so-so sound quality, at best.)

First, I wanted to test a few microphones. (I own far too many.) That’s why I reviewed the new Living for the Dead series.

After that, my first major test of the actual podcast workflow was to record the opening chapters in my book, The Mandela Effect: A History….

Yes, that book is free to read in Kindle, but – since so many people comment (favorably) about my audios – I also wanted to record the initial chapters. So, those start here:

Next, I’ll be adding past podcasts to my ghost hunting YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/c/FionaBroome ).

Preparing for that, I tested an old Halloween-related podcast, about one of America’s most famous ghosts, Ocean-Born Mary.

And this one:

Remember, these are among my early efforts.

Basically, I’m taking my old Libsyn-hosted audios (2012 – 2019), and turning them into YouTube podcasts… which mean they have to be in video format. (I know; that’s a bit weird.)

And then there are transcripts to compile and edit, and so on.

In other words: Don’t expect dozens & dozens of podcasts, overnight. Especially since we’re about to leave Texas for Florida, and then it’s the holiday season.

And then… well, in 2024, Ireland may be on our itinerary. (We’re like that. We love to visit cool places with interesting landscapes and histories. And maybe a few ghost stories.)

So that’s the news, why I’ll be posting podcasts intermittently, and why I may not even be online very much – off and on – through the end of 2023.

The Mandela Effect Site is Back… Sort of

Is this actually big news…? Maybe.

Unexpected? Probably.

The short version is: We now have a Mandela Effect YouTube channel.

And, as of a few hours ago, the two Mandela Effect videos that were at my ghost-related YouTube channel are now at the new Mandela Effect YouTube channel.

I’ve also added a YouTube Shorts video – less than a minute long – for those who have a passing interest in the Mandela Effect topic.

I’ll be adding content to both of my YouTube channels (the Mandela Effect one, and the ghost-hunting one) over the next few days, and then as time permits.

Here are the (boring?) details…

My long-time URL, MandelaEffect.com, now redirects to the Mandela Effect YouTube channel I’m working on. (That redirect may take up to 48 hours to resolve. Later, I may change the name of the channel, but my URL will still redirect there.)

So far, that YouTube channel contains the two Mandela Effect videos that had been at my ghost-related YouTube channel. (We’ve moved the videos, and fixed the subtitles so – finally – they’re readable.)

I’ve also created a one-minute video, explaining what the Mandela Effect is.

In the next few days, this new YouTube channel will feature more new YouTube Shorts (videos that are one minute or less) on the Mandela Effect topic. (That’s just the beginning. I’m working on this as fast as I can.)

Meanwhile…

The Mandela Effect WordPress site has been updated as well, and it’s now using the URL of MandelaEffectSite.com

Here’s why I’m making these dramatic changes.

The Mandela Effect videos never fit the topic of my ghost hunting YouTube channel.

I just didn’t know where else to put them.

And really, the hyperbole around the Mandela Effect topic had become so preposterous — and volatile — I thought I’d never talk about it again. (I know, “never say never,” right? lol )

Early yesterday morning  – around 3 AM – after reading the great, recent CNN article about the Mandela Effect, I woke up realizing that the Mandela Effect topic is now mainstream enough to encourage calm, genuine conversations. I’m hopeful.

NOTE: This does NOT mean I’m able to read or reply to emails or comments about that topic. Halloween – my busiest ghost-related time of year – is almost here, and I’m far behind on projects I’d promised my fans.

Mostly, I realized that YouTube could resolve two of my biggest Mandela Effect website problems: Inflammatory comments and website hosting costs.

Here’s why YouTube seems to be the answer:

    • YouTube blocks the most extreme comments, while allowing continued dialogue among viewers with a genuine interest in the topic.
    • YouTube can handle the massive traffic that the Mandela Effect topic seems to attract.

So, I’m pleased, and hoping this works.

Of course, some people will ask about the channel earning money. As if it’s immoral or something.

I addressed that general topic last March, when I more-or-less formally – and finally – “retired” from publishing my Mandela Effect research and participating in conversations.

But yes, in the future, with enough YouTube channel subscribers and a massive number of viewing hours, I may qualify for income from the ads YouTube displays with almost all of my videos.

(YouTube doesn’t approve all channels for that, and it’s not why I’ve created the channel. In fact, it’s a fairly moot point; for an income of about two cents for each view, I’m not seeing dollar signs in this move. It’s just saving me hosting bills. And time.)

For me, YouTube seems be a place where – once again – the origins of the Mandela Effect topic (and my actual opinions on it) can be seen, and friends’ conversations can continue.

Will this work…? I have no clue, but it seems worth a try.

(And yes, there will be trolls at YouTube. It’s the Internet. Do your best to ignore them, okay…?)

This was not an easy decision for me, and we’ve spent the past ~48 hours making the initial changes. It’s been a LOT of work.

However, I’m hopeful that — once and for all — YouTube solves the biggest problems related to sharing my original content. And, at the same time, it’s a place where people can comment and have conversations about this topic.

Warning: My Voice Was Cloned!

This morning, I was beta-testing some AI video software, and — for amusement — asked the AI to produce a ghost-themed video.

I provided the general topic and ideas, and AI did the rest.

I did not use my actual name when I signed up for the beta. (As you know, I’m a bit of a privacy fanatic.)

Well… when I played the video to see if the AI was worth using in the future, I was stunned.

They’d cloned my voice, probably from my YouTube channel. No doubt about it.

I’m doing my best to take this as a compliment: That, when talking about ghosts, using my voice makes the video sound more credible.
Or something…?

Of course, it might just reflect the number of podcasts and videos I’ve shared online, over the past 20+ years. That gave AI an abundance of voice samples to clone.

Whatever the reason my voice was selected: PLEASE be aware that this is going on.

Whether it’s my voice or someone else’s (Jason, Grant, Zak, Jack, Alex, Kris, Steve, Tango, Dustin, etc.), if the “voice” is saying things that seem a bit off, or outright uncharacteristic, report it.

This is especially true if the fake voice is being used for potential commercial gain of any kind, including on a YouTube channel or as an adjunct to “I want to be a celebrity, too” self-promotion. (Yes, I’ve already talked with an attorney, who put my mind at ease. See this legal precedent: Midler v. Ford Motor Co.)

And tell others, in case they might be confused, too.

In my case, if the recording isn’t on my YouTube channel or my own websites… It’s almost certainly NOT me.

It’s been a few years since I gave interviews or spoke at events, and – frankly – I’m enjoying having time to focus on my own projects. (I may return to Dragon Con, etc., in the future, but not yet.)

What’s Next for Fiona

This will be a rant.

Here’s what happened, early in March 2023.

In late February, once again, the Mandela Effect website/archives needed to be moved to new hosting. (Spikes in interest – and traffic – have always been an issue. Every year or two, I have to switch to increasingly high-powered hosting. The continued interest in the topic astonishes me.)

So, at my Facebook Page, I alerted readers about the pending move.

On March 7th, I announced that the actual move was in progress.

But then, in response to some very demanding comments, I had to (yet again) explain that – receiving 1k to 5k emails/day – there’s no way I can read every email sent to me, much less reply to them.

And frankly, I usually feel as if don’t have anything new to say about the Mandela Effect.

Until science can offer better explanations for the more extreme anomalies (the ones that aren’t simple confusion, media errors, or memory glitches), and resolve the archaic aspects of Newtonian physics, it’s all speculation.

And then…

The Facebook comments that followed were even more unattractive. They were insulting. Abusive. Worrisome.

Most were so inflammatory that Facebook automatically hid them from public view, though I could read and delete them. (And did so.)

Here’s what I said, after a bout of well-earned, knee-wobbling mix of rage and anxiety:

Yes, I deleted my most recent post, explaining that the Mandela Effect website was (finally) being installed at new hosting.
Facebook did a good job of hiding the most troubling comments and retorts, so others couldn’t see them.
But, in light of the vitriol I’ve just read and deleted, it’s time for me to step back from the Mandela Effect altogether.
What started as a fun, speculative conversation back in 2009 has become something so apparently polarizing, I’m appalled.
I wish all good things to those who continue related research and conversations.
After today, it’s not something that I can pursue.

So, now you know why – in March – I did a quick U-turn regarding website hosting for my Mandela Effect (dot com) site.

At least for now, I’ve retired it.

(Note: In September 2023, after I’d had time to think about this, and feel less agitated, I came up with a better solution than WordPress.com: YouTube.)

What’s Next for MandelaEffect.com

The most important articles and comments from the Mandela Effect website are still available and FREE to read, in my Mandela Effect archives ebooks(Note: As an author and Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

As I see it, the Mandela Effect was just a quirky topic I put online to see if anyone else had the same mistaken memory (about Nelson Mandela’s death) that I did.

I haven’t commercialized the topic as others have. (But hey, good for them, seeing a way to pursue their interests, profitably! <– I mean that sincerely.)

The books and movies referencing the Mandela Effect…? Their producers never contacted me. Ditto most Mandela Effect events and conferences.

I’ve never run ads on my website, either.

(Over the past 14 years, I’ve earned less than $1k from the topic, including my books, total. That hasn’t even covered the Mandela Effect site’s hosting bills, for heaven’s sake. I’m NOT looking for sympathy; I’m just explaining that my brain doesn’t seem wired for business.)

It’s time for me to shift my resources to my longer-term interests. The ones where I have expertise.

What’s Next for Me

I’ve decided to follow the examples of J.D. Salinger, et al, and focus on my work.

I’ll continue to study paranormal phenomena (but probably not the Mandela Effect).

Over the next few months, I’ll streamline my ghost-related websites so they’re easier to navigate. Essential information will be easier to find.

I’m looking at alternate ways to share what I know about the Mandela Effect, too.

Mostly, I plan to share my best – and freshest – observations and discoveries in books and videos.

    • YouTube videos are free to watch. I like that.  A lot. Also, they can reach a wide audience, perhaps even wider than my websites have. (Update: Maybe not!)
    • Related books, especially printed books, will allow me to continue my work with fewer distractions.
    • My ghost-related ebooks will be free in Kindle Unlimited, at least for the first three months. Also, portions of them will be in audiobooks, totally free to listen to, as well.

In general, I love fun, intelligent speculation about odd and unexplained phenomena. I thrive on mutually respectful conversations with a sci-fi undertone.

The geeky “what if…?” questions are what most intrigue me.  They’re not wholly serious. Not usually, anyway.

But… answering repetitive questions, and demands for attention…? No, thanks.

For years, I tried to please everyone.

It didn’t work.

That’s why I’ve made – and will probably continue to make – radical changes in my online presence.

And try to stick to my resolve. (As if that’s ever worked for me. * chuckle and sigh * )

AI, Trolls, and Sherlock Holmes

This morning, replying to a critical comment at Facebook, I was startled.

That is, as sincere and layered as a comment may be, it could have been written by AI.

With the abrupt emergence and growing sophistication of GPT-3, -4, and so on, can we trust anything we read online?

(Yes, I know the logical response is, “Okay, but could we ever trust it?”)

With this new reality, how do we deal with critical — but sincere-sounding — comments?  Replying to them could consume valuable time better spent more constructively.

(As I type that, I wonder if it’s any better to spend time replying to AI-generated comments that sound cheerful and supportive. Or to spend even one moment of our valuable time dealing with snarky critics, whether their voices are real or AI.)

Will we need digital signatures to identify those who comment? But if we each use digital signatures, how do we also protect our privacy?

Have the lines already blurred?

Here’s why that question comes to mind:

Recently, I’ve been helping an overwhelmed cousin with her audio/visual business, providing voiceovers for some of her clients. I don’t mind helping her for a few hours a week, while she hires new voice actors.

Her voice and mine are so similar, most people — including her clients —  won’t realize that what they’re hearing isn’t actually her voice. (That’s why I volunteered, short-term.)

But even in that context, this gets tangled. After all, my cousin is the “voice” for several clients.

So, in audiobooks, local ads, and videos, people think they’re actually hearing the voice of Jane Doe (or whomever), when it’s actually my cousin. Or, in some cases (for just a few weeks), it’s me.

Okay, that seems like a harmless deception in a low-tech context.

[September 2023 update: It may have been part of a later problem. At my request, my cousin re-recorded the material that used my voice, and worked with clients to replace the older ads, etc. So now, if you hear “my” voice anywhere except on my YouTube channel or at my websites, it’s not me. ]

But I wonder where we draw the line.

What safeguards we can put in place, without it becoming a privacy risk to the broad populace?  After all, the problem is actually a tiny, malicious minority, albeit one with the potential to wreak broad-scale havoc in a world that’s already a bit of a tinderbox.

I don’t want this to become a question of “do the ends justify the means?”

Asimov’s “Three Laws…” – prescient or too simplistic?

This morning, my husband referenced Isaac Asimov’s “Three Laws of Robotics.”

A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

So, how do we define “harm,” and how can we trust AI — sentient or not — to understand acceptable boundaries when it’s learning from the Internet? After all, that’s where boundaries are trampled and exploited daily.

As content creators, website owners, forum moderators, and participants in social media, these are some daunting issues to address.

As Conan Doyle said in The Boscombe Valley Mystery, “There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.”

The questions then become:

  • What appears to be an obvious fact, but is actually deceptive?
  • And how can we tell the difference, in the fast-paced realm of social media?

I’m not sure we have much time to consider this. At the pace AI is developing, we may be coping as we sort this.

“Good enough” may have to be good enough, whether that means shutting down comments altogether (as I sometimes do), or learning to shrug off (and perhaps delete) those we don’t have time for.

For now, the answers aren’t clear, but it’s an immediate and emerging issue most of us need to consider, as content creators, as members of the online community, and in the everyday world.

When Science Studies the Mandela Effect

While I appreciate healthy skepticism and investigations into Mandela Effect memories, I’m often irked by news articles and reports that brush the entire topic aside as “you’re just confused.”

However, even when the journalist or researcher has preconceived ideas about the Mandela Effect, I can appreciate the nuances of scientific investigation.

That’s why I’m pleased with this article, even if it leans into the “it’s all false memories” mindset.

When someone can indicate where a confusion may have started, that’s useful.

Two Sherlock Holmes quotes come to mind at the moment. One is from “The Boscombe Valley Mystery.”

“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.”

The other is from “The Sign of Four.”

“How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?”

Regarding the Mandela Effect, I’m 100% supportive of constructive and reliable research that leaves us with the truth, however improbable it may be, depending upon your viewpoint.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-apes/202211/testing-the-visual-mandela-effect

2023 update: Here’s another superb article about the Mandela Effect: [CNN] The ‘Mandela Effect’ describes the false memories many of us share. But why can’t scientists explain it? 

Lucid Dreaming and the Mandela Effect

Can lucid dreaming be a factor in the Mandela Effect?

Until I read this article, Is Dreaming Real?, that hadn’t crossed my mind. Not seriously, anyway.

The possibility is intriguing.

I have long maintained that the Mandela Effect isn’t a single cause-and-effect experience.

That is, it’s not all false memories. It’s not all errors in news reporting or the media.

Even my favorite—and possibly most extreme (for now)—theory, parallel realities, can’t explain every Mandela Effect memory.

Now, if we add lucid dreaming to the possible reasons people recall elements of a different past, this topic becomes even more interesting.

Well, it is for me, anyway.