Disinformation is the deliberate use of lies to manipulate people, whether to extract profit or to advance a political agenda. Its unwitting accomplice, misinformation, is spread by unknowing dupes who repeat lies they believe to be true. In America today, both forms of falsehood are distorting our perception of reality.

In a democracy, the people need a shared set of facts as a basis to debate and make decisions that advance and secure their collective interests. Differences of opinion, and even propaganda, have always existed in the United States, but now, enemies of democracy are using disinformation to attack our sovereign right to truthful information, intellectual integrity, and the exercise of the will of the people. Online disinformation is particularly insidious because of its immediacy, its capacity to deceive, and its ability to reach its target.

  • goatmeal@midwest.social
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    8 months ago

    I mean the right is obviously much worse, straight up lies vs careful omission. Not trying to defend that since it kinda goes without saying around here.

    For this tho when one of the fastest/widest margin bills to pass congress this past year is blocking foreign tech media because it might influence elections, while our domestic tech companies have already been proven to do that over and over for the past few elections it just shows neither side actually cares about misinformation, just controlling it for themselves

    • stoly@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      It’s specifically that they don’t want the Chinese government to have access to the data. They don’t care a bit about privacy though.

    • Simon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      8 months ago

      One side is backed by fiction and one side is backed by US intelligence? And where is this ‘proof’ domestic tech companies illegally influence American elections? Let’s see it bub.

      • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        And where is this ‘proof’ domestic tech companies illegally influence American elections?

        God it’s impossible to keep up with people who are obsessed with defending the problems within the Democratic party. Is this not what happened in the 2016 general election now? I can’t keep up with the shifting narratives used to excuse the failures of establishment Democrats.

        • Simon@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          8 months ago

          Sure, be scared of the tech bogeymen forever then. If I recall all three branches of your government were repub for half a turn and you’re still getting ass fucked.