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.

  • go $fsck yourself
    link
    English
    1610 months ago

    Counterpoint: idiots who never question things they want to hear are tearing America apart.

    • @ZMoney
      link
      39 months ago

      It’s really hard to educate 80% of the public.

      • @Snapz
        link
        19 months ago

        Especially when a right wing pet protect for about 50 years now has been dismantling public education to churn out soft brained, frightened voters primed to be republicans.