Weaponized disinformation
Weaponized disinformation . Last week Neil MacFarquhar of the NYT had a fascinating story about the strategic value Vladimir Putin’s Russia assigns to spreading false information. Please read the story for yourself, but here are a few samples, with emphasis added:
The fundamental purpose of dezinformatsiya , or Russian disinformation, experts said, is to undermine the official version of events — even the very idea that there is a true version of events — and foster a kind of policy paralysis . …
Although the topics may vary, the goal is the same, Mr. Lindberg and others suggested. “What the Russians are doing is building narratives; they are not building facts,” he said. “The underlying narrative is, ‘Don’t trust anyone .’”…
The central idea, he said, is that “ liberal democracy is corrupt, inefficient, chaotic and, ultimately, not democratic .”
Another message, largely unstated, is that European governments lack the competence to deal with the crises they face , particularly immigration and terrorism, and that their officials are all American puppets. …
[Russian media] depict the West as grim, divided, brutal, decadent, overrun with violent immigrants and unstable. … RT often seems obsessed with the United States, portraying life there as hellish .
Life that’s hell. Leaders who are all crooks. Government that’s paralyzed and failing. No such thing as the truth, since everyone lies. The Russian media, according to the story, view promotion of these concepts as an actual weapon toward the destruction of adversary cultures. Meanwhile, in 2016, with 65 days until the election, the United States is creating its own supply.
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You get the feeling watching the news these days that there are some who are useful idiots for the Russians, like our mainstream media who are trying to normalize Donald Trump.
"...like our mainstream media who are trying to normalize Donald Trump."
...and whitewash Hillary Clinton.
You expect ME to be fair, John, so you should be fair as well.
While certainly greatly exaggerated, this disinformation would have no traction if there wasn't some underlying truth.
"[Russian media] depict the West as grim, divided, brutal, decadent, overrun with violent immigrants and unstable. … "
Sound like anyone you know?
Yes. Obama has told us we have many problems in our racist violent police state.
Hopefully more people will sit during our anthem that should help.
Think orange.
God, no. I'm a Gamecock fan.
Exactly. The utterly false narrative of Ferguson and the black lives matter terrrorists promoted by Obama is predictibly fragmenting our society.
No one from Black Lives Matter has "terrorized" you. People like you are the stooges in this scenario.
Assassinating cops isn't terrorism now?