Disinformation
Updated 2023-12-01
[MEK Note: Disinformation is nor just a social media problem, as governments and corporate media often engage actively and deliberately in bias, distortions, omissions and downright lies!]
2023-11-27 Narrative warfare: How disinformation shapes the Israeli-Hamas conflict—and millions of minds The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a perennial, deeply entrenched issue transcending mere geopolitics. It is a contest of narratives, a battle where stories and perceptions wield as much power as physical forces. In this intricate struggle, disinformation emerges as a potent weapon skillfully wielded by those with ill intentions. A single Tweet or a brief TikTok video is insufficient to distill decades, if not centuries, of historical background, yet they possess the capacity to shape the minds of individuals, influence their reactions, and even sway policymaking. As such, an examination of how to address rampant misleading information that is shaping the dynamics of human society is necessary.
Nobody is safe. Regardless of one’s stance in this enduring conflict, dominant narratives are often handed down from generation to generation. The remarkable ability of these narratives to mold public opinion attests to their formidable potency. Disinformation becomes a valuable instrument in developing these entrenched perspectives, revealing the vulnerability of individuals when confronted with a barrage of misleading or outright fake information. Notably, even prominent figures with access to vast resources—journalists, politicians, and ironically, CEOs of social media companies—can fall prey to the insidious influence of disinformation.
As technology, including artificial intelligence, intertwines with the Gaza conflict, the promise of a tech utopia is tested against the stark reality of disinformation’s harmful consequences.
The ongoing crisis in the Middle East exposes the limitations and potential harms of the tech world’s overstated promises once again. The rapid spread of disinformation on social media platforms erodes knowledge and undermines trust in information sources, including governments. The dangers of disinformation extend beyond misinformation; it can lead to cynical perspectives, demoralizing individuals and fostering apathy toward problem-solving. https://thebulletin.org/2023/11/narrative-warfare-how-disinformation-shapes-the-israeli-hamas-conflict-and-millions-of-minds/?
2023-11-24 Pro-Palestinian Voices Are Not Disinformation Young people and foreign nations calling for an end to Israel’s brutality are breaking through the U.S. bipartisan effort to maintain Israel’s legitimacy, causing officials and the media to lash out with flimsy evidence.
As the bombardment of Gaza by the Israeli government continues, with over 10,000 killed, including thousands of children, the U.S. and other nations backing the violence are struggling to maintain widespread legitimacy. Protests continue, cease-fire statements by high-profile individuals and organizations continue, and international calls for an end to the madness continue. Yet U.S. politicians and supportive media corporations also continue to deny that they are wrong, manufacturing new lies to justify their complicity in horrific crimes.
One of the most recent attempts at denying the growing consensus in support of Palestine in the U.S. is to call it a result of people on social media (particularly young people) being tricked by foreign propaganda. A bipartisan group of politicians, media pundits, and think tanks have begun arguing that support for Palestine is built on fake news and disinformation; that millions are being manipulated by China, Russia, Iran, or Hamas. In reality, their expert sources claiming to have identified disinformation campaigns are relying on flawed analyses. Their claims of disinformation are simply cases of speech they do not like because it points out hypocrisy, legacies of violence, and morally corrupt politics. As has been the case before, “disinformation” is being weaponized to cover actual manipulation—that of mainstream media and U.S. government officials justifying genocide. https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/pro-palestine-not-disinformation
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Categorized Directory: News and Articles about Israel- Palestine Conflict
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