The 3 Ways to Beat Disinformation
Only information can defeat disinformation. If only we were motivated to spread information.
Disinformation, misinformation and fake news is everywhere. Millions of people are walking around with a completely distorted view of how the world works because they live in an information bubble dominated by lies.
The reason is that the liars are more motivated than the truth tellers.
The Russian government is motivated to sow division in the West because bringing the world down is a cheaper way to compete than bringing Russia up.
Conspiracy and fake news sites are extremely profitable. Fiction writing is cheaper than reporting.
Social networks profit from anything that keeps eyeballs glued to screens. And fake news, conspiracy and lies are the superglue of content.
And so a huge, two-digit percentage of the public lives in an alternative info-universe.
Yesterday we got a master class in how to fight the false narratives.
Yesterday, one of the world's most successful social media influencers, President Donald Trump, was heard by millions on tape trying to cajole, con and bully Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, into "finding" 11,780 votes in favor of Trump, which would hand the state's electoral college votes to Trump, enabling him to win the state (which was in fact won by President Elect Joe Biden).
What got lost in the story was that Officials in Brad Raffensperger’s office recorded the call, but Raffensperger said he didn't want it released unless Trump attacked him.
Then Trump attacked Raffensperger, and Raffensperger released the tape.
More to the point, Trump tweeted disinformation about the phone call. Raffensperger replied with perfect information (the actual call) and in doing so crushed the disinformation.
That's how you do it.
This happened because Raffensperger, with his reputation and political future on the line, was more motivated than Trump.
There three broad ways to beat disinformation with information.
1. Outspend the liars. Democratic governments need to stop sweeping the problem of disinformation under the rug and put some serious cash behind efforts to discredit fake news with accurate news.
2. Boycott social networks. When Facebook or YouTube is caught algorithmically amplifying conspiracy theories, lies and disinformation, the public should get off for a month and boycott their major advertisers.
3. Stop ignoring disinformation. There's a widespread reflex in the media to dismiss or ignore fake news, disinformation and conspiracy theories. The thinking goes that they're often just too ridiculous to be believed so they're not worth debunking. Also: Most people haven't hear the lies, so if we do reporting that debunks it, we'll be essentially spreading it. This reflex is wrong. Disinformation needs to be tackled head-on with great reporting and solid facts.
We need national governments, media organizations, social networks and the public to unite behind an all-out effort to fight disinformation with information, and make sure the truth is always more widespread than the lies.