Unmasking Fake News, Misinformation, and Disinformation (FNMD)
It used to be called propaganda, the negative kind. Now it is called Fake News, Misinformation, and Disinformation. Whatever label you give it, it boils down to being a lie of some kind.
White lie. Pathological lie. Lie of omission. Lie of fabrication. Lie of commission. Lie of influence. Lie of deception (except what lie is not of deception?). Lie. Lie. Lie. A fancier name for a lie is Subversive Truth Deflector (STD). Like sexually transmitted diseases, this STD results in millions of new “infections” every year. Like sexually transmitted diseases, this STD can reside in a person without them even knowing it.
Fake News is an umbrella for other information disorders (I love that label) such as misinformation (false or purposely misleading information) and disinformation (false information intentionally spread to deceive people). [1] The ultimate result is an ongoing insidious erosion of The Constitution of the United States.
Like propaganda, FNMD is misleading communications often created by news media, social media, lawyers, corrupt politicians and small and big businesses. It is also created by government officials looking to stay in power. Duping and cheating the marginalized to maintain “control” is typically the goal. It is a significant part of maintaining and deepening poverty and oppression. It can be sensational, but it can also be subtle, as is often found in legalese at all levels of government.
FNMD is cunningly used to deceive people rather than to enlighten them. It is not information you necessarily disagree with at first glance. You may not even recognize you are being “duped.” Fake news, misinformation, and disinformation is craftily fabricated to resemble usual communications in appearance or sound, but not in intention.
Fake news, misinformation, and disinformation are inherently oppressive.
FNMD outlets can become so entrenched in their misleading practices that they simply are unable to be transparent. They become unwilling and afraid to try. They dig themselves into irreparable cover ups. Trust with others is eroded, such that if authentic information is actually given, it is doubted and questioned, even by their own peers. It often takes outside forces to get rid of STD infections by pushing change-or-lose-your-job reform.
FNMD is not just in the media. It is in the very fabric of our lives. If we want to root it out and keep it out at the media and state and federal levels, we need to root it out and keep it out of our families, schools, school boards, committees, Select Boards, Police & Fire Department inspections and reports, Board of Health and Building Department inspections and reports, Housing Authority activity at all levels, Town & City records, and on across, down, and up the lines.
Eliminating FNMD is critical to eliminating oppression of all kinds.
Copyright © 2022 by Kathleen Laplante
All rights reserved.
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