Too Much Information About Disinformation?

This is such important work. Thank you. I’ve been concerned about the changes I see all around me; people who used to be kind and thoughtful, now divided over seemingly every issue. Fervor where it didn’t exist previously, and dogmatic adherence to one party over the other. When did politics begin to be participated in with the blind allegiance akin to a football team? Whatever the cause, it’s deeply concerning; terrifying, actually.

Though our govt and politicians and many members of the public are ill-equipped to recognize disinformation attacks, etc, I think some of our corporations are experts, dealing with advertising, public interest issues like CO2 emissions and other pollution and health risks. To them, it's old tricks. In past generations, lies and stagecraft and black flag stunts no doubt contributed to scourges like antisemitism. But the public remains amazingly naive that our govt, a business or a foreign govt could pull the wool over their eyes.

I pass this link around like a joint at a frat party! This mini documentary is like How It's Made: Fake News but more in depth and beautifully executed. Finding out there is such a thing as the "willing idiot" in the KGB playbook further supports the data in the Proof of Collusion book which just came out.

I served in several US embassies in Latin America in the early-mid nineties. 'Baby parts'/'organ stealing rumors circulated regularly in the press and led to real violence. In the spring of 1994 a middle-aged American woman visiting Guatemala was nearly beaten to death by a crowd that believed the woman had tried to snatch a small child.

Congratulations on your work. Has the US also made misinformation? The elections in Brazil had support from Trump and the Pentagon, there were many lies via WhatsApp.

It feels like a tiny corner of an important story -- this makes it seem that Russia (and the Soviet Union) has been a primary source of false information plaguing the United States over the years. But what about domestic disinformation? Without Russia, would there have been fewer false accusations launched against Hillary Clinton? Maybe slightly fewer, maybe even by a measurable amount, but not dramatically fewer. The false attacks had been going on for years, and the atmosphere of conspiracy fantasies was pervasive with or without Russian participation. Basically all the Russians did in 2016 was amplify our existing domestic disinformation product. (Except, maybe you could make a case that they played a larger role in the email hacking business.) I'm not saying "we were doing it to them too", I'm saying we have been doing it to ourselves all along. When that story is told, the Russians will be seen as bit players.

I'm a committed left winger,however I find the ambient Russia preoccupation rather unfortunate. Not long ago, a Russophile would have been branded a Left wing communist sympathizer,in these times,any talk of being neutral towards Russia is patent evidence of being Pro Trump.It's all rather confusing,unless one lives by dogma. Maybe the NY Times could publish a few articles on Cambridge Analytica, just for good measure. Adam B Ellick may look up what hardworking Mr Dynamite,Noam Chomsky has to say about the Russia Hysteria.

I can't wait to see this series. It seems with our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the campaign against ISIS we have forgotten about so much in the recent past. Along with articles and series, our schools should be teaching rhetoric- and argumentation strategies, so the Youtube generation can better identify false information. We need more classes about how governments have utilised and continue to wield Propaganda as a political weapon. Just checking facts is not enough. Because it is not that simple.

Keep up the great work Can you check out why the US has forgotten how to do this? Mitch McConell stopped Obama from releasing attack info before the election he also has received over 1 million dollars of funds for his own use according to Prof Ruth May of Dallas from Russians. Has anybody asked him if these "gifts" affected his judgement call at the time? Real news is fake and fake is real - so does there need to be new legislation or old stuff dusted off?

A stirring tale indeed!! Where is the link to see these films? They are certainly a must see!

How did 3 highly favored Democrats lose the Governorships of Georgia and Florida in addition to the Florida Senate seat ? Was it due to a Trump - Putin conspiracy ?

This is the kind of journalism that is sorely needed. It is meta-level journalism. I would suggest further dissemination through other digital platforms. I would recommend that a meta-level (compilation) web site be built around this theme, to include this story and the several related and recent Facebook and other social media articles. Great work. Please keep it up!