<
https://theconversation.com/how-authoritarian-states-sculpt-a-warped-alternative-reality-in-our-news-feeds-266092>
"When we talk about disinformation – the intentional spreading of misleading
information – we usually picture blatant lies and “fake news” pushed by foreign
governments. Sometimes the intention is to sway voters in elections, and
sometimes it’s to sow confusion in a crisis.
But this is a somewhat simplified version of events. In fact, authoritarian
countries, such as Russia and, increasingly, China, are engaged in continuous
and more expansive projects aimed at creating a tilted political reality. They
seek to subtly undermine the image of western democracies, presenting
themselves, and their growing bloc of authoritarian partners, as the future.
Crafting this political reality includes the use of blatant falsities, but the
narrative is typically grounded in a much more insidious manipulation of
information. Positive facts are highlighted to a disproportionate degree, while
inconvenient ones are ignored or taken out of context, so that they appear more
in line with the narrator’s goals.
The Kremlin has, for a long time, used state-sponsored media outlets, proxy
media outlets or bots to disperse a consistent stream of stories – news
articles, tweets, videos or social media posts – designed to subtly steer and
antagonise political discussions in democratic societies. Reports show that
these stories can reach audiences far beyond their original Russian outlets.
They are unknowingly (or sometimes, knowingly) repeated by local or national
media, commentators or online users.
A common trope is the idea that democratic societies are chaotic and failing.
Coverage might exaggerate crime, corruption, and social disorder, or highlight
public protests, economic stagnation, or governmental instability as evidence
that democracies are not working. The underlying message is that democracy
leads to chaos.
Some stories focus on making progressive values in western societies seem
weird. They ridicule progressive social change regarding, for example, LGBTQ+
rights or multiculturalism, making them seem illogical or silly.
Others use real grievances but frame them to amplify feelings of discrimination
and victimhood. In the Baltic states, for example, Russian media frequently
highlights the alleged persecution of Russian speakers, suggesting they are
being treated as second-class citizens and giving far less space to other
perspectives.
If we look at the growing online “manosphere”, this mechanism is also in
evidence – messaging that reinforces a collective sense of victimhood that
fuels division and distrust."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
