Opinion harms in the long run
Misinformation or disinformation and extremism has ties
"Ms. Bell, should the American people be concerned that
continued exposure to more provocative reactionary content
normalizes these ideas and events and could lead to the
acceptance, normalization, and even support of more extreme
content?
Ms. Bell. Yes, I think they should. And we see how
algorithms--recommendation algorithms that work, particularly
on search engines and social media, can actually lead to people
being shown more of--reinforcing content which, when it is
political speech, can be moving into more extreme and
eventually kind of violent areas."
Source: FANNING THE FLAMES: DISINFORMATION AND EXTREMISM IN THE MEDIA 117th Congress (2021-2022) VIRTUAL HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FIRST SESSION, FEBRUARY 24, 2021
Paul Pelosi, husband of Speaker Nancy Pelosi was violently attacked by a man who broke into their San Francisco home on Friday. The assailant was yelling “Where is Nancy?” This is beyond horrible. There has been indication that the suspect posted several conspiracy theories and threats on social media.
Consider this: Misinformation, conspiracy theories and slander guised as free speech at all levels national, statewide, regional and local (in any social media) is not only damaging, but it also influences those who are already distrusting and creates animosity.
Defamation and even conspiracy theories involve making a false statement of fact publicly and claiming that it's true— typically via the news media. Opinions based on false statements and theories can damage reputations and can spur violence-- We are seeing this occurring in so many places here in the U.S.
This vitriol is exploding and is unequivocally unacceptable and preventable. The seed of physical violence so often starts with adopting misinformation that feeds animosity and distrust. For instance, the January 6th attack on the Capitol was steeped in an unproven stealing of an election.
Putting forth an opinion based on assumptions and false facts and then used as an attack on someone is shameful and harmful. It not only shuts down dialogue, it is also divisive. Misinformation too often is the basis for squelching dialogue and discourse and at the extremes feeds violence as in emotionally or physically hurting or trying to hurt someone.
Entertaining an opinion that one strongly opposes is one thing. When a statement is an assertion of fact and capable of being proven false and harms a reputation or threatens, it is no longer mere opinion-- it becomes misinformation.
According to data provided by the United States Capitol Police, a law enforcement agency charged with protecting members of Congress, cases related to "concerning statements and threats" jumped from 3,939 in 2017 to 9,625 in 2021. Character assassinations then distort reputations and harm comes into play.
The stakes have been raised. Political polarization is rampant. Misinformation is inciting violence around the world. We are facing information wars of an unprecedented nature and scale that are stoking tensions. Such actions harm all of us in the long run and consistently undermines our ability to participate in any social or governmental process. Families and communities become divided, and this serves no one. In worst case scenarios people are violently attacked physically.
We all have a part to play at all levels to stop and question opinions presented as facts or false claims.
The Brookings Institute suggests “In order to maintain an open, democratic system, it is important that government, business, and consumers work together to solve these problems. Governments should promote news literacy and strong professional journalism in their societies. The news industry must provide high-quality journalism to build public trust and correct fake news and disinformation without legitimizing them. Technology companies should invest in tools that identify fake news, reduce financial incentives for those who profit from disinformation, and improve online accountability. Educational institutions should make informing people about news literacy a high priority. Finally, individuals should follow a diversity of news sources, and be skeptical of what they read and watch.”
Some articles to revisit:
Do We Really Understand ‘Fake News’?
click on here for the article: We think we are sharing facts, but we are really expressing emotions in the outrage factory.
'Facebook Groups Are Destroying America': Researcher On Misinformation Spread Online https://www.npr.org/2020/06/22/881826881/facebook-groups-are-destroying-america-researcher-on-misinformation-spread-onlin
How biases fuel misinformation and disinformation, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/477069-how-biases-fuel-misinformation-and-disinformation-by-nkem-agunwa.html
Dealing with propaganda, misinformation and fake news- How can schools get active. Council of Europe https://www.coe.int/en/web/campaign-free-to-speak-safe-to-learn/dealing-with-propaganda-misinformation-and-fake-news
How hate and misinformation go viral: A case study of a Trump retweet https://www.brookings.edu/techstream/how-hate-and-misinformation-go-viral-a-case-study-of-a-trump-retweet/