2 ms·
He literally overturned the Smith-Mundt act, making State-sponsored propaganda legal. If he cares so much about disinformation, he shouldn't have first-hand pav
by logicalmonster 5y ago
He literally overturned the Smith-Mundt act, making State-sponsored propaganda legal. If he cares so much about disinformation, he shouldn't have first-hand paved the way for it.
- raxxorraxor 5y agoAllegedly it was repealed so that independent media could use content produced by government agencies. At least that is what some people write. I don't think combating "misinformation" is a good idea though. Too often what constitutes misinformation is in they eye of the beholder. Perhaps it is just a nudge toward the EU which has the same idea. He might not know how stupid the EU can be on anything digital. I don't think that you really can differentiate between domestic and foreign information campaigns anymore. That everyone can understand English can be a great cultural boon for English speaking countries. Disadvantage is that everyone can now understand what you are saying...
- findalex 5y agoThe natural diffusion of propaganda is one thing, can't escape that really - but now broadcasting it from a source "Americans trust" is the really damaging part.
- findalex 5y agoExactly. The justification being the enemy is everywhere, so we need to propagandize EVERYONE. To be fair to Obama, the act was slid into a NDAA. What's he gonna do, not sign it? A great read on the topic: "Apple Pie Propaganda? The Smith–Mundt Act Before and After the Repeal of the Domestic Dissemination Ban" https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/nulr/vol109/iss2/7/ https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/nulr/vol109/is...