> Russia, with its social media squadrons... at the very least are good at getting everyone to talk about how good they are, which could be the most import

> Russia, with its social media squadrons... at the very least are good at getting everyone to talk about how good they are, which could be the most important trick of all. A key use of propaganda is demoralisation. Sapping the enemy's resolve and sowing seeds of doubt. It's a long march. For years I've noticed certain voices in tech forums who are not merely fearful of the negative effects of some technologies against liberal democracy, they positively celebrate them. "Liberal values are doomed." - they tell us. "The battle is already lost." Their relentless message is that authoritarian technology is inevitable. It's already ubiquitous. Privacy is an illusion we are better to give up on. The corporations are too powerful. Against state actors there is no point even trying to secure your digital world. Regardless your choice or morals, eventually everyone will be forced to fall into line... etc etc ad-nauseum. I see this as a corrosive meta campaign by voices that have unwittingly been recruited as denouncers of liberal democracy. They sound like the mocking voice of Lord Haw-Haw or the German denouncer in Saving Private Ryan, calling; "The Statue of Liberty ist Kaput!" BTW: This looks like a very interesting book I may be buying. Thanks for posting these snippets.