From the perspective of knowledge equals power, intentional misinformation, no matter by whom, could be regarded as abuse of power.
More people should educate those knowing less instead of ridiculing their ignorance. (Given the “knowing” really “know”, but that’s another topic.)
Edit: Intentional misinformation meaning posting and spreading “fake news”, willfully publishing or sharing false information through media of any kind, as organization or individual, not merely everyday lyingy which is sth different.
Edit 2: Apparently it’s “misinformation” not “disinformation” sorry.
Even intelligent and educated people don’t know everything about everything.
I can tell you as someone with a higher degree, I only know a lot about the area I studied.
I don’t know more about any other topic than the average joe.
So no matter who you are, you have big gaping holes of knowledge.
We are all at risk when misinformation is spread.
Worse still, democracy relies on informed citizens. Distributing disinformation does not only hurt the individual affectwd by it, it hurts democracy itself.
informed citizens
Informed educated citizens. Deliberately removing critical thinking from the syllabus is much the same as gerrymandering, but with follow on effects for the economy (actually society, but due to lack of broad education, economy is all that matters now).
Representative democracy has problems. Consider alternatives. Random citizen election worked for centuries for the Athenians.
It depends on how you want democracy to work. If you’re aiming for a fair society, sure. If you’re aiming for a dictatorship in disguise, disinformation, misdirection, propaganda, and straight-up lies are the foundation of your regime.
Mussolini pretty much wrote the book on converting a democracy to a dictatorship.
Worse still, democracy relies on informed citizens.
No it doesn’t. This is literally the oldest anti-democracy argument; people are too stupid to rule themselves.
Citizens are entitled to vote because they’re subject to the authority of the State. Dumb people still have to pay taxes and obey the police. A voter who chooses a candidate because Mars is in retrograde casts a ballot that is every bit as legitimate as the head of the political science department. “low information voter” is an argument for voterID, poll taxes, and literacy tests; it’s voter suppression.
You are missing the point. I am not talking about voter supression, I am talking about democracy leading to good outcomes for its people. There is a reason why people keep voting against their own interests and why the swampiest swamp creature won the 2016 US election with the slogan “drain the swamp”, and that reason is systemic misinformation. Fox News is so far removed from the truth that they can put up the defense that “No reasonable viewer believes them” and get away with that.
There is a pretty big difference between “citizens have a responsibility to educate themselves and governments have a responsibility tk enable that” and technofascism.
Also there are way older arguments against democracy. Like “I am more capable of physical violence than you, so why should care about your silly little ballot?”, “the gods blessed me with the authority to rule”, or even the classic “we don’t have time to let the masses squabble- we need a unilateral decision maker who can make quick decisions”.
On your second edit, disinformation is the correct term for what you’re discussing. Disinformation is purposefully wrong or misleading information. Misinformation is still correct, but it’s more broad. It’s just generally incorrect information, without intent being a requirement.
It should be illegal to have the government or any entity with power deceive or lie to you. Using the best of psychology to manipulate people should absolutely be a serious crime. Instead, corporations and governments do this everyday with impunity.
I’ve been saying this for years. A healthy society protects it’s idiots, saves them from predation like this. We point and laugh.
disinformation on purpose
lol
May I inquire as per the reason of your loling? Why lol and what about? Care to elaborate?
“Disinformation on purpose” is like saying “PIN number” lol
Disinformation is on purpose by definition.
I’m actually unsure about that. People share incorrect information all the time for various reasons.
Misinformation is merely wrong. Disinformation is wrong and created or spread with intent to deceive.
Someone telling you you eat spiders in your sleep is spreading misinformation. Messaging about the 2020 black lives matter protests being violent riots was disinformation
Right. But disinformation can be reshared by people who think it’s accurate, and that doesn’t make it mere misinformation.
