I hate to break it to a lot of people, but if what you write/post contributes to disinformation narratives, you *are* the disinformation.

My new piece for @SURfdn’s #defusingdisinfo blog /1 https://standuprepublic.com/what-lessons-havent-we-learned-since-2016-lesson-5-are-you-disinfo/">https://standuprepublic.com/what-less...

What do I mean?

While it isn’t a new tactic, recent reporting shows that malign information operators are focusing more on amplifying conspiracies and disinfo created already by Americans in this election cycle (instead of making their own.) /2 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/technology/coronavirus-disinformation-russia-iowa-caucus.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/1...

This allows them to use disposable accounts to promote and amplify bad information, instead of having to build established infrastructure. /3

Central to this is an idea discussed earlier in this series:

that disinformation fails if we refuse to be a part of the machinery and behavior essential to its function.

This isn’t just about truth, but about understanding how disinfo really works and spreads. /4

One of the stories from the past 4 years that I think about the most is this one, where a reporter goes back &interviews people who it turns out were taking money, support, etc from the Kremlin’s “troll farm” in 2016 to organize events/other actions. /5 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/21/russia-social-media-activism-blacktivist">https://www.theguardian.com/world/201...

Twitter crashed and glitched so reposting rest of thread here

https://twitter.com/mollymckew/status/1275257359229693953?s=21">https://twitter.com/mollymcke... https://twitter.com/mollymckew/status/1275257359229693953">https://twitter.com/mollymcke...