Group 3 | Disinformation Presentation

In this weeks group presentations, group one's topic was Awareness. The presentation I enjoyed the most was about disinformation. This particular topic resonates with me because I believe it is a pervasive problem. Disinformation is described as, "false information deliberately and often covertly spread (as by the planting of rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth." (Merriam-Webster 2022) I believe disinformation is a threat to democracy. 

The presentation discussed how disinformation is misleading and filled with biased information. This problem exists in part because of social media and it's quick and efficient access to spread misleading information or outright lies. 

Disinformation is spread in a variety of ways. The presenter discussed a few of those formats. One such format was through propaganda. I learned that propaganda (the attempt to persuade an audience toward a specific idea) was popular during World War II. Listen to any politician and you will often hear them present the opposing parties views in a negative way. This is commonplace today and although we recognize it, it still sends a strong message that is often believable; especially when it is your own party participating in the cause.

Another form of disinformation is done through name calling. This concept is used by the propagandist. This strategy is effective in the spread of misleading information because a person can be linked to a negative idea. Examples would be if someone called you 'racist' or 'fascist.' This causes resentment in the larger audience and fulfills the original agenda set by the propagandist.

Glittering generalities is used to spread untruths. Using words or phrases that stand out to the audience can be an effective strategy. This works sort of reverse where bad ideas are presented as good. Words can mean different things to different people. When you look at words like, 'justice', 'hero', 'democracy', those words can mean very different things to every person. The goal of this strategy is to influence the audience to be in favor of the idea. There is nothing factual about it and instead relies on vagaries or emotions. 

Transfer is a technique is used when we associate ourselves or a group to be an integral part of a larger cause. The association of one to another is a very powerful tool that is often used to spread disinformation. 

When someones name is offered up and we see that person as a knowledgeable or as a distinguished expert, that testimonial can be used in a negative way. This is often seen when celebrities endorse or reject an idea, product, political leader, etc. This is very powerful because it relies on the prestige of the celebrity and takes away all critical thinking or need to look at the facts. Turn on the news any night of the week and you will see this playing out. 

The Plain Folk strategy attempts to solidify all of us into one boat. Any time someone starts a sentence with, 'Most Americans...,' you should beware. The presenter spoke about how this is used extensively by politicians when they claim they are the exact same as us. Every political campaign uses this strategy to create the idea that there is a relationship, therefore we should side/believe with them. 

The last concept discussed was Bandwagon. This is a common propaganda technique that the propagandist uses to try to rush us into thinking as they do or else we may miss out. This certainly makes me think of a shady salesman and is used in advertising. You have definitely seen it before. The 'Act Now' statements make us want to rush out and act immediately and act without thinking. We are pushed into acting because other people are doing it and so should you. 

The world we live in today is filled with practices that employ all these techniques. This is exactly why the spread of disinformation occurs. Entire campaigns consist of strategizing and employing these exact propaganda techniques in order to win us over. This type of information is misleading and relies on appealing to our human emotions. It is a form of manipulation that can be used for harm and the news media is but one source that has perfected it.

 

EOTO: MSM | Mainstream Media

Today we live in a world that is saturated with numerous ways to reach people. MSN or mainstream media is the major source of communication and describes large mass news sources found in print, TV, radio, but also news on the internet, podcasts, film, satellite radio, and social media. These media outlets are owned by a small number of conglomerates like Disney, At&T, CBS, Comcast, Newscorp, and Viacom. The delivery of the news was once contained to either print, television, or radio but today the internets sophisticated technology allows for multiple news outlets, each with their own agenda, audience, confirmation bias, and slant. A recent report stated that, "the idea is that when six corporations, whose primary motivations are to ultimately profit as much as possible, are in charge of what we consume, the narratives do not challenge the status quo in the ways that could inspire large-scale change." (Pathfinder, 2022) Like most things in life, there are both good and bad implications to mainstream media. 

Mainstream media comes with many positive benefits. Mainstream media outlets help to keep us connected. Before such conveniences, knowing what happened in the other part of the world was impossible. For example, today we can find out about major weather events taking place thousands of miles away. This type of connectivity is very convenient and certainly makes our transmission of knowledge and information instant. MSM is also good for business. Marketing and advertising has helped to make business easier for communicating with customers. MSM is also beneficial in educating us about other cultures. The internet allows for instant discovery of new places all around the world. Mainstream media also provides a voice for those who can teach and inform who otherwise may not have such an opportunity.

Mainstream media influences every single person on the planet and every society that has access to it. If you look at television alone, you will find the wealthiest and poorest among us all have televisions. Programming is aimed at all ages, backgrounds, and socioeconomic status. The negatives of mainstream media do exist and one of the biggest problems is that great influence exists for those in power. Celebrities, large corporations and those in positions of leadership control what media is transmitted to us. No surprise that MSM can also be used to spread hate and disinformation. What greater resource to spread lies and promote propaganda than through mainstream media. I believe one of the biggest problems is that with all the mainstream media outlets, we are being bombarded with round the clock access. When our focus is on non stop media then we are no longer engaging in personal connections. The next time you are at dinner, stop and look around at how many people are on their phones. Mainstream media is right at your fingertips and this instant access allows for instant influence-whether good or bad. Television alone reaches millions of people. With younger adults being the target audience for television programming, marketing products and ideas can be very powerful. 

Trust in our news sources is at an all time low. In a research study conducted by Pew Research, "Fewer than half of U.S. adults (45%) say the public has at least a “fair amount” of confidence in journalists, including a mere 6% who think Americans trust the media “a great deal.” A slim majority says the public has either “not too much” confidence (43%) or no confidence at all (11%) in the news media." (Pew, 2020) The study went on to indicate that overall Americans feel more negative about the news media's role in society. 

The amount of media available and the mass consumption rates of people in the United States has grown exponentially but trust in the media has been on a gradual decline since the 1970's. In a Gallup survey done during the pandemic year of 2020, distrust in mass media was extremely high with three key findings:

1. 9% in US trust mass media "a great deal" and 31% "a fair amount"
2. 27% have "not very much" trust and 33% "none at all"
3. The percentage with no trust at all is a record high, up five points since 2019.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/321116/americans-remain-distrustful-mass-media.aspx

Mainstream media can affect different segments of the population differently. When looking at male versus female segments, women are disproportionately represented. Women are less likely to be seen in mainstream media. Women are less likely to be featured as experts in news stories, less likely to be a reporter and under represented as serious characters in children's film. These truths create harmful stereotypes. 

Age is yet another factor to consider. Children spend an enormous amount of time in front of the television and it has the ability to either help (as in educational opportunities) or harm (as in being exposed to content that is not age appropriate). Teenagers are also affected both positively and negatively. The positive aspects are improved reading skills and motor skills but the negative aspects are risk of increased obesity (from non-activity), being exposed to violence on TV, or depressive episodes due to anxiety over things like exaggerated body image or targeted narratives that only tells half truths.

When looking at those of wealth versus those without, mainstream media may affect these two segments differently. Those with wealth would naturally have more access to additional media outlets like film, newspapers, magazines, or satellite radio than those who may not be able to financially afford resources like satellite radio. Access to these types of mainstream media allows those with greater incomes, greater resources for information. This disparity to access has a negative affect on those in the lower income levels because their information and access is limited.  

When examining how mainstream mass media may affect those who are gay or straight, various outlets serve in the role to inform, advocate, and transform public opinion. In a recent article titled, LGBTQ Politics in Media and Culture, it was noted that media sources like newspapers, network and cable television, were the primary outlets that informed the mass public whereas the entertainment media like television and film help to "cultivate our culture's shared values and ideas, which infuse into the public's political beliefs and attitudes." (Oxford, 2020)

My own mainstream media access is tremendous. Living in a time and in a world where connecting globally is a real possibility, there is no shortage of input from such sources. I think I probably have all forms of access. Mainstream media affects our daily life, the choices we make, the political views we hold, how we vote, what our mental health is like, or how we feel about ourselves. There are other issues for my generation that should be considered. Time management is often lost because of the access we all have to mass media. Checking our phones or online news several times a day takes away from our productivity at school and work and not to mention our lack of relationship building. The spread of untruths largely stems from sources in the mass media through disinformation and misinformation. My generation is especially susceptible to it because our belief systems are still maturing.

Because of such influences, both positive and negative, it is crucial for my generation to thoroughly investigate all information and not take the easy route of believing everything we hear/see. For me, I believe it is all about taking responsibility and accountability and to stop being sheep. Parents taking responsibility for how many hours their children are in front of screens, voters are responsible for holding their elected accountable, and citizens are responsible for holding mainstream media outlets accountable for the stories they report and for what narrative they choose to uphold.  
 

{Extra} MSM During the Pandemic | Narrative & Accountability

In preparation for an upcoming assignment, I investigated what mainstream media (MSM) was this past week. Mainstream media is the major source of communication and describes large mass news sources found in print, TV, radio, but also news on the internet, podcasts, film, satellite radio, and social media. Mainstream media has both positive and negative affects on us but in the last few years, I believe the negative aspects far outweigh the positive. 

I believe there are many positive aspects to mainstream media and mostly because it does provide fast and easy access to information. But I believe this information comes at a huge cost and it was back during the pandemic of 2020 that these truths became apparent to me. As a graduating senior who was forced into lockdowns and mask wearing the last three months of high school, I had way too much time to watch the nightly news broadcast. Life forever changed during that time. I began keeping a video log of sorts and would snap a photo each night when Fox News would announce what day of lockdown we were on. Day 18 led to day 43 and eventually school was completely cancelled. Every report on every news channel was reported with fear and the unknown. It made no difference if you were tuned into CNN or FOX, every broadcasted news conference told the same story that we should be aware, we should stay home, we should distance, and we needed to trust those making the recommendations. It was that 5 letter word that is the problem ~ TRUST.

For months I did not see my grandfather for fear of spreading the virus. For months my only outlet was taking hikes in local parks with my parents, working out, and doing everything through zoom. For months you could not see a dentist, go to a nail salon, go out to eat, travel by plane, or even schedule a vacation. Businesses closed down, people lost their jobs, and the world began to feel very small. As a graduating senior who had no graduation at all, no huge party, and no senior trip, the effects were real. Second only to my devastating medical diagnosis a year earlier, the lockdowns took a toll on me and on everyone across the world. 

How much blame should be assigned to mainstream media for their part in all the drama that played out that year? Entire school systems shut down even though there was no medical reason to do so since young children were not major spreaders of the virus. The narrative then was that schools should remain closed. After a while parents began to openly speak out at school board meetings. Often parents who spoke their opinion were either removed or arrested. Why? Why would local school board meetings react so violently to someone expressing their opinion? People were singled out if they were not in support of mask mandates or if they spoke out against those in power. 

It was mainstream media sources that refused to listen to medical advice from professionals who spoke out against the agenda and narrative that was being promoted by those in charge. How many decisions were made during this time that centered around what those in leadership wanted versus what was truly good for the people? And if that isn't bad enough, that the most powerful people in the world (our elected officials) pushed such a narrative, the worse reality is that it was done so by mainstream media. Mainstream media was the deliverer of the information. I believe had media sources done their job and investigated, asked the obvious questions, and pushed for the government to listen to the medical opinions of those who understood the virus, our country and the world over would not have suffered. Why didn't the media hold those in power accountable? 

Now two years later, research is showing the decision to keep children home has had some devastating setbacks. Not only were kids behind in reading and math skills but unfortunately some have experienced social delays. Did we as a society not learn anything from those mandates, closures, and decisions? The media needs to hold those with power, those who make decisions over the lives of the people they are supposed to serve, to a higher standard. More importantly, mainstream media needs to hold themselves to a higher standard by reporting the whole story, the entire truth, and asking the tough questions.