WASHINGTON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The United States on Friday released a U.S. intelligence assessment sent to more than 100 countries that found Moscow is using spies, social media and Russian state-run media to erode public faith in the integrity of democratic elections worldwide.
"This is a global phenomenon," said the assessment. "Our information indicates that senior Russian government officials, including the Kremlin, see value in this type of influence operation and perceive it to be effective."
A senior State Department official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said that Russia was encouraged to intensify its election influence operations by its success in amplifying disinformation about the 2020 U.S. election and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The problem, as we saw in the nineties with the rise of Fox News, is that if no one pushes back on the disinformation and bad narrative, it gets repeated as unassailable truth.
We have to push back if we want to avoid the same outcome.
This is a good opportunity to repeat that there were studies done right after 2016 elections and they found that the best technique is to clarify one statement as a rebuttal and then walk away (2 at most). Also, don't explain things. They have to explain their side. If they refuse, then you know they think you're a troll or they're a troll, lol.
That is the only reason I comment on here. I pick my battles. If we cede information to the bad actors, they’ll take over this space and spread. Decentralized platforms like this need to be preserved and expanded.
Perhaps you’re “pushing back” when you could be digging to prove the commenter — or yourself— right or wrong.