Processing Misinformation

Do we need others to do this for us?

Photo by Pavel Neznanov on Unsplash

The title of an article posted to The New York Times yesterday (11/5/22) by contributor, Nico Grant, was given the following title:

YouTube May Have Misinformation Blind Spots, Researchers Say

The video platform said it had limited the spread of misinformation ahead of Election Day, but new research showed that false narratives continued to slip through.

Ahead of the midterm elections, disinformation watchdogs say they are concerned that what has been described as an aggressive effort by YouTube to confront misinformation on the Google-owned platform has developed blind spots. In particular, they are worried about YouTube’s TikTok-like service that offers very short videos, and about the platform’s Spanish-language videos.

But the situation is difficult to understand clearly, more than a dozen researchers said in interviews with The New York Times, because they have limited access to data and because examining videos is time-intensive work.

I am not here to argue whether or not the writer is correct in making the above assertions. My question is a more basic one.

So what?

Do you and I need disinformation watchdogs?

So what if someone is telling us something that is incorrect?

It may be that half of what we believe is true right now about facts, ideas, and events we did not directly witness are false. Isn’t this the basis of research?

Something you or I state with certainty might be mostly true, but still incomplete. This means, to some degree, what we have shared is inaccurate. Is this reason to censure it?

Whenever someone is given the responsibility to censure the opinions of others, the implication is this individual’s opinions are absolutely correct and completely unbiased.

So for a moment, because it’s fun to do, let’s go back and look at a few of the assertions from the above article and determine whether or not they are true.

“The video platform said…” – video platforms don’t talk. No individual wants to put their name to this.

“…it had limited the spread of misinformation ahead of Election Day…” -- to really know what is misinformation, it is necessary first to know what is absolutely true information. Where can I find a list of this with references? Answer: don’t look for this in the above article, you won’t find it there. In fact, I bet it doesn’t exist — just a hunch.

“…but new research showed…” – vague, research doesn’t show anything, people do. Research is a tool and can be manipulated.

And we could go on…

---

What I think might be more helpful for all of us, since misinformation seems to have recently become a popular poorly-defined term, let’s figure out what it actually means. This will not be what others who use the term might wish us to think about it, but if they are misusing the term, it is worth exposing it so we don’t fall into the same trap ourselves.

Misinformation is information that is wrong, and yet it is sincerely believed by the one who gives it. There is no intent in leading anyone astray, rather it is the desire of one person to convince someone else that he is right.

Misinformation is best refuted by evidence. To do this we all must be free to express our opinions, whatever those opinions are. Whether or not our opinion hurts the feelings of someone else is not reason enough to ban speech. Many things that are true may also be painful for someone else to hear. For example, I am sure a judge who hands down a guilty verdict will likely hurt the feelings of the one sentenced, but this does not make the judge’s actions wrong. A guilty verdict may seem insensitive to the one declared guilty but it is caring toward the rule of law and to any victims of a criminal’s actions.

Disinformation is a type of misinformation with the intent to confuse people. It is part of a psychological operation and the one who disseminates it knows he or she is lying.

The difference between disinformation and malinformation has to do with the intent of the one who is spreading the lie. It is a matter of degree. Again, disinformation seeks to confuse, whereas malinformation seeks to capture.  Both are lying but the disinformation spreader wants you to think he or she is a good person. The malinformation person doesn’t care what you think. You are not that important to worry about.

---

I know it is hard to wrap our minds around the fact that there are people who willingly choose to lie to others, so let’s think about why they want to do this. To begin with, if you have a hard time understanding their motivation, it is evidence that you and they are not alike.

Whoever controls information controls societal behavior. What groups of people might want to do this? Those whose power comes from mass behavior.

The best at creating popular images in our world is the entertainment industry. Create superstars and the masses will pay money to see them perform. And when they perform, everyone who provides them the scripts, stages, lighting, publicity, and the rest are also able to reap rewards from strangers.

The work of politicians, leaders in industry, and the military work with in the area of mass behavior. This is beyond their ability to know and care about all but an extreme few personally.  Whenever people can be reduced to soulless numbers, manipulating information for personal gain becomes very enticing.

---

Now for some good news. Take a look at Psalm 2. There is one who laughs at the powerful, and he is on the side of the little guys, those who have put their trust in him.

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.

Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalm 2:1–12 (ESV) 

Photo by Jacob Thorson on Unsplash