I see a lot of people on the left mock claims like this but shit is legit and you're probably caught up in some of it and have been for awhile
[edit 2] Guess I'll address this in the main post since I've seen people posting about it: Bringing up the subject of foreign propaganda attacking the US is not a statement that US propaganda doesn't exist and isn't a serious problem. You're preaching to the choir about the abuses of the US government. Doesn't mean foreign propaganda is a non-issue or imaginary. And talking about foreign propaganda doesn't mean I'm saying the US doesn't have its own purely self-created problems. Please don't hit this conversation with a "So you hate waffles?" That's a whole new sentence. Arguing against things I never said makes you look silly. Don't do that. Thanks.
[edit 1] The Reddit post's status seems to be flip-flopping, manual copy below the fold, and archived here.
because I had no fucking clue about any of this. iām not online much; I dont do deep dives into reddit to discover these kinds of things. and this post has changed my perspective on the internet a bit
āYou are being targeted by a sophisticated PR campaign meant to make you more resentful, bitter, and depressed. It's not just disinformation; it's also real-life human writers and advanced bot networks working hard to shift the conversation to the most negative and divisive topics and opinions.ā
another important note that I want to add is that major social media networks such as instagram and twitter/x are disincentivized to do anything about this because rage bait is an engagement farm that is VERY profitable for them, so nothing there is going to change.
another important note that I want to add is that major social media networks such as instagram and twitter/x are disincentivized to do anything about this because rage bait is an engagement farm that is VERY profitable for them, so nothing there is going to change.
This is very much the kind of mentality these disinformation campaigns are trying to instill, and if you're finding yourself thinking this way, I want to gently let you know that you've been hit by this campaign more than you realize.
Just recently the US House of Representatives signed a ban on TikTok because of fears of China interfering and spying via it. It's a heavy handed attempt at stopping a small bit of this, and it's rooted in Sinophobia and general Xenophobia as much as in actual smart policy, but it shows there is a will in our leadership to put pressure on tech companies.
What we need to do is try to pressure representatives to incentivize these social media companies to do something about it. Remember! This isn't a Culture War Issue yet. 80% of the house voted on the TikTok Ban. (Which is a whole other issue that needs to be unpacked more but) There's actual support for regulating this. It is not hopeless, and things can change! Never give up because that's what the trolls doing this want!
In today's world hope is an act of resistance.
Edit: No, I am not in favor of the TikTok ban. Just want to make that clear. Just that part of the motive behind it indicates a possible will to make changes.
thank you for this addition! the things you pointed out from my post are super helpful :)
