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Disinformation

Conspiracy Theories, Culture, Disinformation, Education, Social Media

Facebook Discussions as Displays of Ignorance, Fallacies, and Marginal Literacy

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In communities in the Whitewater area, assorted Facebook pages (particularly) are a significant means of messaging about politics, culture, etc.  Too often, these messages are evidence of ignorance, fallacies, and are poorly written (to the point of only marginal literacy). Over time, as these rural communities have suffered relative economic decline, they have also experienced a…

Disinformation, Foreign Affairs, Sen. Ron Johnson

Sen. Ron Johnson: Launderer of Foreign Disinformation?

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Natasha Bertrand, Kyle Cheney, and Andrew Desiderio report Dem leaders demand FBI briefing on ‘foreign interference campaign’ targeting lawmakers. There’s a possible Wisconsin connection: Among the Democrats’ concerns is that a Senate investigation being led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has become a vehicle for “laundering” a foreign influence campaign to damageDemocratic presidential nominee Joe…

Conspiracy Theories, Coronavirus, Culture, Disinformation, Education, Free Markets, Public Health

The Price of Ignorance is Widely Paid

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As nationwide chains take sensible measures to require masks, ordinary workers at those chains find themselves the underserving recipients of abuse. Kelli Weill reports Walmart Workers Are Terrified of Enforcing Mask Rules: Even in a time of record unemployment, some of Dan’s colleagues at an Indiana Walmart have walked off the job. They aren’t quitting over…

Babbittry, Boosterism, Coronavirus, Corporate Welfare, Disinformation, Economy, Mendacity, Newspapers, Opioids, Public Health

A Newspaper’s Boosterism During a Pandemic

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A worthy person – a man or woman committed to reason, honesty, and seriousness of purpose – would have little respect for the Janesville Gazette. This critical view is not a new one, truly: the paper’s work has been inferior during the Great Recession, during an opioid crisis, during cheerleading for countless state and local…

Disinformation, Mendacity, Propaganda, Putin, Trump

Kasparov on Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt

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Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63), the former chess champion and longtime human rights activist, recently described the role of propaganda in creating fear, uncertainty, and doubt.  The thread from Twitter is below (linked here from the first tweet) in the thread: As you watch Trump’s defenders lie, deflect, and distract today and in the coming weeks, remember…

Assault Awareness & Prevention, Crime, Disinformation, Fact Checking, Marketing, Mendacity, Misconduct, Police, Press Release, University

UW-Whitewater’s Administration Covers Crap with Catsup

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For months, UW-Whitewater has publicized on its website a sham study from a burglar-alarm company as confirmation that Whitewater has the safest campus in Wisconsin. The study is a shabby fraud, with a methodology so far below proper academic standards that it taints the serious work of faculty and students at the school, in the UW…