tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post2218245785941458691..comments2024-02-06T08:33:52.695+02:00Comments on Eeben Barlow's Military and Security Blog: THE MESSAGE AS A WEAPON OF CONFLICT AND WAREeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-21992643037872823402017-02-05T09:06:14.415+02:002017-02-05T09:06:14.415+02:00
A valid question Stoor.
All governments use disin...<br />A valid question Stoor.<br />All governments use disinformation and propaganda to further their aims. I think we all know that is a given. My problem arises when they eventually believe their own disinformation and propaganda and then use it as an excuse to topple a government or attack a neighbour. <br />But a problem I foresee, and I may be completely wrong here – is when the media is used as a tool, by its sponsors, to disrupt or destabelise its own government. The problem is amplified when the fake news or disinformation is picked up by foreign media houses and returned as blow-back – and it then becomes ‘the truth’. <br />And then of course, some journalists use the pen to promote their own agendas. These agendas are then used to promote their own disinformation and propaganda (I was a victim of such) but then gets picked up by intelligence services and accepted as fact ‘as the newspaper said so’. The services then recruit this generator of rubbish as an agent/source and more lies are developed to give credibility to the agent. <br />You are correct: Governments sometimes (often) are the main contributors to Fake News to achieve their aims, often at the expense of entire countries and people. When called to book, they decry their critics. <br />On your question, who determines Fake News…I don’t have the answers. But I do know of news editors who refuse to publish a news article if it has not been confirmed via several sources. <br />It is the ones who seek to get a story out without any fact-checking that bother me and that should be held accountable. <br />I am afraid I could not answer your question fully.<br />Rgds,<br />Eeben<br />Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-58846572263764977012017-02-04T12:22:47.997+02:002017-02-04T12:22:47.997+02:00Eeben said: "One cannot regulate the truth bu...Eeben said: "One cannot regulate the truth but I think irresponsible and blatant disinformation should be exposed and those responsible traced and held accountable."<br /><br />Don't you think perhaps that the problem here is who defines what is Fake News? We have had the US State Dept propose these things many times to counter countries, individuals and organisations that have given an alternative take on the actions of the US over issues like Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Ukraine to name but a few. They have stood their and publicly decried their critics as disseminating Fake News whilst barely attempting to disguise the fact that they are the ones mostly responsible for Fake News on these situations.<br /><br />So who gets the authority to determine what is fake news and what sanctions are they empowered to take? Because it seems like those that protest the most are also the most guilty.Die Stoorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14551841775927975257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-91376889271795877212017-01-31T07:15:25.019+02:002017-01-31T07:15:25.019+02:00Thank you for your comment Herbert.
I note the upr...Thank you for your comment Herbert.<br />I note the uproar in the US. Although I cannot comment on the politics in the US, I find it surprising that those who proclaim to 'democratic' and followers of the Constitution cry foul when democracy does not go their way. <br />The dangers of disinformation and propaganda in that instance are very obvious. With the speed of social media, the dangers become even greater when disinformation is being sowed.<br />Groucho Marx was really one of the last great comedians. His comment, along with Pieter's comment, issue us with a warning. We do need to start thinking about 'why' and 'whose agenda' is being pushed.<br />Rgds,<br />Eeben Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-56408141537251501172017-01-30T19:42:24.602+02:002017-01-30T19:42:24.602+02:00Eeben,
Your article is most apropos. Here in the...Eeben,<br /><br />Your article is most apropos. Here in the USA we have a virtual war between media and the presidential administration. It's a slugfest. The media has come to be known as the opposition party. In this morning's Washington Post the first 13 complete pages and all the later "editorial" pieces were attacks on the current administration. In the remainder of the newspaper, only about 75% of the articles were attack pieces. All the articles freely mixed facts, lies, ignorance, unvarnished aggression, and bitterness.<br /><br />Regardless of one's political beliefs or side you are on, the danger of such behavior sailing under the flag of journalism is obvious. Having noted that the credibility of the media is at an all-time low, I have taken the approach of hoping that they keep it up. If they destroy themselves, perhaps a better replacement will emerge. I am probably allowing myself to engage in wishful thinking.<br /><br />The comment by Pieter Croukamp "'I can't believe my eyes'...So you shouldn't"! is spot on. Reminds me of the old comedian Groucho Marx who, on being caught by his wife having dinner with another woman, stood up and exclaimed, "Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes"? It actually worked. This approach seems to keep on working with far too many people.<br /><br />Your next-to-last paragraph re employing disinformation and then reinforcing it with propaganda succinctly and accurately describes the technique in wide use today. Well said and valuable warning for all of us as we read.<br /><br />Regards,<br />Herbert <br /><br /> Herberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10905087011597189605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-46121335979882572402017-01-30T07:35:26.259+02:002017-01-30T07:35:26.259+02:00Thanks Unknown.
I agree that all news platforms t...Thanks Unknown. <br />I agree that all news platforms target the uneducated and gullible. As soon as something resonates with a person's perceived world view, it becomes a 'fact' regardless of its intentions or origin.<br />Education and critical thinking is the responsibility of every parent - so the time spent chasing your kid and reducing his gullibility as a great start to his education.<br />Rgds,<br />Eeben Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-33384551267114894552017-01-30T07:31:44.299+02:002017-01-30T07:31:44.299+02:00A true response Unknown. One cannot regulate the t...A true response Unknown. One cannot regulate the truth but I think irresponsible and blatant disinformation should be exposed and those responsible traced and held accountable. The world in in a mess as you rightly point out and disinformation and propaganda are fueling the flames of conflict.<br />Rgds,<br />Eeben Eeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-70650757563412823582017-01-30T07:28:23.450+02:002017-01-30T07:28:23.450+02:00Thanks Piet. A great comment you make and so relev...Thanks Piet. A great comment you make and so relevant today!<br />Rgds,<br />EebenEeben Barlow's Milsec Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08942119485068301545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-59488018996180261072017-01-29T13:19:36.698+02:002017-01-29T13:19:36.698+02:00Nice post - thank you.
In my mind, the volume of...Nice post - thank you. <br /><br />In my mind, the volume of gullible/uneducated people greatly outnumbers the volume of rational, critical-thinking individuals. In addition, Social media connects the gullible/uneducated on a global level, provides a degree of 'perceived' safety and anonymity to them, whilst making it far too easy to expedite the flow of nonsense, disinformation or propaganda. I suspect that people who try to handle information with a touch of cynicism realize that it's wasted effort to educate others, given the fact they are gullible in the first place and probably not receptive to correction or an alternative view. There's also the concept of each individuals "world view", based on background, upbringing, culture, etc. All of this thrown into the pot makes this a difficult issues to combat. For me, I try stay off the news websites and less time on social media. That time could be better spent raising my kid and making sure he doesn't become gullible and easy to manipulate one day...Julzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10236643548626337919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-8997665905723303082017-01-27T14:28:37.212+02:002017-01-27T14:28:37.212+02:00Thanks Eeben !An absolute stunning article,describ...Thanks Eeben !An absolute stunning article,describing the evils and subsequent consequences of "Valse /Bogus" news in great detail . I am of opinion, that the political and religious <br /> mess the entire mankind nowadays needs to cope with,just creates an even more fertile scenario for these false and dis-informative "news and propaganda" to be spread amongst the already totally confused and disillusioned world citizens.There is a current tendency,most definitely created by these very same authors and creators of these evil methods,just adding more to man-kind predicament,concerning this,either by causing unjustified paranoia or on the other hand stupid naivety. What is really scary and worrying,is that these "methods",could never be regulated,legislated or be abolished by governments of any legal ways....as those are the actual "Cre<br />ators of these Lies"Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13387408141940295626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-955273524757178757.post-61527740117210046502017-01-27T12:40:56.018+02:002017-01-27T12:40:56.018+02:00Once again, excellent article Eeben! There is a sa...Once again, excellent article Eeben! There is a saying 'one can only tell the fake if you know the authentic' comes to mind. The dilemma is that very few people have the discernment to distinguish the one from the other. It has literally become a matter of "I can't believe my eyes" ... And so you shouldn't !Pieter Croukamphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787267148862923852noreply@blogger.com