Carefully study the dissemination of false information in digital networks, and propose a series of policy actions to slow down its dissemination
The latest report of the American Cyberspace Solarium Committee, entitled Fighting false information in the U.S., It is the latest analysis from this bipartisan congressional think tank with a two-year history. The report, released in December, carefully studied the ways in which false information is spread in digital networks, and proposed a series of policy actions to use layered defenses to slow its spread.
A note on background: As early as the 1980s, I worked as an analyst at a bipartisan congressional institute called the Technology Evaluation Office, It produced a similar report in 1974, until 1996 (ironically) it was eliminated in partisan disputes.
The Solarium Committee’s report sets out the following specific recommendations:
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Congress should set up a bipartisan civic education mission strength In the Ministry of Education, civic education and digital and media literacy courses are designed and made public for the military, civil servants, and wider adults. Given the lack of citizenship knowledge, these courses can help raise awareness and help protect the online ecosystem. As a successful case cited in the report, Finland has invested heavily in comprehensive media literacy programs.
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Congress should fund research on false information by NGOs Through grants and better access to data. This UK’s RESIST 2 Anti-Disinformation Toolkit It is an example of the type of guidance that can help develop countermeasures to curb the spread of false information.
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The Department of Homeland Security should actively monitor foreign disinformation activities and assist state and local agencies in formulating countermeasures. The department should identify foreign-supported propaganda narratives and violent extremist narratives affecting the American public, and provide funding to state and local agencies to help identify and stop these activities.There is a small effort called Cognitive Security Intelligence Center Has this effect.
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Congress should increase the transparency of the overall media and social media platforms. There are two suggestions: First, amend the 1996 Telecommunications Act to increase the transparency of media ownership, and create new powers for the Federal Communications Commission to enforce these rules. Second, Congress should also establish a new federal agency to enhance the transparency of social media platforms.
The author recognizes that combating false information is not easy: “No federal entity has the oversight, power, or resources to take ownership of combating false information; it is also unclear whether a federal entity should assume such ownership.” However, “the federal government A coherent strategy for the information environment has not yet been developed, which recognizes the unique vulnerability of democratic societies to false information and the unique advantages of countermeasures.”
There are other challenges: “There are serious partisanship differences in Congress.” Most members of the two major parties are divided on basic facts, who is responsible and how to combat false propaganda. “Many people see false information as a very different issue from network security,” the author also pointed out.One Pew Research Center A report from earlier this year stated that since 2007, the proportion of Americans who trust the federal government has never exceeded 30%, and has dropped to only 20%.and Another study A survey conducted by the Washington Post in November found that more than 70% of respondents did not believe that Facebook can handle their personal data responsibly. Obviously, there is still some arduous work ahead.
What I admire about this report is that it does not cover up the many complex factors that solve the problem of false information, such as the depth of the U.S. information ecosystem, the use of various social media tools to amplify information, and a wide range of potential opponents willing to use false information to weaken public trust. And undermine public health confidence.
The report outlines the efforts of various state actors involved in large-scale false propaganda activities.An effort like this is like this Promotional activities in 2021 Use hundreds of seemingly homemade videos of ordinary citizens to show their free lives. China has stepped up false propaganda Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, “arguing about the origin of the virus and causing widespread panic by amplifying false information.” In addition to China, Russia and Iran, there are many different government agencies specializing in these activities.So far, the U.S. Treasury Department has taken action against more than 100 people — Many of them are Russians and Iranians — Used for election-related interference and false information on the Internet.
It is difficult to say whether the U.S. Congress will adopt these recommendations. Of course, the current ultra-partisan division will not make it easier. You can see the change in bipartisan bill sponsorship recorded in the report in the image below.
Further reading:
Why we spread false information – and how to respond
Please stop calling it “fake news”
