How Dangerous is Misinformation?

The problem with alarmism about "misinformation" is not that it is too pessimistic about the state of media and public discourse. The problem is that it is not pessimistic enough.

Jun 02, 2024

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A sophisticated black and white stick figure illustration for an elite newspaper, depicting the theme of a moral panic about misinformation. The image features a group of stick figures in a state of alarm, with exaggerated expressions of fear and confusion. They are surrounded by swirling symbols of misinformation such as distorted speech bubbles, exclamation points, and question marks. In the background, there is a shadowy figure representing the source of misinformation, amplifying the panic. The style is minimalist, elegant, highly refined, and adult-like, suitable for a high-quality blog post in an elite publication.

Misinformation panic

Since 2016, many people have been greatly concerned about the insidious effects of “misinformation” in society. Of course, concerns about falsehoods, lies, propaganda, bullshit, distortive ideologies, and so on long predate 2016—they have been recognised as social evils as long as humanity has been reflecting on politics and society…

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