Re: Armenia and the information war
The kind of attitude you present fosters an environment where misinformation can thrive.
Direct engagement of propaganda is almost never the right thing to do. Attempting to disprove misinformation most often indirectly validates that information, to the outside viewer at least.
Not all propaganda is equal. In order to properly combat it, one must first understand who it is aimed at and what are it's goals. Another important factor is how this misinformation is distributed. When trying to combat misinformation, the last bit can be called the arena of combat. The arena sets the rules, and target and goals of misinformation set the strategy of combat.
It's important to remember that NO amount of misinformation can ever be allowed to foster (unless you're engaged in Black propaganda). This means, whenever possible, misinformation must be destroyed and not engaged. Engagement is only an option when destruction is not possible.
Take this forum for example. For someone posting misinformation, this forum is the arena. Now, let's ask ourselves. Who is the target audience? The forum members and the web surfer who happens to come across the posts. So if we are the target audience, what is the point in directly engaging misinformation. That's a waste of time and resources when the arena allows deleting of posts and banning of members.
This is not just a forum that follows universal principles. There are no such things as universal principles. Other forums don't have members who constantly infiltrate the forum and post anti-Armenian propaganda. This is an Armenian forum, which hopefully fosters a PRO-ARMENIAN stance, therefore ANTI-ARMENIAN sentiments must be destroyed, NOT Engaged.
Not all propaganda is meant just for consumption. Some are meant for engagement. Meaning, the goal of some misinformation is to invoke a discussion. This is often the case when the misinformation is too far-fetched to be believed. A discussion indirectly lends some credibility to the information, which by itself would be considered absolutely ludicrous. Think about it, discussion means there might be some truth to it. No one will engage in discussing absolute falsehoods.
Now, by allowing false information to dwell in this forum, be discussed and engaged, we are lending some truth to it. An outside observer will read the discussion and walk away with an opinion, WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE TRUTH.
This is why, whenever possible, misinformation MUST BE DESTROYED, and NOT ENGAGED.
I suggest you research more about how misinformation works and how it should be combated before you make forum policies that are counter-productive.
Originally posted by Federate
View Post
Originally posted by Federate
View Post
Originally posted by Federate
View Post
The kind of attitude you present fosters an environment where misinformation can thrive.
Direct engagement of propaganda is almost never the right thing to do. Attempting to disprove misinformation most often indirectly validates that information, to the outside viewer at least.
Not all propaganda is equal. In order to properly combat it, one must first understand who it is aimed at and what are it's goals. Another important factor is how this misinformation is distributed. When trying to combat misinformation, the last bit can be called the arena of combat. The arena sets the rules, and target and goals of misinformation set the strategy of combat.
It's important to remember that NO amount of misinformation can ever be allowed to foster (unless you're engaged in Black propaganda). This means, whenever possible, misinformation must be destroyed and not engaged. Engagement is only an option when destruction is not possible.
Take this forum for example. For someone posting misinformation, this forum is the arena. Now, let's ask ourselves. Who is the target audience? The forum members and the web surfer who happens to come across the posts. So if we are the target audience, what is the point in directly engaging misinformation. That's a waste of time and resources when the arena allows deleting of posts and banning of members.
This is not just a forum that follows universal principles. There are no such things as universal principles. Other forums don't have members who constantly infiltrate the forum and post anti-Armenian propaganda. This is an Armenian forum, which hopefully fosters a PRO-ARMENIAN stance, therefore ANTI-ARMENIAN sentiments must be destroyed, NOT Engaged.
Not all propaganda is meant just for consumption. Some are meant for engagement. Meaning, the goal of some misinformation is to invoke a discussion. This is often the case when the misinformation is too far-fetched to be believed. A discussion indirectly lends some credibility to the information, which by itself would be considered absolutely ludicrous. Think about it, discussion means there might be some truth to it. No one will engage in discussing absolute falsehoods.
Now, by allowing false information to dwell in this forum, be discussed and engaged, we are lending some truth to it. An outside observer will read the discussion and walk away with an opinion, WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE TRUTH.
This is why, whenever possible, misinformation MUST BE DESTROYED, and NOT ENGAGED.
I suggest you research more about how misinformation works and how it should be combated before you make forum policies that are counter-productive.
Comment