Investigate, Question Sources of Information
We thought that you could verify facts with two sources of information that said the same thing. Hearing something on the Walter Cronkite CBS Evening News and then reading it in the local newspaper was proof this was the truth.
Today it is far more difficult to distinguish the truth from lies. No matter how savvy we think we are, we can be tricked. Billionaires on the right have invested more heavily in media than their counterparts on the left. Fox News, I-Heart Radio and TV stations and newspapers owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group speak in one voice as they slant the news in favor of the Republican Party.
The 2024 election set a record for the most political ad spending: $11 billion. The Citizens United Supreme Court decision in 2010 has allowed and encouraged the wealthy and powerful to buy themselves a megaphone and drown out the voices of everyday Americans. Elon Musk and two other billionaires spent $220 million in just three months to support their preferred presidential candidate. Everyday Americans cannot afford this expenditure to present their views and information.
Disinformation, AI, deep fakes, and other emerging technologies are a serious threat to our democracy. This technology has the potential to manipulate and scam millions of people. Protecting the right of free speech should also mean protecting an information environment that people can trust. Musk and other media leaders have attempted to avoid responsibility and have cut safety teams. According to a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, Musk posted at least 50 false election claims on X which reached 1.2 billion views that were not fact-checked.
Artificial intelligence can make it easier for politicians to manipulate the public by pandering to their fears and emotions. A deep fake video of Presidential candidate Kamala Harris was viewed over 150 million times. This was an attempt to undermine the integrity of our elections by manipulating voters.
This is not how our democracy is supposed to work. We the People should call the shots when it comes to the issues that impact our everyday lives. After Donald Trump’s January 20th inauguration, we need to be vigilant to the doublespeak that downplays President Biden’s accomplishments and make it seem that every positive economic indicator belongs to Trump’s presidency. Please look at sources and question what you are being told.