Thread by @FluteMagician

1) Russian disinformation doesn’t act upon opinion. It acts upon people’s perceptions, by building narratives created to be compatible with their existing perceptions. Here you can see why this is an extremely effective method. Let’s continue.⬇️

2) Because of this you see below, you can see why Russian disinformation that assimilates itself into MAGA perceptions is very difficult to defeat. Notice how the Hurricane Helene disinformation continues despite govt attempts to stop it. Let’s keep going⬇️

3) Here’s the entire article. When Russian disinformation becomes indistinguishable from MAGA ideology, then it becomes part of the accepted set of perceptions. Therefore, MAGA views criticism of Russian disinformation as an attack on MAGA itself. Let’s keep going⬇️

4) See that circled part? That’s how some subtle and constant inputs of Russian disinformation acts upon influencing MAGA perceptions. It becomes “normal” and they don’t detect anything markedly different. Thus, they trust what they’re told. Let’s keep going⬇️

5) Here you can see why Russian disinformation created to assimilate into existing MAGA perceptions doesn’t need to be based on reality. So you can say, “the govt controls the weather” and no matter how absurd it sounds, it will be believed no matter what. Let’s keep going⬇️

6) So once disinformation is absorbed into the existing perceptions, it influences thoughts, then attitudes, then behavior. This would be key if you were trying to, for example, incite civil unrest or disorder. Or, at the least, resistance to the federal govt. Let’s keep going⬇️

7) You present a false view of the world to match their existing perceptions. They recognize it as “their own” and eventually this leads to action. People refusing help from FEMA, for example. Russia proved this disinformation weapon works during Hurricane Helene. Also⬇️

8) Russian disinformation creates its stimuli to be compatible with the existing biases of MAGA within MAGA perceptions. Then the way MAGA interprets events will be based upon that. Therefore, FEMA=fed govt=bad=resist FEMA. Let’s keep going⬇️

9) By assimilating itself into perception, Russian disinformation becomes a psychological weapon. It can quite possibly destroy or seriously damage the social cohesion towards civil society of those who succumb to what it says and tells them to do. Let’s keep going⬇️

10) Look at this one again. If you create a psychological weapon that assimilates into the existing perceptions of the target group, not even reality can necessarily change those perceptions. That’s why you see absurd things believed despite evidence to the contrary. Because⬇️

11) As we saw here, once the psychological weapon has been successfully assimilated into the perceptions of the target group, you have these issues listed here. That is: The Russian disinformation is fully assimilated into MAGA perceptions and MAGA can’t tell the difference.

More data.

More data.

More data.

Russian disinformation laundering example.

Russian disinformation laundering.

One of the methods that Russian disinformation is distributed.

Current Russian disinformation motives. This has been going on for some time now.