The business model that powers fake news is simply well known human weaknesses such as confirmation bias, novelty of [false] information and addictive sharing which are very similar to the experience of drugs and dope.
The delivery mechanisms are also not novel. Just like Cigars are glorified nicotine delivery devices, Bottles are for alcohol, syringes and smell papers are for drugs, but have other uses, Internet, WA and smartphones are dual purpose delivery mechanisms.
Like every generation falls or develops techniques for resisting drug abuse, resistance to fake news will either develop slowly and organically or will overwhelm this generation and the next.
Breaking E2E to control fake news is a poor attempt to control delivery mechanisms.
Breaking E2E to control fake news is a poor attempt to control delivery mechanisms.
Why so? It is no different than trying to regulate flow of alcohol, drugs by controlling delivery devices like papers, bottles, syringes and cigars.
You don't go after dual purpose delivery devices. Instead you go after the origin of these drugs to control flows.
You don't go after dual purpose delivery devices. Instead you go after the origin of these drugs to control flows.
But as every Cop knows, drugs are distributed de-centralized networks and are impossible to eradicate. You can rip out a cartel but another will take it's place because the demand is there.
Fake news creation and propagation networks are similar. You can't really take them out.
Fake news creation and propagation networks are similar. You can't really take them out.
But you can significantly erode their capability by constant cyber operations in identifying them and outing them. You however can't pull all the consumers away from it [again drug users]. In other words, if you can keep the base constant, you can still win.
If however the base expands [like drug users], there are pernicious long term effects.
And just like drug exporting nations which are state funded, there will be fake news exporters and distributors who are state funded.
They will try to control and corner delivery devices.
And just like drug exporting nations which are state funded, there will be fake news exporters and distributors who are state funded.
They will try to control and corner delivery devices.
There will also be [misguided] well meaning civilian authorities who will attempt to corner and control delivery devices, which will play into the hands of state funded exporters and distributors.
They are the useful idiots (e.g.) Break E2E because child porn is distributed.
They are the useful idiots (e.g.) Break E2E because child porn is distributed.
Eventually just like Drug and Narcotics department, we will have Fake news busting department aka Ministry of Truth. Being state funded, it will easily fall into the trap of Ministry of [delivery device] Control and might even start it's own fake news creation and distribution.
Information consumption patterns hence will determine the fate of nations shaped by the actions of all these actors. So keep a close watch on the fake news industry of a nation. That might predict a lot of long term geo-politics arc than anything else.
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