Thread by @DrSturg

This is a good time to remind you: cyberattacks are actual attacks. If you are a social media user, you have likely been involved. This is true whether you are a "Let's Go Biden" type or a "Let's Go Brandon Type." #DetectingDeception

2/ You probably believe that those who believe differently than you are more vulnerable to disinformation, and you are probably wrong.

3/ Consider this: ongoing propaganda campaigns have led to entire media outlets that base their entire business model on outrage. Truthiness replaces news judgement..."if I feel strongly about it, it is likely true" is a poor, but common way to thinking.

4/ That business model leads to weird things like TV hosts energetically espousing the opposite of what they said sometimes weeks ago. And it was made possible by cyber campaigns.

5/ It's insidious. It has happened before your eyes, right here on the screen you are using right now. Chances are, you have helped - sharing something that made you feel strongly, but that turned out to not be true. I have done this. You probably have, too.

6/ People who feed that business model, who want to get paid, get re-elected or just feel important because "the media" gives them a platform, have a strong incentive to be deceptive. They say truthy things that they know will spread.

7/ Truthiness spreads many ways, but here are two relevant ones:

People who want to believe it and share

People who want to debunk it and share

8/ The fog of war makes it very hard to know what it true, even for professionals. But if you share bad information, you have become part of the problem.
#DetectingDeception