Illustration: Gerald Rich, Rebecca Zisser/Axios
Efforts to sow discord via misinformation ahead of the 2020 election cycle are pegged to a new set of societal controversies, including the race to spread 5G, anti-vaccine fears, and immigration.
Why it matters: The timelier the issue within the national conversation, the more effective it can be to sow confusion.
Flashback: The key misinformation targets during 2016 focused on memes and posts around #BlueLivesMatter, #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo.
"The most effective form of disinformation has the ring of truth."
Matthew F. Ferraro, a lawyer at Wilmer Hale who writes about misinformation issues
The big picture: Deepfake technology is making it easier to create misinformation about about our preconceived concerns or doubts.
- A good example: The video of Nancy Pelosi that went viral last week, which was slowed down to make her appear drunk.
- Similar misinformation schemes around Hillary Clinton being sick circulated in 2016, playing off a "weak, older woman" narrative.
The bottom line: "Sometimes that is the point – not to convince you of one thing but to make you doubt the accuracy of anything," says Ferraro.
