# Exploding Disinformation By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-11-05 Disinformation is false information that is intentionally spread to purposively deceive people. There are certainly different views when it comes to disinformation. American libertarians and market capitalists espouse some version of _caveat emptor_, through which consumers are responsible for determining the veracity of statements. Under this view, people will take the time to determine what information is correct and those who don’t will suffer any negative [[Consequences]] associated with being duped. With time, it will become clear what was information. Further, as the argument goes, there will be consequences for those engaged in disinformation. Individuals and consumers will hold those engaged in disinformation to account, so there is an inherent check on engaging disinformation. A contrary view is that people are not all that adroit at identifying [[propaganda]]. Along this line of reasoning, even if they can do so, most people are too exhausted from work and life to engage in the extra step of establishing the factual content of information. Under this view, there needs to be some structure for identifying disinformation. Of course, the problem with this approach is that it is always possible that those responsible for identifying disinformation are themselves engaged in disinformation. It is at this point that conspiracy theories frequently emerge. American society is in a crisis of disinformation. One might say that disinformation is exploding. The term _exploding_ is useful here as it conveys both proliferation and destruction. The role of analysts in this crisis is worthy of consideration. Ideally, analysts are engaged in presenting _truth to power_. However, it might be more lucrative for analysts to engage in disinformation. In _[[The Spectacle of Analysis - Analytics as Organizational Propaganda|The Spectacle of Analysis: Analytics as Organizational Propaganda]]_, this concern of analyst engagement in disinformation is explored. Addressing disinformation requires a few essential things: time, critical thinking, and analytic skills. Has American society produced these essential elements broadly enough that most of its citizens can effectively engage with disinformation? The answer to this question suggests the degree of peril we face. #### Related Items [[American]] [[Analytics]] [[Information]] [[Capitalism]] [[Society]]