On February 7th, 2022, the US Department of Homeland Security issued a National Terror Advisory System Bulletin. According to the bulletin:
The United States remains in a heightened threat environment fueled by several factors, including an online environment filled with false or misleading narratives and conspiracy theories, and other forms of mis- dis- and mal-information (MDM) introduced and/or amplified by foreign and domestic threat actors.
What do you picture when you think of terrorists? Middle-Eastern people crashing planes? People setting off bombs or opening fire into groups of people? How about someone just communicating facts?
This is the first time I heard of the concept of MDM and the official definitions of these words:
This is the first time I heard of the concept of MDM and the official definitions of these words:
- Misinformation is false, but not created or shared with the intention of causing harm.
- Disinformation is deliberately created to mislead, harm, or manipulate a person, social group, organization, or country.
- Malinformation is based on fact, but used out of context to mislead, harm, or manipulate.
Malinformation sounds like a term they just made up. It is based on fact, yet used out of context to mislead, harm, or manipulate. Well, who decides that? Isn't that interpretation in the eye of the beholder?
The US government is broadening the definition of what is classified as terrorism. Good thing they can't lock us up and throw away the key. Or can they?
The US government is broadening the definition of what is classified as terrorism. Good thing they can't lock us up and throw away the key. Or can they?