Mike Benz: Government’s censorship industry kicked off in 2016 with ‘Russian disinformation’

Mike Benz: Government’s censorship industry kicked off in 2016 with ‘Russian disinformation’

Foundation for Freedom Online Executive Director Mike Benz breaks down the evolution of federal government’s censorship industry from “Russian disinformation” in 2016 to “malinformation.” “Malinformation is the idea that even if something is true, if it ultimately leads people to a conclusion that ‘undermines public faith and confidence’ in a critical government initiative or ‘undermines public faith in confidence’ in Democratic institutions like the mainstream media, then that by itself is essentially the same thing as mis- and disinformation and should be treated as such by the platforms,” says Benz.

“This is a very, very dirty trick that basically operates the way a con-game does.”