Katharine Hayhoe: An essential read from the former research manager of Stanford’s Internet Observatory, on how spreaders of misinformation (people who have been deceived) and disinformation (people who know they’re lying) view even *labelling* a post as misinformation as censorship. More … 🧵

An essential read from the former research manager of Stanford’s Internet Observatory, on how spreaders of misinformation (people who have been deceived) and disinformation (people who know they’re lying) view even *labelling* a post as misinformation as censorship. More … 🧵

I feel seen. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

My Encounter With the Fantasy-Industrial Complexwww.theatlantic.com Online conspiracy theorists turned me into “CIA Renee.”

Trolling + misinformation requires an audience: so when rather than responding, I simply block, they also perceive that as censorship. This latest accusation, for example, claims that, as a university professor, I am a public official and hence shouldn’t be allowed to block anyone on social media.

As @jonathanstea.bsky.social points out here, a strong predictor of trolling is the tendency to derive pleasure or enjoyment from being cruel or demeaning to others. By blocking, it deprives them of that pleasure.

The Psychology of Online Trollingmedium.com If you’ve ever been the recipient of persistent online trolling, then you know exactly how discombobulating it can feel. You might start…

From the comments I receive (see below for just a small sample from last week), you can see how this could plausibly be the case - many of whom are then shocked and indignant to be blocked.

This is not just one person’s or one research center’s problem. The World Economic Forum lists Misinfo as their #1 risk to global stability over the next 2 years … and climate-fueled weather extremes (a common misinfo target) as #2. This puts us ALL at risk. /🧵 www.weforum.org/publications...

Adding this relevant perspective on public scholarship: bsky.app/profile/brad...

This kind of argument about schools is a classic sign of authoritarianism. It’s the opposite of how officials who value individual rights and free society should speak about education.

And adding this recent @natureportfolio.bsky.social comment on the threats it poses to democracy worldwide and, importantly, proven steps that can mitigate it. As with climate change, we know what to do: we just aren’t doing it.

Misinformation poses a bigger threat to democracy than you might thinkwww.nature.com In today’s polarized political climate, researchers who combat mistruths have come under attack and been labelled as unelected arbiters of truth. But the fight against misinformation is valid, warrant...

Wow. Saying it out loud. Not even pretending to not be fascist.

Jesus.

Didn’t this guy go to Harvard?

There was massive misinfo during the recent flooding in southern Brazil. The govt had to spend considerable resources responding to it in real time. bsky.app/profile/ians...

A study showed there were 4.3 million posts (resulting in 28 million engagements) involving lies and misinformation related to the flooding in southern Brazil. Most posts spread false info about govt rescue operations, climate denialism, & lies about foreign aid. apublica.org/nota/rio-gra...

RS: Inundação foi tema de mentiras 4,3 milhões de vezesapublica.org Estudo mostra que postagens sobre o Rio Grande do Sul tiveram mais de 71 milhões de engajamentos – a maior parte da extrema direita

Excellent and timely example. Thanks for adding.

why did we decide to teach kids stupid test taking strategies instead of reasoning? Uuuuugh I might have to roll up my sleeves and get back into education.

Indeed.

I pause my reading of this thread here to have a belly laugh and thank you for not cropping the first screenshot before the "nudes in bio" bot. *chef's kiss*

Thank you! I thought about cropping it, but decided no, we need the full experience 😂

Let them know the swamp they're wading through. (They won't, of course, but let's at least have our laugh at them not realizing)

Hang in there. You provide a model to all of us to follow.

Interesting that they perceive being blocked as equal to not being allowed to speak at all.

Part of it is because they require opposition to feel justified. The trolling article above is helpful!

Yep. You're taking away their toys, and effectively their raison d'être

it seems there are some that, upon being opposed, feel fear, but may not be aware of their fear, so they lash out with a classic fear response to attempt to regulate their fear, but they do not have your consent.. when you deny them that, you remove their tool for regulating their fear, maybe?

Agree

OK but Roxane seems friendly.

Yes, I sent her a DM and we have struck up a relationship. 😂

Hahahahahahaha

Just shocked! How dare you not even acknowledge their thoughtful comments, let alone block them from future insights. (Sarcasm)

This is horrendous. I m so sorry that you are dealing with this abuse. I have learned so much from your posts.

Fortunately, "aesthetic injury" has just been weakened as standing to sue (slightly sarcastic)

"It is important to remember that respectful disagreement is not trolling — and in fact, voluntary engagement in uncomfortable conversations is necessary for growth intrapersonally, interpersonally, and socially." These conversations don't often seem to work in this medium.

I can count on the fingers of one hand the amount of respectful disagreement I have experienced on X since October 2022. And that includes my own.

Oh, I mean here too. I've left that site and do not intend to return, ever - I believe it's become uniquely bad there. Respectful disagreement generally seems to be a rare currency in social media spaces, at least in any sustained way.

My experience has been that the best result is something like "Oh, yeah, I see that person there definitely said that!" and then, no further discussion.

It’s really going to affect research productivity when every professor in America must report daily to the right-wing free-speech center to have their eyelids glued open while the latest bold truths scroll by

As a public official I would like to have a fully staffed office to run my social media and answer my emails.

Excellent point 😁

Ha. Pretty sure most American scientists are radically underestimating the chances their NSF and NIH grants will be taken away and redirected to political cronies.

it's ok, you don't won't need to spend any time researching, the answers will be provided before you start

But think of the improved morale!

Please don’t give the right wing ideas!

"You have to listen while I yell my moronic theories at you otherwise it's censorship! I have the right to be an idiot!" Every time I look at replies to something like a Biden post I find about 100 new "people" to block.

As someone who'd blocked over 500k accounts on Twitter, I approve.

Well obviously, just like you letting a call go to voicemail is viewpoint discrimination! (ffs)

Yes exactly. Which I have been doing thanks to the profanity laced voicemails I sometimes receive.

Being victimised is very important to right-wing reactionaries/fascists. Framing situations as a incidence of oppression by "the other" is required to underpin their arguments.

Yes! it’s so common, it even has an acronym, DARVO —Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender— and peer reviewed studies on it. t.co/V5PPwClScw

Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender (DARVO): What Is the Influence on Perceived Perpetrator and Victim Credibility?t.co Perpetrators of interpersonal violence sometimes use denial, engage in personal attacks on victim credibility, and assume a victimized role (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender; DARVO) to def...

Oh cool I did not know that!

Thank you!

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