Full Description
The U.S. no longer has a free marketplace of ideas. Instead, the marketplace is saturated with covert foreign-backed disinformation. And despite the ethical obligations to act, successive administrations have done nothing. Additionally, the decline in trust has left the door open for populism and illiberalism to enter. Some believe the very fabric of American liberalism is at stake. So what are the ethical responsibilities of the executive branch to counter covert campaigns such as the one coming from Russian-backed disinformation circulating within the US? Why has the government failed to act? So far, the practical challenges are daunting if the executive branch addresses the threat to the homeland. The process to limit this problem is wrought with profound political implications. By its very nature, social media-based disinformation is inextricably linked with existing complex societal cleavages, the First Amendment, and politics. But the failure to do anything is a serious abdication of the government's ethical responsibilities. This raises the question of where the line is for government intervention. This work provides answers.
Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Baselining Disinformation.- Chapter 3. Disinformation and Democracy.- Chapter 4. The Ground Swell of Scholarship.- Chapter 5. The Disinformation Problem.- Chapter 6. Disinformation and Behavior.- Chapter 7. Disinformation and National Power.- Chapter 8. The Role of the Executive Branch.- Chapter 9. Executive Branch Ethical Obligations.- Chapter 10. Executive Branch Solutions.- Chapter 11. From Portland to January 6th to Election 2028, Assessing the Impact of Russian Disinformation.- Chapter 12. Conclusion.
