“If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about answers.” Thomas Pynchon
I don’t know about you, but I find it incredibly frustrating when I come up hard against a commenter on the internet whom I consider a ‘Disinformationist’ or a ‘Disrupter’ .
We all know them, if not immediately at first contact, then ultimately by their behaviour.
Or, at least I hope we all might be able to better spot them by the end of this helpful ‘How to’ recognise them heads-up.
It may save you the time you may otherwise have expended engaging with them in order to try and change their minds. Because you won’t.
They do not exist to be persuadable.
Let’s just start by understanding what Disinformation is(from Wikipedia):
Disinformation is intentionally false or inaccurate information that is spread deliberately. For this reason, it is synonymous with and sometimes called black propaganda. It is an act of deception and false statements to convince someone of untruth. Disinformation should not be confused with misinformation, information that is unintentionally false.
Unlike traditional propaganda techniques designed to engage emotional support, disinformation is designed to manipulate the audience at the rational level by either discrediting conflicting information or supporting false conclusions. A common disinformation tactic is to mix some truth and observation with false conclusions and lies, or to reveal part of the truth while presenting it as the whole (a limited hangout).
Another technique of concealing facts, or censorship, is also used if the group can affect such control. When channels of information cannot be completely closed, they can be rendered useless by filling them with disinformation, effectively lowering their signal-to-noise ratio and discrediting the opposition by association with many easily disproved false claims.
Such are the sorts of verbal attacks that we see every day, from Left and Right, from one or another group, political party or individual commenter, against one or another party. Of course, globally, but specifically in our own neck of the internet woods. Mainly on other blogs because this one is moderated by active not passive moderators.
Passive Mods on other blogs appear to be hog-tied to Jay Rosen’s ‘Voice From Nowhere’ paradigm, assuming an objective perspective that sits back to let all flowers have the chance to bloom equally on their blog, even if some of them are the equivalent of internet weeds. In contrast with Active Mods, such as we are here, who are constantly on the look-out for the blog trolls that simply seek to disinform and disrupt. Who then get weeded out, so as to keep the garden blooming, unchoked with deliberate distractions from the disrupters. Who seem to be just like any other commenter, until you start to see some constant similarities to the way they, and others of a like mind, go about their posting.
So, as a service to us all I just thought I might outline some of the ways they do this so you can tell them apart from people who genuinely have a different point of view to you. Basically so that you don’t waste your precious time and energy on trying to change their minds, with facts and rational argument. Such people will never change their mind because that is not the reason they are where they are, interacting forcefully with you. They are trying to spread manure in the garden to burn the flowers and allow the weeds to grow and take over.
Eight Signs of a Disinformationist
1) Avoidance. They never actually discuss issues head-on or provide constructive input, unless engaged in faux ‘constructive input’ such as a Gish Gallop, generally avoiding the citing of references. Rather, they merely imply this, that, and the other. Virtually everything about their presentation implies THEIR authority and expert knowledge in the matter without any further justification for credibility.
2) Selectivity. They tend to pick and choose opponents carefully, either applying the hit-and-run approach against mere commentators supportive of opponents, or focusing heavier attacks on key opponents who are known to directly address issues well.
3) Coincidental. They tend to surface suddenly and somewhat coincidentally with a new controversial topic under discussion. They likewise tend to vanish once the topic is no longer of general concern. They were likely directed to be there for a reason, and vanish with the reason.
4) Teamwork. They tend to operate in self-congratulatory and complementary packs or teams. Of course, this can happen naturally in any public forum. Sometimes one of the players will infiltrate the opponent camp to become a source for straw man or other tactics designed to dilute opponent presentation strength.
5) Aggressively Mainstream/Anti-Conspiratorial. They almost always have disdain for non-mainstream or ‘conspiracy theories’ and almost always are defending the official narrative of your political opponents.
6) Artificial Emotions. An odd kind of ‘artificial’ emotionalism and an unusually thick skin — an ability to persevere and persist even in the face of overwhelming criticism and nonacceptance, no matter how condemning the evidence, they simply deny everything you present as evidence, and never become emotionally involved or reactive. The net result for a disinfo artist is that emotions can seem counterproductive.
With respect to being thick-skinned, no amount of criticism will deter them from doing their job, and they will generally continue their old disinfo patterns without any adjustments to criticisms of how obvious it is that they play that game — where a more rational individual who truly cares what others think might seek to improve their communications style, substance, and so forth, or simply give up.
7) Inconsistent. There is also a tendency to make mistakes sometimes which betray their true self/motives. This may stem from not really knowing their topic and simply being interested in an intent to disrupt the flow of an argument which is trending towards their opposition
8) Time Constant. Recently discovered, with respect to News/Social Media Groups, is the response time factor. There are three ways this can be seen to work, especially when envoys of an empowered player are involved in a cover up or disinformation operation:
- ANY Blog/Social Media posting by a targeted ‘truth teller’ can result in an IMMEDIATE response. The envoys of the empowered players can afford to have people sit there and watch for an opportunity to do some damage. Since disinfo in a Blog/Social Media setting only works if the reader sees it-fast response is called for, or the visitor may be swayed towards the truth.
- Or, when dealing with a rebuttal to a truth in the public arena, such as in the form of a chain disinformation email, a delay in the response usually occurs. This allows a sit-down team discussion on response strategy for best effect, and even enough time to ‘get permission’ or instruction from a formal chain of command.
- In any News Media/Social Media forum, it will often ALSO be seen that bigger guns are drawn and fired after the same, usually 48-72 hours delay – the team approach in play. This is especially true when the targeted ‘truth teller’, or their comments, are considered more important with respect to their potential to reveal truth. Thus, a serious truth sayer will be attacked more than once for the same sin.
Well, there you have it. A rough outline of what I believe we are up against, as web warriors for the Progressive cause, as we go into battle on a daily basis for what we believe in and wish to defend.
I’m not saying that the above is true of every encounter with the ‘enemy’ that we have, just to be aware that probably not all of them are ‘weekend warriors’, just engaging in the verbal battle for altruistic reasons simply. I’m pretty sure that eloquent exponents in our corner, the Progressive corner, are well known to the o(O)pposition, and are targeted accordingly so they don’t become too influential in the day to day ideological debate that has started to go on since the internet and other forms of Social Media flung open the Doors of Perception.
THE PUB 
halloweenjack1:
Nobody. But that doesn’t mean people won’t figure it out for themselves. We’ve seen the polls contract more than once this term, and it wasn’t because the press had a sea-change. People just paid more attention.
It’s not just pressure on the Coalition that shifts polls. It’s also the lack of things to be able to talk up on their behalf. Twittering on about ‘the people have decided’ and ‘the polls won’t shift’ is not really advocacy, it’s a positive-thinking mantra for the press. Whenever I hear it, my first thought is, “the polls are about to shift”. They’ve made a few stuttering starts in the past week or so, and there’s been nothing from the Coalition to counter it. Just a lot more “it’s not happening” talk.
***
Also – and this is worst-case scenario stuff – this talk about the Coalition being in power for four terms, assuming they win this election – is just stupid. What supporters believe about the Liberals – especially this idea that they are better economic managers – is completely at odds with reality. Whether the two collide before or after the election is an unknown, but it will happen. Without control of both houses they would be a lame-duck government, because their powers of negotiation are nil.
You know when they say “no nasty surprises and no excuses”? They’re saying it because they scared stiff that the electorate will discover that’s all they have in store, and they want to head that thinking off at the pass. They’re a massively disappointing bunch of people, with no talent coming through. They’d spend the entire first term avoiding scrutiny.
Morning SK
Been busy myself.
There is nothing redeeming about Pell. Nothing at all
haloweenjack
so you did not read my post via the political sword
u to have fallen for their branwashing,
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if these sentments are repeated and they want you to
then some will just believe it and do it,
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better to say don’t tell me how to vote, I will please my self
on blogs when I can be bothered going over there again,
and don’t blog under silly polls
I am toing to do this all the time
I thought it was the case but ad astra woke me up
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I put a link here yesterday to dark past in the world
about slogans,
I have a new theory about why the press are so rabidly in favour of the LNP. They do it because they have to. They were always in favour, but they’re less comfortable about it these days. In the past they could control the message with more subtlety because they were the only real conduit for it. Now, if they want to advocate, they can’t just suggest. They have to shout social media down as well.
victoria,
I feel for the victims, if they were looking for more than the betrayal they have already been dealt by the Catholic Church and the police, they are going to be sorely disappointed. Which is just devastating for them.
SK
The church heirarchy are doing their best to protect the bottom line. They are no different to vulture capitalists. Very sad.
AQUIRE that is so good
it nutshell stuff for people to read quickly and understand
I am going to print off copies and put in my hand bag.
for different people
10.24
I have been saying this for months,
it s brainwashing,, and was bought home to me by the link
I provided
about another time in history,, I am sure u can work it ou
leone they have moved away from classic
clothes gone to fashion fads
the fashion of toeless tights and jumper things may suit some but not every one
those cardigans with bits hanging down on the side make my hips look bigger, why would I
I wish more people would just sew classic cloths, they are not old fashioned you add accessories that bring them up to date
and you have them for ever, if you purchase good fabric which I confess to buying on line from NY
its to over priced here, with the postage its still much cheaper.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/abbott-too-frightened-to-call-no-confidence-in-government-20130528-2n89n.html
Abbott too ‘frightened’ to call no confidence in government
May 28, 2013 – 10:02AM
Jonathan Swan
National political reporter
The Coalition is retreating from its vow to introduce a no-confidence motion in the Gillard government in this session of parliament, with one independent MP suggesting Tony Abbott was too ”frightened” to make such a move.
eanwhile, NSW independent Rob Oakeshott says he will move a confidence motion in Treasury and Finance on Tuesday in a strike at what he views as the Coalition’s ”politicising” of Treasury forecasts.
Before Parliament broke in late March, the Coalition promised to put a motion of no confidence in the government into the parliamentary schedule for budget week in May, saying it expected the motion would be debated in budget week.
Free article
http://www.afr.com/p/national/coalition_surrenders_on_private_D6RyRcrzoLhlJeOx3aBcLP
Coalition surrenders on private health insurance cuts
PUBLISHED: 10 HOURS 29 MINUTES AGO | UPDATE: 0 HOUR 0 MINUTES AGO
PHILLIP COOREY Chief political correspondent
The federal Coalition has surrendered its long-held opposition to any assault on the 30 per cent private health insurance rebate and will allow Labor to slash the benefit by $700 million over the next four years.
Despite the protests of opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton, the shadow cabinet agreed on Monday to “not oppose’’ the measure which the government says is a structural saving needed to help fund the national disability insurance scheme.
A copy of Mr Dutton’s submission to the shadow cabinet, obtained by The Australian Financial Review, warns the cut to the Howard government shibboleth will increase the cost of health insurance and create more red tape.
leonetwo
May 28, 2013 at 9:21 am
I’m glad everyone has finally caught up with yesterday’s news about Abbott’s PPL pushing up interest rates. PMJG and Jenny Macklin both mentioned it in QT yesterday, after it had been all over the papers yesterday morning.
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agree leone, one thing that I think is being missed in this and must be pushed is that the labor parental leave would go.
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some people would think both would be run together
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no way,has this been pointed out at pres, conf,
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LL
Looking forward to the confidence motion by Oakey
We all knew Abbott would chicken out on his Look at Me! motion of no confidence. He just can’t bear the thought of Julia Gillard lashing him in the house again. What a shame we won’t get to hear the speech PMJG must have had written as soon as Abbott announced his pathetic little stunt. What a gutless little wimp, how could anyone think he could ever be a prime minister.
That piece by Ad astra is good, but it made me feel sad reading it.
Tony Abbott has awoken something vile and ugly in the Australian electorate’s psyche.
>>Most concerning is that Australia is way past any other OECD country in its taxpayer funding of the “independent” school system. Apart from that being so inappropriate, it has led to gross inequities that are particularly dangerous and damaging in a country such as ours, with such a small population.
Fiona,
I couldn’t agree more.
I also have concerns that this will lead to more division and less social harmony in this country…you only need to look at the amount of extreme tactics used by Abbott, Pyne, Joyce etc to see that their extreme Catholic views have led them to be relentlessly negative…and pursuing a somewhat bigoted, misogynistic, dog whistling, sometimes overly protectionist and generally narrow agenda.
They scheme like characters in The Vatican…working with the Murdoch etc mafia.
Great links, Leroy. You’re doing through the day what BK does early morning, plus bringing breaking news.
And thanks for tweeting Aguirre’s brilliant analysis.
Kirsdarke
It’s always been there, that vile and ugly monster, lurking just under the surface of our easy-going, matey image. I saw it when I was a liitle kid back in the 1950s when we werre encouraged to hate ‘reffos’ and ‘dagos’ and especially, Catholics.
For a while the monster slept but Howard woke that something vile and ugly and within a couple of years he had us all hating everyone else. It was a deliberate ‘divide and conquer’ strategy and it kept him in office long past his use-by date. Abbott has revived all that hatred and made it worse with a lot of help from his shockjock pals.
Abbott too scared to put his motion of no confidence before the parliament. You would think he would be used to losing votes on the floor by now!
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-28/bill-gates-lobbies-pm-for-more-aid/4716820
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates meets PM Julia Gillard and lobbies Australia for more aid
Updated 56 minutes ago
The world’s richest man, Bill Gates, met Prime Minister Julia Gillard in Canberra this morning to lobby for an increase to Australia’s $5 billion overseas aid budget.
http://www.news.com.au/business/companies/i-hope-you-aussies-are-proud-of-yourselves-because-i-am/story-fnda1bsz-1226651604097
I hope you Aussies are proud of yourselves – because I am
by: Bill Gates
From: The Daily Telegraph
May 28, 2013 12:00AM
I’M a big fan of charts and graphs. A simple line can tell a powerful story. For instance, if you look at the curve representing Australia’s foreign aid budget, you see clearly that your country has turned itself into a global leader in foreign development in the past few years.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/a-promise-made-in-haste-is-often-one-to-regret-20130528-2n843.html
A promise made in haste is often one to regret
May 28, 2013 – 11:03AM
Opinion
Mark Kenny
Chief political correspondent
Tony Abbott must regret promising to force a vote of ”no confidence” to bring down the government in this, the budget session of parliament.
As things stand, the opposition has not placed a ”no-confidence” motion on the Notice Paper, and Abbott is preparing to wave through the core of Labor’s budget to secure the $43 billion of savings it encompasses without the political pain of making the cuts himself.
Mark Kenny issues a slap for Abbott over his No Confidence stuff
And with crossbenchers not backing it in, Abbott’s telegraphed bravado has ensnared him instead.
It has him simultaneously claiming an absence of confidence in a government whose budget he is also proposing to support almost in its entirety.
On the other hand, he could choose the alternative course of not going ahead with the motion but that is hardly attractive either.
Indeed, it involves two things Abbott is loathe to embrace: breaking a promise, and worse, doing so in a way which, by virtue of that promise, amounts to an active vote of confidence in the government.
Liberal frontbenchers contacted yesterday either didn’t return calls or claimed not to know if the motion would proceed – even though it was a promise.
In reality, it is hard to see it going ahead and even harder to make a case for it doing Abbott any good.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/a-promise-made-in-haste-is-often-one-to-regret-20130528-2n843.html#ixzz2UY11yZxo
Painting himself into a corner seems about it.
ABC going in pretty hard on the 4 Corners hacking story
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-28/government-urged-to-come-clean-on-foreign-cyber-threat/4716978
Government urged to come clean on extent of cyber threat after ASIO headquarters blueprints stolen
Updated 8 minutes ago
The Government has been accused of “hiding behind the cloak of national security” in an attempt to avoid disclosing if Australia’s spy agencies are coming under cyber attack from Chinese hackers.
Snap Leroy and halloween.
Apparently Christine Milne just did a presser about the ASIO matter. I did not see it, but she puts the Howard govt into it
They’re starting to come apart at the seams.
Leroy Lynch,
Did you get to see Kraftwerk?
victoria,
She dropped Phil Ruddock right in it. Including the blow out in build costs due to asbestos found on the site.
Thanks SK.
I actually watched the fourcorners report. I dont recall any real details of when building commenced at the ASIO site. They only focussed on the blueprints being stolen and asking Dreyfus to comment.
For them what is interested – the complete history of ASIO’s new Cental Office, from the Howard years until now.
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/2012-2013/ASIOHQ
Leone – The windows keep falling out and it certainly is a big thing.
All mouth and no trousers.
C@t – no, they only played Sydney didn’t they? I’m in Melbourne. I saw them in 2003, so they’re not on my bucket list any more.
ABC24 reported on the ASIO matter. Made reference to fourcorners report, and then Brandis’ comments this morning. Then to Milne’s comments, but It would appear that ABC24 put Milne’s comments into a context that was having a go at the current govt.
Great comment from Gaffhook over the road:
Vote for the Redhead
Not the Dickhead!
Bill Gates at the NPC
I can’t resist – here’s a little ditty for Mr All Mouth And No Trousers, the gutless wonder himnself. All that’s needed is a slight change of words and it would be a perfect description.
‘Vote for the redhead not the dickhead’ has been around for ages, I think i mentioned it here weeks ago, months maybe. Some people are slow to catch on.
I see “Me too” met with Bill just before the NPC address; was Bill looking a bit wild-eyed when he started?
“I see “Me too” met with Bill just before the NPC address”
What a thrill that must have been … for Bill.
Nice article here from Greg Jericho.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/grogonomics/2013/may/28/australia-economy-myths-gfc
Also, this is fairly informative about political donations. Labor is up against some big interests. Also it’s shameful how the mining industry seems to have shifted almost entirely to the conservatives in modern times.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2013/may/28/australia-political-donations-parties
Today’s MPI:
DISCUSSION OF MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE
Mr Oakeshott (Lyne): “The urgent need for real political donation reform.”
Just saw the end of Bill Gates NPC address, WTF was Kathy Jackson doing there?????????????
C K Watt
I watched the NPC address, but i missed sighting KJackson
Sure it was Kathy Jackson? It was thought she was at Joe’s Budget response speech (by TV watchers), but a couple of journo’s on twitter thought it must be a look-alike, said she was not there. Its possible there is someone in Canberra who looks similar.
Kathy might possibly be in a different place altogether according to the last rumour…
http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/jacksonville-49-time-inside/
Mayhap my old eyes are deceiving me but it was at the very end when they were doing crowd shots
Julia off to a good start by putting Tone back into his box. “Facts!”
… and pulling up the whole lot for lack of decorum.
BOATS!