The Lies Are Winning
Digest
The podcast delves into the alarming rise of disinformation in the 2024 election, highlighting its potential to influence the outcome and erode public trust. It begins by analyzing Tucker Carlson's rhetoric, which is seen as indicative of an authoritarian vision for America, emphasizing strong leadership and punishment for dissent. The discussion then shifts to the role of disinformation in the election, exploring how lies and smears have become more prevalent and egregious than in previous elections. The podcast examines the role of social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), in spreading disinformation, highlighting how Elon Musk's ownership has exacerbated the problem. The potential for a contested election, similar to 2000, is discussed, emphasizing the possibility of a close race and legal challenges. The podcast further scrutinizes Fox News's role in spreading disinformation, highlighting its contribution to the spread of lies and conspiracy theories. Finally, the podcast concludes with a discussion of finding hope in the face of the disinformation epidemic, emphasizing the importance of holding individuals accountable for their lies and exploring potential reforms to social media platforms to combat the spread of disinformation.
Outlines
The Rise of Disinformation in the 2024 Election
This podcast explores the growing threat of disinformation in the 2024 election, examining its sources, impact, and potential consequences for American democracy. The podcast begins by analyzing Tucker Carlson's rhetoric, which is seen as indicative of an authoritarian vision for America, emphasizing strong leadership and punishment for dissent. The discussion then shifts to the role of disinformation in the election, exploring how lies and smears have become more prevalent and egregious than in previous elections.
The Role of Social Media in Spreading Disinformation
The podcast examines the role of social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), in spreading disinformation, highlighting how Elon Musk's ownership has exacerbated the problem. The potential for a contested election, similar to 2000, is discussed, emphasizing the possibility of a close race and legal challenges.
The Role of Fox News in Spreading Disinformation
The podcast further scrutinizes Fox News's role in spreading disinformation, highlighting its contribution to the spread of lies and conspiracy theories.
Finding Hope in the Face of Disinformation
Finally, the podcast concludes with a discussion of finding hope in the face of the disinformation epidemic, emphasizing the importance of holding individuals accountable for their lies and exploring potential reforms to social media platforms to combat the spread of disinformation.
Keywords
Disinformation
The deliberate spread of false or misleading information, often with the intent to deceive or manipulate. Disinformation can take many forms, including fake news, propaganda, and conspiracy theories.
Authoritarian Vision
A political ideology that emphasizes strong, centralized authority and the suppression of dissent. Authoritarian leaders often seek to control all aspects of society, including the media, education, and the economy.
Social Media Platforms
Online platforms that allow users to connect and share information, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Social media platforms have become a major source of news and information, but they are also vulnerable to the spread of disinformation.
Fake News
False or misleading information that is presented as news. Fake news can be spread through social media, websites, and other channels.
Propaganda
Information that is used to promote a particular political cause or ideology. Propaganda often uses emotional appeals and persuasive techniques to influence public opinion.
Conspiracy Theories
Explanations for events that are based on speculation and conjecture, often involving secret plots or hidden agendas. Conspiracy theories can be harmful because they can undermine trust in institutions and promote distrust and division.
2024 Election
The upcoming United States presidential election, scheduled for November 5, 2024.
Elon Musk
The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, who acquired Twitter in 2022 and renamed it X.
Fox News
A conservative American cable news channel known for its right-leaning political commentary.
Q&A
What are some of the biggest lies that have been spread during the 2024 election campaign?
Some of the biggest lies include claims that the 2020 election was rigged, that Joe Biden is mentally unfit for office, and that the economy is doing poorly under Biden's leadership.
How has the role of social media changed in the spread of disinformation?
Social media platforms have become more powerful and influential, and they are now being used more effectively to spread disinformation. The rise of AI-generated content, such as deep fakes, has also made it easier to create and spread false information.
What are some of the potential consequences of the disinformation epidemic?
The disinformation epidemic could undermine trust in institutions, erode public discourse, and lead to political polarization. It could also have a negative impact on the outcome of elections and the functioning of democracy.
What can be done to combat the spread of disinformation?
There are a number of steps that can be taken to combat the spread of disinformation, including holding individuals accountable for their lies, reforming social media platforms to make them less susceptible to the spread of disinformation, and educating the public about how to identify and avoid false information.
Show Notes
The Washington Roundtable discusses the avalanche of disinformation that has taken over the 2024 election cycle, including an A.I. video meant to slander Tim Walz and claims that the votes are rigged before they’re even counted. Will this torrent of lies tip the election in favor of Donald Trump? Is there a way out of this morass of untruth? “I think the lies are clearly winning,” the staff writer Evan Osnos says. “But I would also say that that doesn’t mean that we should abandon the tools that are available.” Osnos notes recent defamation rulings against Rudy Giuliani and Fox News over false statements about the 2020 election as cases in point.
This week’s reading:
- “Donald Trump and the F-Word,” by Susan B. Glasser
- “Can Older Americans Swing the Election for Harris?,” by Bill McKibben
- “What’s the Matter with Young Male Voters?,” by Jay Caspian Kang
- “Door-Knocking in Door County,” by Emily Witt
- “What Would Donald Trump Do to the Economy?,” by John Cassidy
- “The Tight-Knit World of Kamala Harris’s Sorority,” by Jazmine Hughes
To discover more podcasts from The New Yorker, visit newyorker.com/podcasts. To send in feedback on this episode, write to themail@newyorker.com with “The Political Scene” in the subject line.
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