Identifying Misinformation

usinfo.state.gov...

This website counters a lot of 9/11 arguements, includng WTC7, The Pentagon Missle, United 93, etc. etc. Along with other conspiracy theories.

More interesting section, How to identify misinformation.

usinfo.state.gov...

My problem with the site, not only is %90 of the 9/11 section pure lies, but this bothered me the most:

Please send questions or information regarding disinformation, misinformation, urban legends, conspiracy theories, or false rumors to [email protected]. We will try to respond to all reasonable requests for information.

Please note that the U.S. laws under which the Bureau of International Information Programs operates allow us to respond to requests from outside the United States only.

usinfo.state.gov...

Okay, so...you're going to tell us what to believe, but incase any Americans have questions, we can't ask them because we're Americans?

Where's the logic?! Especially when in the Identifying Misinformation article, they write:

Finally, if the counter-misinformation team can be of help, ask us. We can’t respond to all requests for information, but if a request is reasonable and we have the time, we will do our best to provide accurate, authoritative information.

I..don't..can't..my head is going to explode.

We have to rely on you Britts, Aussies, South Africans, Canadians, etc. To tell us what's going on in our own country!

Email message from watchtherocks to [email protected]

I have some information that I believe to be false, but I cannot be sure. I have looked into it extensively, but I cannot uncover the truth. I was wondering, if I sent this information to the Bureau of International Information Programs, what methods will you employ to uncover the truth?

As I live outside the U.S., it is possible for you to answer this question - but just wondering, why can't Americans ask an American agency for the truth? That just seems a but wrong, that's all. Can you contact American Intel agencies in your search for the truth? Can they contact you?

Anyway, I have looked into my info, but am having trouble. Would it be possible for you to help me here? And if so, I would like to know exactly how you worked out whether the information is correct or not, as then I can follow these methods in the future.

Cheers, Tom.

And now we wait for a reply.

Wow. Just... wow.

Why does this give me a really bad feeling?

This so wreaks of using public informant tactics.

If you guys want to pull off a revolution, I'm perty sure you can count on Canadian support.

Thanks for the pointer... I'm going to have to think of something fun to do with this.

Edit: After taking a closer look at the site, I feel compelled to share my reaction: YIKES!

Holy crap, that's some scary stuff right there. "THE TRUTH" as Dictated By The State. Does anyone else smell more than a wiff of Orwellian Tyrany?

[edit on 13-4-2006 by BitRaiser]

From the 2003 Information Operations Roadmap, p.5:

"We Must Fight the Net. DoD is building an information-centric force. Networks are increasingly the operational center of gravity, and the Department must be prepared to 'fight the net'. [Redacted] but be fully prepared to ensure critical warfighting network functionality and to [redacted]...."

"We Must Improve PSYOP. Military forces must be better prepared to use PSYOP in support of military operations and the themes and messages employed in a PSYOP campaign must be consistent with the broader national security objectives..."

From page 8:

"The concept includes three integrated IO operations of overriding importance:

...protect our plans and misdirect theirs, thereby allowing our forces to mass their effects to maximum advantage while the adversary expends his resources to little effect."

And:

"Similarly, considerable effort should be made to characterize potential adversary audiences, and particularly senior decision-makers and decision-making process and priorities. If such human factors analysis is not conducted well in advance of the conflict, it will not be possible to craft PSYOP themes and messages that will be effective in modifying adversary behavior."

There's lots more. Page 10:

"Public affairs and civil military operations remain related activities... these capabilities are related in the sense that the effects they achieve may be similar to some aspects of IO, particularly PSYOP.

"One result of public affairs and civil military operations is greater support for military endeavors and thus, conversely these activities can help discourage and dissuade enemies, which PSYOP does directly with its own tactics, techniques and procedures."

I would suggest that characterizing potential adversary audiences is what is at stake both on the "misinformation" (propaganda) website and to some extent on this very bulletin board. The document quoted above was produced in 2003 and is already declassified. Its recommendations include building up a career force in Information Operations.

Or, to put it more simply, you know your government lies to you: and now they're just getting sneakier than ever in how they do it.

Oh, one of the things that made me smile about the misinfo page is that at one point they label the Rense site as being a conspiracy site, and on another page (the plane hitting the Pentagon one) they actually LINK to it to show that it really was a passenger aircraft. And that link shows a wheel in the wreckage and a 757 wheel for comparison: but the wheels appear to have different numbers of holes in them, which is a bit weird.

And for the record, I don't believe that a passenger plane can make a 16-foot hole in the pentagon after a 500 mph impact. Engines weigh several tons. Where did they go?

You really should post something about this in the ATS Disinformation section. I can see this being a very hot issue.

Anyone notice the one broken link on this page?
usinfo.state.gov...
Maybe it's a legit problem, but the only report I can't access is the only one I want access to. www.state.gov... (Country Reports on Terrorism (2004)).

Go post this there or ask for this thread to be moved. There's a lot to consiter on this site.

The mods will slay me, but they'll understand afterward. I'll go down as a matyr, remember me