Obama Signs Act - Fake News Is Now Illegal Just Deem It Foreign Propaganda

Late Friday night, President Obama signed the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act into law, which authorizes a military spending budget of $611 billion, and includes the dangerous Counter Disinformation and Anti-Propaganda Act H.R. 5181.

Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act of 2016

This bill expresses the sense of Congress that:

foreign governments, including the governments of the Russian Federation and China, use disinformation and other propaganda tools to undermine the national security objectives of the United States and key allies and partners; the U.S. government should develop a comprehensive strategy to counter foreign disinformation and propaganda and assert leadership in developing a fact-based strategic narrative; and an important element of this strategy should be to promote an independent press in countries that are vulnerable to foreign disinformation. The Department of State shall establish a Center for Information Analysis and Response to:

lead and coordinate the collection and analysis of information on foreign government information warfare efforts; establish a framework for the integration of critical data and analysis on foreign propaganda and disinformation efforts into the development of national strategy; and develop and synchronize government initiatives to expose and counter foreign information operations directed against U.S. national security interests and advance fact-based narratives that support U.S. allies and interests. When selecting participants for U.S. educational and cultural exchange programs, special consideration shall be given to students and community leaders from populations and countries deemed vulnerable to foreign propaganda and disinformation campaigns.

www.govtrack.us...

This key piece of legislation meant to crack down on free speech and independent media. In Layman’s terms, the act will allow the government to crack down with impunity against any media outlet it deems “propaganda.” The next piece of the legislation will provide substantial amounts of money to fund “counter propaganda,” to make sure the government’s approved stories drown out alternative media and journalists who question the status quo.

wearechange.org...

US and anti-US propaganda

Without naming the controversial “Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act,” which was introduced by Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) before being placed in the 2017 NDAA, Obama mentioned it in generally favorable terms. Critics point to the law authorizing grants in order to track anti-US propaganda as a form of the US government itself pushing propaganda on its own domestic population, in the guise of highlighting so-called fake news.

www.rt.com...

In short, long before "fake news" became a major media topic, the US government was already planning its legally-backed crackdown on anything it would eventually label "fake news."

www.zerohedge.com...

In 2013, Obama signed an NDAA bill that packaged an end to the Smith-Mundit act that prevented the government from using propaganda against its own citizens enabling the government again to legally produce propaganda.

wearechange.org...

The “right to free speech and freedom of the press,” is guaranteed by the First Amendment to The U.S. Constitution. It is a foundation of American values, put in place by our Founding Fathers to protect our liberties, is now being endangered by this new law. It's legal for the US government to produce propaganda but it's illegal for any independent press to produce what the government deems foreign anti-US propaganda.

In summary the stage is now set for the U.S. government to legally crack down on any independent press,alternative news or media outlet that they claim is “foreign propaganda" they just need the money to enforce it.

Other Related ATS Threads:
The Government's Plan To Kill Independent Web Sites
Countering Disinformation and Propaganda Act H.R. 5181

a reply to: gmoneystunt
Goebbels would've been proud

The mainstream didn't have much to say about this, although I believe acts of this kind merrit revolution.
Maybe that Trump guy will stop this madness.

a reply to: gmoneystunt

In summary the stage is now set for the U.S. government to legally crack down on any independent press,alternative news or media outlet that they claim is “foreign propaganda" they just need the money to enforce it.

That's a lie.

It is against foreign GOVERNMENTS, not independent press or alternative news.

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: gmoneystunt

In summary the stage is now set for the U.S. government to legally crack down on any independent press,alternative news or media outlet that they claim is “foreign propaganda" they just need the money to enforce it.

That's a lie.

It is against foreign GOVERNMENTS, not independent press or alternative news.

Foreign propaganda and disinformation can be found in any independent press,alternative news or media news outlet

a reply to: gmoneystunt

I agree, you've linked to 3 that are doing it right now...

I can't see anywhere in the full text where they say they're cracking down on alternative and independent media. The closest is monitoring of "trends"

Identifying current and emerging trends in foreign propaganda and disinformation, including the use of print, broadcast, online and social media

www.congress.gov...

RT is a good example. State sponsored, anti US media.

a reply to: Chadwickus

What does that even mean? We're talking about information (words, ideas, facts). Who decides what is or isnt "foreign"?

Hell, during the cold war did they ever even ban the word communism? Was it illegal to have a brochure?

And did this piece of #^$$*$# just sign this thing on Christmas?

originally posted by: Chadwickus
a reply to: gmoneystunt

I agree, you've linked to 3 that are doing it right now...

I can't see anywhere in the full text where they say they're cracking down on alternative and independent media. The closest is monitoring of "trends"

RT is a good example. State sponsored, anti US media.

the U.S. government should develop a comprehensive strategy to counter foreign disinformation and propaganda

www.govtrack.us...

Just Monitoring "trends" would not counter much

a reply to: gmoneystunt

What you just posted is an excellent example of what the government will be monitoring. RT is an organ of the Russian government known for distorting and inventing facts for propaganda purposes. The act quoted in the OP does not authorize censorship. Rather, it recognizes that other nations have weaponized false information, and that real facts need to be made more conspicuous to counter the false ones.

Here is an example and counter example from the ATS vaults:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Globalresearch.ca is a Russian disinformation front. Notice that it portrays the North Americans as being pro-Nazi, pro-censorship. Here is a more objective thread about the same vetoed resolution, explaining why America did not support it:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Unfortunately, many people do not bother to read the original source, and simply accept the distorted portrayal offered by disinformation artists.

a reply to: Chadwickus

Then what is the point of this thing? They already have DOD etc etc etc people that 'monitor those trends', and pump out their own PROPAGANDA, and so on.

Propaganda is just words, not 'tech' .

Say the government is lying about the fact they've been sponsoring Al Qaeda for years and the people involved are complete and total traitors deserving the firing squad, and say 'Russia' (whatever the means) decides they're going to tell the facts about that, now what? "They're" (DOD, White House, MSM, etc people) are already going to to speak to it (deny it or whatever), which in doing so would be engaging in counter-propaganda, SO WHAT IS THE POINT OF ANY OF THIS LEGISLATION?

a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

What does that even mean? We're talking about information (words, ideas, facts). information.

Not all words are information, glayven. Not all ideas are healthy, as surely you know from your own experience. Not all statements are facts. Do the gostacks distiff the doshes or not? One needs to exercise critical thinking to determine if that statement is even meaningful, never mind true, and therefore a "fact."

Who decides what is or isnt "foreign"?

Seriously? You can't tell where a source originates?

a reply to: DJW001

Who are you to say GlobalResearch.ca is Russia STATE SPONSORED propaganda outlet? By what metric is that even defined?

And "weaponized" information? You clearly have no idea how insane that sounds.

originally posted by: DJW001


Seriously? You can't tell where a source originates?

YOU CAN?

Someone is critical of Obama's war, that means they're disinfo agents for whoever happens to be on the otherside of it? What else could any of that mean.

a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

Then what is the point of this thing? They already have DOD etc etc etc people that 'monitor those trends', and pump out their own PROPAGANDA, and so on.

Maybe they don't crank out as much propaganda as you think.

Propaganda is just words, not 'tech' .

Words are a technology. In this case, however, the context makes it clear that they want to be able to trace false stories back to their sources in such a way that a government spokesman can say: "This story originated in St Petersburg Russia, 24 Smolensk Prospekt, at 13:00 GMT. It was then picked up by the following robotic blogs before being translated into Dutch, German, and Polish...." That might just make troll armies nervous.

a reply to: DJW001

PLEEEEASE: Define for us "propaganda" IN YOUR OWN WORDS.





FACT: Essentially Everything on the "news" is propaganda.

a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

YOU CAN?

Yep. All you have to do is follow the links. It helps if you can read and search in several languages.

Someone is critical of Obama's war, that means they're disinfo agents for whoever happens to be on the otherside of it? What else could any of that mean.

Nope. Anyone anywhere has the right to say whatever they want. They are only "disinfo agents" if they lie to manipulate public opinion, whether in the interests of a government, or a private entity, such as a corporation, or even celebrity. I find it strange that someone who spends as much time as you do "deconstructing propaganda" cannot wrap your head around this,

a reply to: gmoneystunt

Well I guess they should start by shutting down the CIA! Operation Mockingbird? That had to be illegal by this precedent, and it was exposed substantially from 1975 up to this very day. It is legal for the Government to distribute propaganda, and has been for MANY years. At the very least, the Agency should be punished, and have ALL ties to news agencies severed. I predict that will not happen.

This legislation will lead to some important history-making court cases. I predict that at some point, the Supreme Court will get to rule on a "violation" made by some sort of Independent or Alternative news source. Let us just hope that the Supreme Court rules on the side of the People, rather than the Gov't.. All of the alternative media folks out there better vet all of their sources, just to be on the safe side (as they always should).

a reply to: DJW001

Okay, so Obama's press secretary = disinfo agent. Right? Pentagon spokesman = disinfo agent. Right? Liberal OR Conservative biased media pundits = disinfo agents. Right? PR firms that pump out Big Pharm TV commercials = disinfo agents. Right?

Right, right, right, right?

a reply to: DJW001

It says the U.S. government should develop a comprehensive strategy to counter foreign disinformation and propaganda. How can you trust the government to honestly deem what is foreign propaganda? Anything that goes against the governments agenda could be deemed foreign disinformation.

With this Act, every government involved conspiracy you can easily deem to be foreign propaganda.

originally posted by: DJW001
a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

YOU CAN?

Yep. All you have to do is follow the links. It helps if you can read and search in several languages.

You're going to have to go into WAAAAY more detail than that. How is GlobalResearch a Russia disinfo operation?? SAYS HOW? WHERE THE EVIDENCE???

Please, oh PLEASE do link in the "PropOrNot" list that has them on there. And then go make a thread trying to talk the ATS staff into banning them, like you know you want to.

While the TRex in the room is, even is someone did want to go repeat something a foreigner says who's business is that? WHERE'S THE MULTICULTURALISM HERE????

a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

PLEEEEASE: Define for us "propaganda" IN YOUR OWN WORDS.

Propaganda is the use of media to influence people. It can take many forms: words, images, sound. These can be conveyed over many different platforms. Propaganda generally relies on emotional manipulation, rather than an appeal to reason, because reason can usually spot falsehoods.

Propaganda may be truthful or not. When the Americans and Soviets boasted about their achievements during the "space race," they were being truthful. Rather than present dry, technical facts, as you recall, they emphasized the emotional aspects of their achievements.

Propaganda based on lies is technically called "black propaganda." This is what professional intelligence agents believe was deployed by Russia during the last election. Black propaganda is a covert weapon, and it is reasonable to combat it with truthful propaganda.