Post Truth Politics: Disinformation through Alternative Information Streams
Embargo until
Date
2019-12-18
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Johns Hopkins University
Abstract
The Information Age has brought numerous consequences and quickly launched us into a Post Truth era. In this new era, disinformation spreads farther than ever in mere seconds. This thesis looks into the issue of disinformation in the Post Truth era by looking at three alternative information streams that are often used to spread disinformation and how they affect the American political process. These alternative information streams affect public opinion, elections, and policy agendas by targeting people through emotions and entertainment.
This thesis will look into the effects of soft news, memes, and conspiracy theories by analyzing six scenarios. These scenarios include Jimmy Kimmel’s plea for the Affordable Care Act in 2017, John Oliver’s plea for net neutrality in 2014, the Occupy movement, the alt-right movement, Russian disinformation in the 2016 election cycle, and the birtherism conspiracy. Public polling, Congressional and Presidential responses, research papers, and news articles will be used to analyze the effects of these scenarios.
This research found that disinformation is often more effective at affecting American political attitudes than facts because it is more emotional and entertaining. This research shows that alternative information streams are important and potentially dangerous channels of information sharing. Due to the speed by which disinformation can travel on the internet, an American and worldwide approach to internet regulation will be necessary going forward in the 21st century to combat disinformation.
Advisors: Dr. Jacob Straus and Dr. Adam Wolfson of Johns Hopkins University Advanced Academic Programs
Description
Keywords
Post-Truth, Disinformation, Conspiracy Theory, Soft News, Infotainment, Memes