The Disinformation Age: Politics, Technology, and Disruptive Communication in the United States (SSRC Anxieties of Democracy)

The intentional spread of falsehoods – and attendant attacks on minorities, press freedoms, and the rule of law – challenge the basic norms and values upon which institutional legitimacy and political stability depend. How did we get here? The Disinformation Age assembles a remarkable group of historians, political scientists, and communication scholars to examine the historical and political origins of the post-fact information era, focusing on the United States but with lessons for other democracies. Bennett and Livingston frame the book by examining decades-long efforts by political and business interests to undermine authoritative institutions, including parties, elections, public agencies, science, independent journalism, and civil society groups. The other distinguished scholars explore the historical origins and workings of disinformation, along with policy challenges and the role of the legacy press in improving public communication. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core. Cover......Page 1 Half-title page......Page 3 Sponsored by the Social Science Research Council......Page 4 Series page......Page 5 Title page......Page 7 Copyright page......Page 8 Contents......Page 9 List of Contributors......Page 11 Preface......Page 17 Acknowledgments......Page 28 Part I Disinformation in Political and Historical Context......Page 31 1 A Brief History of the Disinformation Age: Information Wars and the Decline of Institutional Authority......Page 33 Part II The Current Situation......Page 71 2 A Political Economy of the Origins of Asymmetric Propaganda in American Media......Page 73 3 The Flooded Zone: How We Became More Vulnerable to Disinformation in the Digital Era......Page 97 Part III Historical Roots of Disinformation......Page 123 4 How American Businessmen Made Us Believe that Free Enterprise was Indivisible from American Democracy: The National Association of Manufacturers’ Propaganda Campaign 1935–1940......Page 125 5 “Since We Are Greatly Outnumbered”: Why and How the Koch Network Uses Disinformation to Thwart Democracy......Page 150 Part IV The Policy Problem......Page 181 6 How Digital Disinformation Turned Dangerous......Page 183 7 Policy Lessons from Five Historical Patterns in Information Manipulation......Page 199 8 Why It Is So Difficult to Regulate Disinformation Online......Page 220 Part V The Role of Public Broadcasting......Page 241 9 US Public Broadcasting: A Bulwark against Disinformation?......Page 243 10 The Public Media Option: Confronting Policy Failure in an Age of Misinformation......Page 268 Conclusion Defending Democracy in the Disinformation Age......Page 289 11 The Coordinated Attack on Authoritative Institutions: Defending Democracy in the Disinformation Age......Page 291 "The authors gathered here are distinguished representatives of the interdisciplinary perspectives of history, political science, sociology, law, and communication - fields that are all helpful to understanding the origins and importance of the problem. While some observers approach disinformation as something that has just emerged seemingly from nowhere, the chapters in this book trace various origins such as: the history of business deception to promote corporate interests over the public interest, government lying to promote dubious policies, and the rise of political influence networks that limit government capacities to represent the public interest. These historical factors have contributed to the erosion of trust in public institutions, and related declines in confidence in the news media that have traditionally connected public authorities and citizens. As authoritative information becomes increasingly challenged, new digital platforms and social media networks supply the demand for alternative political truths that are actively consumed by disaffected citizens. The growing volume of disinformation fuels political movements and parties largely on the radical right, resulting in attacks on the press, the spread of hate and propaganda, efforts to exclude various minority groups, and the rise of ethnic nationalism in many nations. The book traces the origins of this decline of institutional authority, the state of current disinformation systems, the historical origins of systemic disinformation, the importance of independent public media, and possible regulatory and political remedies for these problems"-- Provided by publisher