The Road to Authoritarianism

Disinformation is not only used to deny scientific truth but also reality in general. Autocrats use disinformation to polarize people and create an army of deniers, turning factual issues into tools to assert power. This tactic is seen in electoral dictatorships like Russia and China, as well as democracies like Hungary and Turkey. Lee McIntyre's book explores how Trump's big lie about the 2020 election led to the insurrection on January 6, 2021. To fight back against disinformation, recognizing the pipeline from creators to amplifiers to believers is crucial, with amplification being the main pinch point. Efforts can be made to regulate social media companies, but there is a need to acknowledge the problem and differentiate it from censorship. Media also plays a role by confusing misinformation with disinformation, and taking responsibility for reporting the truth is important.