Beware of LA Protest Misinfo
There's a lot!
Be careful what you read and share. There is a lot of misinformation going around about the LA protests, from both the left and the right.
An AI generated video of a National Guardsman purporting to livestream his preparations to gas protesters had nearly a million views before TikTok took it down. Another viral post claimed Mexico was preparing a military intervention into LA. Actor and right-wing provocateur James Woods posted a photo of police cars on fire, claiming it was from the recent protests, but the photo was from protests in 2020. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reposted it. Many right-wing news sources have left their consumers with the impression that all of LA is on fire or like a war zone, even though the protests are taking place in one small section of LA.
If your social media consumption is mostly left-wing, you may also be getting misinformation. A viral Instagram video claimed ICE raided an elementary school graduation ceremony, but there is no evidence that actually happened.
While AI helps bad actors generate and spread misinformation, it has also been inconsistent in identifying misinformation, worsening the problem even more. AI chatbots incorrectly claimed a photo of National Guardsmen sleeping on the floor was not recently taken.
Adding to the problem, Russian and Chinese state media amplify the misinformation.
As you consume news about the LA protests, keep these tips in mind:
The social media algorithms are designed to give you more of what you like, and they don't separate truth from fiction. So be even more cautious regarding news that appears to confirm your biases, especially if there is an emotional hook.
Before sharing information, make sure its from a trustworthy source.
Sources that don't publish corrections when they get something wrong can't be trusted. Reject them entirely.
Avoid social media posts that don't cite their sources. It's incredibly easy to just make stuff up and have it go viral by telling people what they want to hear with emotion laden appeals.
Get a subscription to one or more reliable news source. Rely on that, rather than your socials, for your news and information.
Sources:
NYT (gift link): “Fake Images and Conspiracy Theories Swirl Around L.A. Protests”
CNN: “Social media algorithms boost L.A. protest misinformation in ‘combustible’ environment”
BBC News: “BBC Verify Live: Debunking AI fakes as US protests spark online disinformation”
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NYT: “He’s a Master of Outrage on X. The Pay Isn’t Great.”
The attention brought Mr. McGee scores of fans who adored his dedication and his style: Mr. McGee, who is Black and said he speaks and dresses “like a rapper,” stands out in a sea of red MAGA hats and right-wing creators who are mostly white. His followers showered him with attention that offered a glimpse of the fame and fortune he was searching for.
He started posting on X, then known as Twitter, after Mr. Musk bought the platform in 2022. He had hundreds of thousands of followers by the time Mr. Musk decided to start paying creators. (X did not respond to a request for comment.)
Critics sounded the alarm about the misinformation Mr. McGee spread. But he quickly realized the backlash was key to becoming relevant online and growing an audience. Rather than shy away from it, he embraced it, and saw social media algorithms expand his reach.
“You know, the first goal is to be seen,” he said. “And they give you that.”
Tom Nichols: “Trump Is Using the National Guard as Bait: Don’t give him the pretext he wants.”
As unsatisfying as it may be for some citizens to hear, the last thing anyone should do is take to the streets of Los Angeles and try to confront the military or any of California’s law-enforcement authorities. ICE is on a rampage, but physically assaulting or obstructing its agents—and thus causing a confrontation with the cops who have to protect them, whether those police officers like it or not—will provide precisely the pretext that some of the people in Trump’s White House are trying to create. The president and his coterie want people walking around taking selfies in gas clouds, waving Mexican flags, holding up traffic, and burning cars. Judging by reactions on social media and interviews on television, a lot of people seem to think such performances are heroic—which means they’re poised to give Trump’s enforcers what they’re hoping for.
Be warned: Trump is expecting resistance. You will not be heroes. You will be the pretext.
Instead, the most dramatic public action the residents of Southern California could take right now would be to ensure that Trump’s forces arrive on calm streets. Imagine the reactions of the Guard members as they look around and wonder what, exactly, the commander in chief was thinking. Why are they carrying their rifles in the streets of downtown America? What does anyone expect them to do? Put another way: What if the president throws a crackdown and nobody comes?
St. Louis Public Radio: “ICE releases Carol Mayorga, a Missouri mom whose detention sparked rural uproar”
Mayorga’s arrest made waves through the rural town where she lived for around 20 years, where residents who voted for President Donald Trump and support his immigration policies wrestled with the arrest of their neighbor and friend.
“Ninety-five percent of the people in here support Trump — I do, too — but this is wrong,” said Bud Garrison, a daily customer at John’s Waffle and Pancake House in Kennett, about Mayorga’s arrest. The restaurant raised more than $20,000 for Mayorga and her children last month.
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I honestly don’t see a difference between Al Qaeda and members supportive of the DNC at this point.
https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/mexican-and-palestinian-flag-waving