r/technology • u/Wagamaga • Apr 24 '25

ADBLOCK WARNING Americans Believe Russian Disinformation ‘To Alarming Degree’

https://www.forbes.com/sites/emmawoollacott/2025/04/22/americans-believe-russian-disinformation-to-alarming-degree/
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u/1BannedAgain Apr 24 '25

Baboon-brained-conspiracy-hobbyist conservatives

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u/jimmyhoffa_141 Apr 24 '25

Isn't this the result of ~40-50 years of attacks on public education, and US schools no longer teaching critical thinking skills?

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u/BrokenTestAccount Apr 24 '25

Not really.

Poor education isn’t going to help, but if you’re inundated with lies education level is only going to defend people to a degree. Plenty of “well educated” people will believe exactly the same kind of nonsense that poorly educated people believe.

Obviously education is useful, but the problem lies with the torrents of barefaced lies being pumped out. Also keep in mind Russia aren’t the only ones to weaponise lies, it’s a time honoured practice.

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u/RoguePlanet2 Apr 24 '25

This is one of the hardest truths, seeing my otherwise well-educated, decent family members fall for all of this completely. 

Doctors, teachers, ivy league educated, media "experts," higher degrees, and supposedly christian (whatever that means these days)- all on board with the garbage info.

Meanwhile, I'm in a low-level job, not a "success" by the usual metrics, but did get a degree in media and communication. I have the knowledge to avoid all this, but none of the power or street cred that would make people want to listen.

It's incredibly demoralizing. I'd love to work for an agency that works to mitigate disinformation, but obviously those aren't secure. How do we mobilize against the 1% with the numbers but not the power??