Stephanie LamyNov 9, 2022

Quite a few #disinformation researchers on #Mastodon now, from all different fields & instances.

Why not connect & share content!
Let's try this group thingy for #infoops #InformationOperations #HybridWarfare #InformationWarfare #infowar #SemanticOperations #misinformation #conspiracy #InformationManipulation etc, etc, etc.. (wow so many different #!)

You can follow &
Tag @disinformation to boost your toots.

Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022

And yes, I know, we as "#disinformation" researchers are a pedantic lot in terms of, well, "terms".

That could be the point of the group @disinformation, to share and compare approaches, taxonomy, methodology and ethics.

Could this be of interest to you? @marie_peltier @denkolesnyk @emmalbriant @TheoLenoir @Sina @claesdevreese @jfarkas et Al ...

Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @disinformation @marie_peltier @denkolesnyk @TheoLenoir @Sina @jfarkas @claesdevreese I appreciate you doing this, but I reject forcing us into a disinformation discipline because it ignores the rest of propaganda of which it is one part, a part that cannot be understood without conceiving and researching propaganda more broadly. This is shaping the field around a misunderstanding that’s conceptually misleading
Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @disinformation @marie_peltier @denkolesnyk @TheoLenoir @Sina @jfarkas @claesdevreese If there were to be a group, it would need to be a propaganda group, which could embrace propaganda scholars like me as well as disinfo scholars. A disinfo group cannot embrace what I study or even understand disinformation, as disinformation is a sub-type that excludes focus on the rest of propaganda.
Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022

@emmalbriant @emmalbriant
Thank you for your input, Emma, and that kind of critique about "scope" is exactly what the group @disinformation should be about.

It's not about forcing anyone into a specific discipline, but comparing various approaches, subjects, methods, etc from as many different disciplines as possible.

Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @disinformation This does not do that though. It is saying this is a group about disinformation. ie deliberate falsehood
Show threadStephanie Lamy

@emmalbriant I understand what you are saying, and proves my point about pedantics.

In the spirit of collaboration, what would you suggest as a term? I myself use #sematicoperations. But that's too niche to attract the wider scholarly community. @disinformation

Nov 9, 2022 at 12:58pmWeb
Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @disinformation Thank you for listening and understanding. I would suggest propaganda or influence operations (which embraces propaganda with data use too and makes it broader still). Disinformation is just one type of propaganda, so the latter mostly embraces everyone studying the deliberate activities.
Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @disinformation I don’t think these issues are pedantic, it’s about the very ability to talk and think about what disinformation is a part of.
Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022

@emmalbriant I'm not saying the issues are pedantic, I'm saying that researchers are pedantic about terminology, especially in these fields - which is a good thing - and that this discussion proves my point.

Considering that I had hoped for this group to hash out such issues, let's leave them on the table until others chime in...

@disinformation

Show threadDave GrahamNov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @emmalbriant @disinformation I'm definitely curious regarding this because, while not firmly in the field of disinformation/propaganda/whatever, I AM focused on the role of data within the context of agonism (or, put better, how we can use data adversarially within an agonist framework to achieve social tx). This means I DO evaluate frameworks (like Texas SB8) and countermeasures (data poisoning, flooding, misinformation, etc.) to it.
Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@davegraham @stephlamy @disinformation yes! If we got behind different ‘umbrella’ terminology ‘influence operations’ perhaps this would also embrace your work and interests Dave…?
Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022

@emmalbriant "Influence operations" can also encompass #SoftPower and as such can be subject to oversight (in democracies) & international law etc.

If we use @disinformation then, we could also agree that it is a broad term for a sub-set of our respective disciplines and areas of research?

Mine is international (liberal & illiberal) norm dynamics, IR, transnational collective action and epistemic communities.

Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @disinformation What is wrong with considering the role of soft power as an influence activity alongside other more misleading tools? These are used together (including by non-democracies) to sway audiences. It's unhelpful to pretend their study should be abstracted from each other. Furthermore, disinformation and deception are also used by democracies, are you saying we shouldn't be discussing democracies here?
Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @disinformation That 'oversight' and ethical practice by democracies is hugely important - particularly as the practices democracies use are being excluded from this debate as people try to focus us instead on a 'disinformation' that includes the implicit assumption that democracies don't do it. Yet their practices are evolving, oversight and guidance is slower moving.
Show threadDave GrahamNov 9, 2022
@emmalbriant @stephlamy @disinformation I'm absolutely happy to look at umbrella terminology where appropriate. I get the importance of semantic nuance (trust me...) when it comes to our distinct pillars but, I'd also suggest there is very much a "better together" approach that I believe both Stephanie and you (Emma) are advocating for.
Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022

@davegraham @emmalbriant @disinformation

Tagging in others who have chimed in.
@Sina @mlmillerphd @marie_peltier

I feel that we are off to a lively, albeit, rocky start here. I think it's great that we are all passionate about connecting and naming the group.

A third way could be to name it after somebody or something or give it a whimsical title...

Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @davegraham @disinformation @Sina @mlmillerphd @marie_peltier I'm all for whimsy! hahaha!
Show threadMike Miller, PhDNov 9, 2022

@emmalbriant @stephlamy @davegraham @disinformation @Sina @marie_peltier

omg, can we name it AT <potemkinvillage>?

Show threadDave GrahamNov 9, 2022
@mlmillerphd @emmalbriant @stephlamy @disinformation @Sina @marie_peltier and here I was thinking we'd call it "Arendtville" 😂
Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022
@davegraham @mlmillerphd @emmalbriant @disinformation @Sina @marie_peltier
PotemkinVillage
100%
Arendtville
0%
Poll ended at .
Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022

@davegraham @mlmillerphd @emmalbriant @disinformation @Sina @marie_peltier

Only one vote, but
@potemkinvillage it is!

Show threadMike Miller, PhDNov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @davegraham @emmalbriant @disinformation @Sina @marie_peltier @potemkinvillage 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@mlmillerphd @stephlamy @davegraham @disinformation @Sina @marie_peltier oooooooooh I love that!!!!!!!
Show threadDave GrahamNov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @emmalbriant @disinformation @Sina @mlmillerphd @marie_peltier whimsy is always appreciated ;) (though, to be fair, there's a hell of a lot of non-whimsical personas in our broad fields of experience)
Show threadMike Miller, PhDNov 9, 2022
@emmalbriant @stephlamy @disinformation I strongly agree with the conceptual point that disinformation is subordinate to propaganda, but I'm also sympathetic to the practical goal of attracting participants, many/most of whom consider themselves disinfo scholars in a field of disinformation studies. But I'm also a political scientist, so perhaps I've just gotten used to living with a unfortunate field names.
Show threadJM Grygiel 🐀Nov 9, 2022
@emmalbriant @stephlamy @disinformation also endorse the use of "propaganda"..."disinformation" is being co-opted.
Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022

@jmgrygiel

Thanks JM! The conversation has moved from
@disinformation to @potemkinvillage

Thx @emmalbriant for launching the debate.

Show threadDr. Emma L Briant🐕🇬🇧in🇦🇺Nov 9, 2022
@stephlamy @jmgrygiel @disinformation @potemkinvillage Woohoo! :) Thank you so much for being open to considering this!
Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022
@emmalbriant That's kinda what the move to #Mastodon was about for me. Collaboration and consideration. Glad that this first discussion panned out so nicely. Thanks to all of you. @jmgrygiel @disinformation @potemkinvillage
Show threadMichael ColaresiNov 9, 2022
@jmgrygiel @emmalbriant @stephlamy @disinformation I would vote for “InfluenceOperations” or “InformationOperations” since either focuses on the goals of propaganda/influence and coordination without getting lost in the dis/mis/mal-information divides but potentially includes intentional, un-intentional, and misleading composition and propagation of sets of messages that is loosely or tightly coordinated by state, non-state or hybrid group(s)
Show threadStephanie LamyNov 9, 2022

@colaresi

Thx Michael!
We've gone with the more neutral yet evocative @potemkinvillage

Feel free to follow and tag :)

@jmgrygiel @emmalbriant @disinformation