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 LamyNov 9, 2022

@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

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 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 threadDave Graham
@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)
Nov 9, 2022 at 1:43pmWeb