Conservatives are up in arms over a new Department of Homeland Security agency called the Disinformation Governance Board. After all, today’s GOP has a habit of spreading untruths. To the surprise of few, their attacks have inaccurately portrayed it, with many trying to claim that it’s some censorious board right out of George Orwell’s 1984 — a book that’s already gotten them in trouble before. But when Fox News’ Peter Doocy inevitably tried to raise those distortions to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, she was ready for him.
Doocy: Does the President know that DHS is putting together this disinformation governance board?
Psaki: This is a continuation of work that was done under the Trump administration to address the use of disinformation helping smugglers prompt the movement of more migrants pic.twitter.com/Vh5c54dMAO— Acyn (@Acyn) May 2, 2022
Doocy asked if President knew about the agency, which combats foreign disinformation, such as that coming from Russia, not domestic, as conservatives have claimed. Psaki then turned the tables on him, pointing out its origin stem from the previous administration.
“Well, Peter, I think I would note – and I’m not sure if this has been in your reporting yet – but this is a continuation of work that was done under the prior administration, under the Trump administration, to take steps to address disinformation, address the use of disinformation and helping smugglers prompt the movement of more migrants across to the border,” Psaki patiently explained.
She then demonstrated how the agency actually works. “I would note that the first example given in the announcement about this was DHS has worked to understand how ‘misinformation’ spread by human smugglers that prey on vulnerable populations attempting to migrate to the United States,” Psaki said. “So for anyone who’s out there who may be concerned about the increase in migrants to the border, this is the kind of apparatus that’s working to address disinformation. And again, continuing the work of the Department of Homeland Security and 2020. Something we’re currently applauding.”
But Doocy was undeterred, which is to say he essentially ignored everything Psaki had told him: “Just in terms of what the President wants out of this, does he want the people on this board to start censoring information that is not helpful to him?”
All Psaki could do was quote what the agency does on the DHS website, namely that operates in “ways that protect privacy, civil rights and civil liberties and the right to free speech.’”
Still not getting that the agency won’t police American citizens, Doocy asked about Nina Jankowicz, who’s in charge of it. “She has said that she thinks the Hunter Biden laptop is Russian disinformation,” he said. “So should we look forward in the future to her censoring internet traffic about the Hunter Biden laptop?”
Still calm as ever, Psaki reminded him that she’s explained to him what the agency does twice already, pointing out that Jankowicz has “extensive experience” in “addressing disinformation,” including in Europe.
It’s the umpteenth time Psaki has had to correct Doocy, whether it’s debunking the central tenets of Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill or reminding him that he’s not a doctor.
(Via Raw Story)
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