The Death of Truth

May 1, 2024
A deep dive into the muck of fake news. In the latest book in a growing genre, journalist Brill, author of The Teamsters and America's Bitter Pill, examines the "toxic mix" of misinformation, disinformation, myths, alternative "facts," and conspiracy theories that have proliferated online, leading to a lack of belief in shared truths, distrust in the legitimacy of science and expertise, and an erosion of our sense of community. He traces the current chaos to Section 230, a 1995 law allowing internet providers to police their own platforms and granting them immunity over content, no matter how ill informed or harmful. Although the intent of the law was "to maintain the robust nature of Internet communication," Brill gives ample evidence to prove that, instead, it vastly undermined truth. In 2018, he and Gordon Crovitz founded NewsGuard to rate the trustworthiness of the most-visited sites, using criteria such as transparency of ownership and correction of mistakes. Although providers said that they supported the effort, Brill and Crovitz realized they had been na�ve and clueless: "The problem," Brill sees, "was their business plan," which was to encourage engagement on their sites. Sensational, angry, polemic content drives engagement and therefore attracts advertising money. Because of the layers of people involved in placing ads, the companies advertised don't know where their ads appear, so they end up supporting toxic sites that promote mis- and disinformation. While providers hired dedicated employees to staff their trust and safety teams, Brill found them to be "marginal mitigators" at best. Underscoring the acute need for reform, the author offers suggestions, including amending Section 230 to account for dangerous algorithms, ending online anonymity, directing the Federal Trade Commission to enforce providers' contracts with users to protect them from harmful content, and bolstering online news and information literacy for K-12 students. A brisk, well-informed, and urgent message.

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May 1, 2024
Brill's (Tailspin, 2018) premise is that a large portion of the blame for the current divisiveness in American politics and social discourse rests on the shoulders of social media. Because of the ubiquity of social media, because it is so efficient at promulgating disinformation and hostility, and because so many people wrap themselves in the resultant echo chambers, it becomes far too easy to be swept up by conspiracy theories or outright lies. Brill goes to great lengths to provide verifiable evidence of this phenomenon, as well as its consequences. Having identified the problem, Brill then offers a number of approaches to deal with it. Many of these proposed solutions would prove highly controversial, as they would entail drastically ramping up regulation and enforcement on the federal level. Clearly this would not sit well with those--particularly the social media operators--who want to keep the Internet as free from governmental interference as possible. But Brill makes a cogent case. Those with a vested interest in the social media landscape and its impact on society will find Brill's argument compelling.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2024

With the rise of the internet, social media, and generative artificial intelligence, many people have been losing trust in traditional media and institutions. But they're turning to insular sources rife with misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories. NewsGuard cofounder/co-CEO Brill (Tailspin) theorizes that technology and Silicon Valley execs are, in part, driving this division and overtaking the American political and cultural landscape by coding insidious algorithms that generate large amounts of information--often questionable, contentious, and just plain false--at a rapid pace. He argues that doing this garners more clicks and views, which, in turn, increases advertising revenue. There's no government oversight to combat the false information found on many social media platforms either. Brill says the way the laws are currently written actually prevents companies from being held accountable. He calls for legislative and citizen-driven remedies. The book includes a chapter plugging the author's paid service that rates online news and information sites, which may be off-putting to readers looking for standard vetting criteria. VERDICT A sound and valuable thesis with many insights for readers interested in improving information literacy and returning to a pre-fake news era.--Donna Marie Smith

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