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Have you noticed that anything the Left---so-called progressives---disagree with is immediately labeled "misinformation?"
Last week Biden's Surgeon General formally requested that the major tech platforms submit information about the scale of COVID-19 misinformation on social networks, search engines, crowdsourced platforms, e-commerce platforms, and instant messaging systems.
While Putin invades Ukraine, Biden is invading freedom of speech and thought in America.
Be informed, not misled.
The government's Big Brother-style crusade is well underway, as they seek more and more control over what gets posted, and what does not.
What is believed by the public, and what is not believed by the public.
And it isn't just about Chinese COVID-19. It's about every part of our life, now including the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
What is Truth regarding Covid?
President Biden’s surgeon general on Thursday formally requested that the major tech platforms submit information about the scale of Covid-19 misinformation on social networks, search engines, crowdsourced platforms, e-commerce platforms, and instant messaging systems.
A request for information from the surgeon general’s office demanded that tech platforms send data and analysis on the prevalence of Covid-19 misinformation on their sites, starting with common examples of vaccine misinformation documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The notice asks the companies to submit “exactly how many users saw or may have been exposed to instances of Covid-19 misinformation,” as well as aggregate data on demographics that may have been disproportionately exposed to or affected by the misinformation.
The request follows on the heels of an advisory released last July in which Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said misinformation "can cause confusion, sow distrust, and undermine public health efforts, including our ongoing work to end the COVID-19 pandemic."
Murthy says the point of his quest for truth is his desire to flush out those engaged in the sale of "unproven Covid-19 products, services, and treatments."
The 22-page "advisory" linked above outlines in detail how "individuals, families, communities, educators, educational institutions, health professionals, health organizations, journalists, media organizations, tech platforms researchers, research institutions, funders, foundations, and government" can advance truth.
Douglas Blair, writing for the Daily Signal yesterday noted that the term "misinformation" has become "a bit of a catch-all in the COVID-19 era. It certainly can apply to actual untruths...but far more frequently the term is weaponized against ideas the powers-that-be don't like."
These activities, then, are for the common good.
Truth and the Wuhan lab.
Blair uses the example of the Wuhan lab and the origination of the virus.
When the virus was first identified, it was identified as the "Wuhan virus," because it was connected to "Wuhan China"---like all other viruses have been identified as their place of origin.
When people started suggesting the two were linked, the response from the health authorities and corporate media was instantaneous.
The hypothesis was blasted as a racist conspiracy and anyone who tried to disseminate it was quickly labeled a fringe kook, or censored entirely on social media.
In February 2020, Facebook banned an article from the New York Post claiming COVID-19 could have leaked from a lab.
Fast forward a year to Feb. 2021 and suddenly the lab leak was no longer misinformation worthy of exile from the internet. The same outlets, the same experts who had gone to great lengths to smear anyone who dared go against their medical decrees were suddenly advancing a "different and new truth."
This strategy is no longer limited to COVID.
As the pandemic dragged on, the government and big tech used the label "misinformation" to ban outlets or other ideas they disagreed with---or simply disliked.
And they have had great success with that strategy.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine is the new ground zero for "misinformation."
In fact, it's so pervasive, the University of Washington's "Center For An Informed Public" has published an article to guide and inform the public as to how they can escape the misinformation and stand in the light of truth.
They begin:
A rapidly unfolding conflict like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, like so many other crisis events, comes with considerable uncertainty. Rumors and misinformation, which feed off the “fog of war,” thrive on uncertainty.
On top of that, considering the history of this conflict and the countries involved — and in particular the “active measures” playbook of Russia — we can expect an effort to manipulate the “collective sensemaking” process for political purposes.
That includes strategically shaping the information space to Russia’s benefit — including using grey propaganda websites, inauthentic social media accounts, and “unwitting agents” to spread disinformation while confusing, deflecting, distracting, and demoralizing information consumers.
The article suggests, among other things, that the information consumers put all "news" in context by using the "S.I.F.T. method: Stop- Investigate the source- Find better coverage- Trace claims, quotes, and media to the original context."
Among their 13 bullet points, they instruct the reader to "Be wary of unfamiliar accounts."
There is some value in that.
But does that mean only trust known sources such as NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, etc?
University of Washington's last section in their article is titled, "Understanding Motivations."
About motivations.
Once censorship becomes a common strategy against perceived "misinformation," free speech is effectively dead. Don't like what your political opposition is saying? Label it as "misinformation," ban it, cancel them, and move on.
Don't like the biblical message a pastor is preaching from the pulpit---or elsewhere? Label it "racist" or "hate" speech and have him jailed, fined, and canceled.
Most censorious tyrants cloak their actions and words in the name of public safety, the greater good, or fairness, inclusion, or compassion.
But the secular political motive is always about influence and power.
Regarding "medical truth," Americans should be empowered, not censored by the government to discover the truth on their own, not mentally managed by the government.
About spiritual motivations.
A couple of things to keep in mind regarding the truth.
First, we must keep our mind on Christ who "is" the Truth.
Paul wrote in II Corinthians 11:3-4:
"But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted you may well put up with it."
Also, keep in mind that Satan is the great Deceiver.
Paul continued in verse 14: "And no marvel! For Satan, himself is transformed into an angel of light."
Secondly, we do not merely wrestle against flesh and blood.
In I John 4:2-4 the Bible says:
"Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it would come; and even now already is in the world."
And remember verse 4: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world."
You will know the Truth and He will make you free.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.