this post was submitted on 15 Mar 2025
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Leopards Ate My Face

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[–] smayonak@lemmy.world 18 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

They were tricked by a propaganda machine. They may have been willing participants but had they known everything they never would have voted against their own interests. Yet every country in the western hemisphere, South America, Africa, Asia, and well everywhere doesn't have anti propaganda laws. If you're rich you can buy influence in any neo liberal country. Why is that?

[–] RedAggroBest@lemmy.world 16 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

How do you construct anti-propaganda laws that can't be used by bad actors to silence dissent? Genuine question if you have an answer but I don't think anyone actually does. The only actual counter to propaganda is quality education, which is where the US has been failing dramatically.

[–] smayonak@lemmy.world 3 points 11 hours ago

So far all anti propaganda laws were passed in totalitarian states to suppress dissidents. But I think a good start would be to look at pre-existing limitations on free speech. Can you shout "fire" in a crowded theater just for funsies? No? Then we've already got a public safety caveat in our right to free speech. So you can't say something that will kill people IF IT IS A LIE. There are also time place and manner restrictions on free speech. So we agree there is a time and place where you can criticize the state. So we sort of believe that during public emergencies, such as during a pandemic, you cannot spread lies about the pandemic.

There are ways to prove lies.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 5 points 18 hours ago

You have to target entities that knowingly lie and portray themselves as serious. Anti fraud laws with teeth.