Episode 8: The Disinformation War with Nina Jankowicz
Disinformation, or the sharing of false information with malign intent, can be found in almost every corner of the internet today. From state actors to individual trolls, information has been weaponized. Nina Jankowicz, an international expert on disinformation and online abuse and author of How to Lose the Information War, knows this all too well. She was appointed by the Biden administration to form the Disinformation Governance Board for the Department of Homeland Security to develop best-in-class guidance on how to combat disinformation. The purpose of this Board was not to censor, not to violate rights, but to better protect the US from disinformation campaigns, just as you would expect DHS to develop expert guidance for protecting the US from malware attacks and terrorism.
The Disinformation Governance Board
Things went wrong quickly. The Board was snatched up as a political weapon, partisans blatantly ignorant to what the Board’s mission actually was, they claimed that Jankowicz was the czar of the ‘Ministry of Truth,’ there to control your posts and minds. Fox News and others dug deep on the personal character of this public servant (and musical theatre fan), finding old content in which she sang about disinformation to the tunes of Mary Poppins and sharing it out of context to make Jankowicz appear unhinged. They pulled tweets, in which she mentioned the Steele dossier and Hunter Biden’s laptop respectively, claiming she was pushing the former and denying the latter- neither of which is true.
Her message in both tweets was for the American people to keep their eye on the ball. Focus on what matters- protecting ourselves online. Needless to say, or maybe it needs saying, Jankowicz had as much information as the rest of us about the dossier and the wayward laptop at that time. Like anyone looking back on photos of their teenage fashion choices or posts about hot issues of yesterday, we don’t know that she would make the same statements today. We can assume the news that emerged since those posts would certainly influence any revisions she might make.
This is an important point that frequently gets lost. Pulling tweets, clips, and posts from years ago and attempting to interpret them in today’s context isn’t fair. It doesn’t account for growth and change. From presidents’ claiming, ‘they did not inhale,’ to senators trying to rehabilitate their image after old footage surfaces them using common terminology they would never think to use today- if we’re really interested in the truth and not a political game, don’t we owe it to ourselves and our society to allow for growth?
We digress.
Oh, the irony.
You might think that the Biden administration tried to stand up for critical work protecting the safety of our nation. Yeah, you’d be wrong. With competing priorities, they opted to live to fight another day, failing to meaningfully defend the Board’s work or Jankowicz’ reputation as a pioneering leader in this active theatre of war. As an 8-month pregnant woman, receiving death threats and hate mail, skewered on national television and online for things she did not, and would never do- promote censorship, restrict free speech, she chose to resign.
The Disinformation Governance Board was disbanded and Jankowicz left public service, both victims of disinformation.
But it didn’t stop. She and her family were doxed. She was forced to secure a restraining order against individuals threatening her physical safety and that of her family. She was burned on the internet pyre as a traitor and, almost supernatural, demon. She became the face of everything to hate about the Biden administration- the administration that had failed to protect her, the administration she walked away from because they failed, some might argue equally dramatically, to keep their eye on the ball and combat the dangers of disinformation.
Who wins?
Let’s think about this. Removing an expert in disinformation, with a specialty in Eastern European disinformation activity, from her remit from DHS to advance the United States’ defenses against disinformation warfare- who exactly wins, here? Quite likely, a country and regime that rhymes with Zussia.
You might think the political agents using Jankowicz as political fodder also won. We’re on the fence about this- they may have won the battle, but they cheapened their profession and weakened their country with this move. It’s just hard to consider that winning.
We know the American people did not win. We are not safer. We remain uncoordinated facing highly coordinated attacks.
Jankowicz, likely doesn’t feel like she won. She was out of a job she spent her entire professional life earning. She doesn’t feel safe in her home. She worries about her family. Her entire life has been consumed because she was used as political fodder to achieve a downright stupid end. Disinformation and online harassment have changed her. But she continues to fight.
It may not feel like winning, but more people are talking about disinformation now than ever. There is a greater awareness in the public consciousness, a questioning of motives. Conversations about the invasion of Ukraine regularly address Russian disinformation tactics and attempts. Disinformation is a key topic as the next election season kicks off. This is small consolation for requiring personal security and restraining orders with a newborn on your hip. But more people are listening.
There is also a growing understanding that disinformation comes from all sides- this isn’t about the right and the left. They both failed this particular test, but both have been caught with their hands in the disinformation cookie jar. So, what should we do?
Let’s keep our eye on the ball and combat disinformation rather than each other. Let’s seek to understand before we react. As a public, let’s respond loudly and angrily to any attempts at disinformation that we uncover- regardless of origins or agendas. This is a war. We are kidding ourselves to think of it any other way.
Want to fight disinformation? Consider contributing to Jankowicz’ legal fund. She is taking a stand against weaponized falsehood, against organizations looking to profit from outrage instead of upholding their duties as the US’ version of the fourth estate.
