My Encounter With the Fantasy-Industrial Complex
Online conspiracy theorists turned me into “CIA Renee.”
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Illustration by Paul Spella / The Atlantic. Source: Getty. The Twitter Files Are a Missed Opportunity
No one really knows what Elon Musk’s company is doing to free speech.
Joshua Lott / Getty Arizona’s ‘Tricky Voting Machines’ Sounds Suspiciously Familiar
In political conspiracy theories, as in television shows, the plot elements are always the same.
Shutterstock / The Atlantic Elon Musk Is Fighting for Attention, Not Free Speech
The social-media platform isn’t a public square. It’s a gladiatorial arena.
Adam Maida / The Atlantic The Ukraine Crisis Briefly Put America’s Culture War in Perspective
When something real happened, Americans found a way to pay attention.
Adam Maida / The Atlantic; Getty It’s Not Misinformation. It’s Amplified Propaganda.
You don’t need fake accounts to spread ampliganda online. Real people will happily do it.
Getty; The Atlantic Institutional Authority Has Vanished. Wikipedia Points to the Answer.
The crowdsourced reference site can teach the CDC how to communicate in an era of rumors and shifting information.
The Atlantic The Anti-Vaccine Influencers Who Are Merely Asking Questions
Institutional experts haven’t adapted to today’s media ecosystem. Other commentators are filling the gap.
Adam Maida / The Atlantic / Getty The Misinformation Campaign Was Distinctly One-Sided
In 2020, false propaganda about voting came almost exclusively from the right, putting tech companies in a bind.
Getty / Adam Maida / The Atlantic Anti-vaxxers Think This Is Their Moment
Society’s well-being depends on how well public-health officials and average internet users combat misinformation.
Getty / The Atlantic
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