Social Panic – Page 32 – Opinion: Factfulness on propaganda, media, social media and privacy

Facebook and IG could have to shut down European operations

February 6, 2022 Edward S

Meta (parent of FB and IG) lost one quarter of its market value last week. This occurred because of significant risks to FB’s core business model – which is surveillance of users to build dossiers used for advertising and marketing purposes. FB no longer has control over the collection of data – as Apple, Google/Android have restricted data collection via apps, and as Europe’s data privacy regulations restrict data. This has long term strategic implications for Meta’s business model. The company noted this in its financial report, hinting that at worst case, it might have to shut FB and IG in Europe.

Manipulating you with charts!

January 28, 2022 Edward S

The White House releases a chart on economic growth that has a highly unusual Y-Axis. You may have to look closely to see the problem.

UK government used propaganda based on fear to control the public

January 13, 2022 Edward S

The UK government is accused of deliberately using scare tactics to force the population into compliance with its public health Orders and mandates (which they elite themselves ignore). Fear is one of the most powerful of propaganda motivators and has long been a tool of tyrants.

Click bait headline generators

January 12, 2022 Edward S

Great example of stupid click-bait fake news services.

Danish newspaper says they failed in coverage of Covid-19

January 12, 2022 Edward S

One of the largest papers in Denmark says they failed their readers by only publishing official government statements about Covid, without due skepticism and questioning.

Media notices public health’s messaging has been a mess

January 8, 2022 Edward S

Public health communications is described as inconsistent, contradictory, confusing and incoherent. Since assuming her role, Walensky has worked to improve her internal communications and sought to cultivate a better messaging approach, according to officials. Yet there remains dissatisfaction among both administration aides and outside public health experts in some of the ways the CDC has communicated its decisions as the pandemic enters what officials view as a new phase. Source: CDC director turns to media consultant as Covid-19 messaging frustrations…

National Geographic spent decades as a racist reporter of life – and that is their own conclusion

December 19, 2021 Edward S

Read the story on my Travel blog: National Geographic spent decades as a racist reporter of life – and that is their own conclusion – Coldstreams Travel and Global Thinking

Public health pandemic communications has been a disaster

December 14, 2021 Edward MS

A public communications expert critiques the public health communication during the pandemic – and finds it to have been a total failure, and along the way, destroying trust and credibility in public health. The long-term consequence is few believe public health, with good reasons. This is not how it should have been done.

Quote by H.L. Mencken: “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep …”

December 7, 2021 Edward MS

“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary.”

How NOT to use a chart to make a point

December 3, 2021 Edward S

How to embarrass yourself – with a chart. DCCC sent this out saying “Thank you Joe Biden” – for a 2 cent or 1/2 % decrease in prices after a massive run up in prices. This is basically cherry picking the Y-Axis to make it look like there was a large drop. Chart mutilation is a common method of propaganda.