Weaponized

Weaponized dissects information warfare, focusing on disinformation, the technology used to spread it, and its implications for democracy. It addresses the roles of states, social media platforms, and influential figures in amplifying false narratives, conspiracy theories, and echo chambers that fuel extremism, political violence, and national security concerns.

Disinformation Campaigns Social Media and Technology Political Extremism National Security Information Warfare Conspiracy Theories Democratic Processes Election Interference

The hottest Substack posts of Weaponized

And their main takeaways

Measles is making a comeback thanks to anti-vaccine misinformation

17 implied HN points • 17 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Vaccination Public Health Misinformation Disease Prevention
  1. Measles cases are rising in the US due to anti-vaccine misinformation, with outbreaks reported in various states
  2. Misinformation contributes to declining vaccination rates and has led to a resurgence of measles outbreaks
  3. Vaccination coverage above 95% is crucial to prevent measles outbreaks due to the highly contagious nature of the virus

America's fractured reality is fueling political violence

37 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Violence Polarization Extremism Conspiracy Theories Civil War
  1. Political violence in the US is increasing and becoming more targeted and high-impact.
  2. There is a significant rise in political violence by right-wing extremists with a focus on harming people.
  3. Belief in conspiracy theories and loss of faith in democratic processes are fueling the acceptance of violence as a means to achieve political goals.

How to Succeed on Elon Musk’s Twitter

35 implied HN points • 30 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Social media Ethics Satire
  1. To succeed on Elon Musk's Twitter, please The Algorithm by sharing divisive and controversial content.
  2. Engage with allies who share your views, and start fights with those who express opposing or neutral opinions.
  3. Speak for others, twist narratives, and go to extreme lengths to maximize engagement and attention.

Why vaccine misinformation is winning the information war

5 HN points • 17 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Misinformation Vaccines Communication Trust Social Science
  1. Misinformation about vaccines is spreading faster than efforts to debunk it, limiting the impact of accurate information campaigns.
  2. Addressing vaccine misinformation needs to consider the complex reasons why people fall for it, such as political beliefs or past mistreatment by authorities.
  3. Combatting vaccine misinformation requires more than just sharing facts, it's crucial to understand the root causes of hesitancy and engage with empathy and trust.
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Russia amplifies right-wing influence campaign to undermine support for Ukraine by exploiting Hawaii's tragedy

74 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
🌍 World Politics Disinformation Russian Influence Propaganda
  1. Russia is utilizing right-wing influence campaigns to undermine support for Ukraine by exploiting Hawaii's tragedy
  2. The initial narrative was spread through repetition, reuse of existing content, and timing of tweets, indicating coordination and inauthentic activity
  3. Russian state media such as RT and Sputnik have amplified the narrative, showcasing the link between Russian state media and intelligence in spreading disinformation

Russia amplifies calls for civil war in the U.S.

10 HN points • 03 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign influence Disinformation Election interference Immigration
  1. Russia is amplifying calls for civil war in the U.S. by promoting inflammatory articles and tweets about border disputes.
  2. Russia has a history of using immigration issues to sow divisions and destabilize democratic processes, part of their hybrid warfare strategy.
  3. Russian state propaganda outlets like RT and Sputnik are engaged in a possible disinformation campaign to polarize public opinion and exacerbate tensions in the U.S., especially in the lead-up to the upcoming presidential election.

The Anatomy of a Viral Tweet: Rage Farming Edition

28 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Social media Racism Viral Content
  1. Social media platforms are being exploited by bad actors for monetizing hate through tactics like rage farming.
  2. Rage farming involves posting provocative content to stoke outrage, often among political adversaries, and is prevalent on major social media sites.
  3. Engaging with outrage content online, even negatively, fuels further spread and monetization of that content through algorithmic amplification.

I have some questions for Elon Musk

42 implied HN points • 17 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Tech Journalism Social media Misinformation Government funding
  1. Elon Musk needs to take responsibility for his decisions, especially if he associates with controversial figures.
  2. Proper interviews with Elon Musk should provide challenging questions about his platform management, decision-making, and claims.
  3. Elon Musk should be held accountable for actions such as re-platforming neo-Nazis and dismantling Twitter's verification system.

'Declaration of War': Right-wing calls for violence are coming from the mainstream

35 implied HN points • 11 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Political violence
  1. Mainstream right-wing figures are promoting violence and incendiary rhetoric, not just fringe groups.
  2. Specific calls for violence and war, even including time and location details, are being made by prominent political figures on social media.
  3. Acceptance of violence among political elites, dissemination of conspiracies, and lack of resources in addressing domestic terrorism pose a serious threat to American democracy and public safety.

Elon Musk allows domestic extremists back on Twitter, fueling national security concerns

34 implied HN points • 04 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Extremism Social media Hate Speech National Security Free speech
  1. Elon Musk's decisions on Twitter are fueling national security concerns by allowing domestic extremists back on the platform.
  2. Under Musk's leadership, hate speech on Twitter has increased, with reinstatements of accounts linked to violent extremist movements.
  3. The rise in hate speech on Twitter is also attributed to algorithmic amplification, posing a serious national security threat that needs attention.

Violent extremism in America is a far-right phenomenon

48 implied HN points • 28 Nov 22
  1. Violent extremism in America is primarily a far-right phenomenon.
  2. Data consistently shows that right-wing extremists are responsible for the majority of extremist-related violence in the U.S.
  3. The focus on 'antifa' as a significant threat is often a distraction from the real and growing danger posed by far-right extremism.

Russian propaganda outlets promote presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

23 implied HN points • 09 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Propaganda Presidential Candidate Conspiracy Theories Media influence
  1. Russian propaganda outlets heavily promote US presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., raising concerns about potential election interference.
  2. Russian state media articles focus on themes like censorship, anti-vaccine sentiment, and criticism of the US, aligning with Kennedy's views.
  3. Kennedy's ties to Russian state media, promotion of conspiracy theories, and alignment with Kremlin propaganda pose potential national security threats if he participates in the US electoral process.

Twitter exec says 'hundreds of thousands' of Russian disinformation accounts still active on Twitter

27 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Democracy Disinformation Foreign influence Information Warfare National Security
  1. Former Twitter executive confirms 'hundreds of thousands' of Russian disinformation accounts remain active on Twitter.
  2. Russian disinformation accounts on Twitter target Americans in an ongoing campaign.
  3. Social media platforms face challenges in countering foreign influence and disinformation.

Colorado Springs Shooting Suspect Had History of Domestic Violence

26 implied HN points • 22 Nov 22
  1. Domestic violence is often overlooked as a warning sign for future mass violence
  2. Mass shooters frequently have a history of violent misogyny and domestic violence
  3. Media representations of domestic violence influence public perceptions and responses

Join my new subscriber chat

14 implied HN points • 07 Apr 23
🎭️ Culture Social media
  1. Join the new subscriber chat on weaponizedspaces.substack.com.
  2. The chat is a space for genuine conversations without censorship.
  3. Download the Substack app to join the chats and discussions.

Kremlin Twitter accounts get a boost thanks to Elon Musk

10 HN points • 15 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Russia Twitter Elon Musk Propaganda National Security
  1. Kremlin Twitter accounts are getting more followers and engagement due to Elon Musk's actions on Twitter.
  2. Musk lifted restrictions on Kremlin-linked accounts, boosting their visibility and pushing them into people's feeds.
  3. The decision by Musk to amplify Russian government accounts raises concerns of promoting propaganda and aiding autocratic regimes.

Coming soon

1 implied HN point • 04 May 22
  1. Caroline Orr Bueno has created a Substack called Weaponized Spaces.
  2. Stay tuned for updates and content from Weaponized Spaces.
  3. Subscribe to be guided through Weaponized Spaces.