Understanding the Repeal of the Smith-Mundt Act: What It Means for Propaganda
In 2012, the Obama administration repealed protections in the 1948 Smith-Mundt Act to allow for both U.S. government and Foreign government produced propaganda to be disseminated domestically. Coupled with the 2017 NDAA, which allocated about 60 million in funding for domestic propaganda efforts, this raises important questions about information integrity and media trust.
What is the Smith-Mundt Act?
Originally passed in 1948, the act was designed to prevent domestic dissemination of foreign propaganda. Its repeal means false information and hoaxes in government communications can now reach American citizens directly.
The 2017 NDAA and Propaganda Funding
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2017 included provisions that permit the use of government resources to promote messages domestically. This funding can be used to shape public perception and influence opinions.
Why Does This Matter?
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Transparency: Increased government messaging can blur the lines between information and propaganda.
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Trust Issues: As citizens, we must critically evaluate the sources of our news often purposefully hidden from citizens. Today nothing in main stream media or government news releases can be trusted to be true!
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Empowerment: Stay informed and seek multiple perspectives to understand the narrative.
Join the Conversation!
What are your thoughts on these developments? How do you think they will impact our access to truthful information? Let’s discuss in the comments!
We need to enforce and expand the law 18 U.S. Code § 1038 - False information and hoaxes.
#SmithMundtAct #2017NDAA #Propaganda #MediaLiteracy #CriticalThinking #InformationIntegrity