May 18, 2022, 16:06 pm
The Biden administration has “paused” its controversial plans to create a Disinformation Board, causing its would-be leader to resign.
In a statement Wednesday, Nina Jankowicz, the “disinformation expert” tapped to head the panel, said that “[w]ith the Board’s work paused and its future uncertain, and [sic] I have decided to leave DHS [the Department of Homeland Security] to return to my work in the public sphere.” Jankowicz’s departure and the decision to scrap the board was first reported by the Washington Post.
The board had been the subject of weeks of backlash from Republicans, libertarians and even some liberals, who likened the scheme to the Ministry of Truth from George Orwell’s classic novel “1984.”
The Biden administration had quietly announced the creation of the board last month, saying it was meant to fight the spread of “disinformation” spread by agents of Russia, China and Iran that “can affect border security, Americans’ safety during disasters, and public trust in our democratic institutions.” Amid the backlash, DHS insisted that the board “does not have any operational authority or capability,” and was meant to preserve rather than limit free speech.
A DHS spokesperson insisted the Board was “grossly and intentionally mischaracterized,” telling The Post: “It was never about censorship or policing speech in any manner. It was designed to ensure we fulfill our mission to protect the homeland, while protecting core Constitutional rights. However, false attacks have become a significant distraction from the Department’s vitally important work to combat disinformation that threatens the safety and security of the American people.”
However, Jankowicz’s idea of standing up for the First Amendment included letting “verified” Twitter users “edit” other users’ tweets if the blue-checked chosen think they’re misleading.
The misinformation maven was also ripped for a bizarre TikTok performance from February 2021 in which she altered the lyrics to the “Mary Poppins” song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” to be about fake news.
“Information laundering is really quite ferocious. It’s when a huckster takes some lies and makes them sound precocious, by saying them in Congress or a mainstream outlet, so disinformation’s origins are slightly less atrocious,” she sang in the cringeworthy video.
In order to “help instill trust” in the Department’s work, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has asked former DHSSecretary Michael Chertoff and former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick “to lead a thorough review and assessment, conducted through the bipartisan Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC),” the DHS spokesperson told The Post.
“The Secretary has requested the HSAC’s final recommendations within 75 days. During the HSAC’s review, the Board will not convene and its work will be paused, but the Department’s critical work across several administrations to address disinformation that threatens the security of our country will continue,” the spokesperson said.
https://nypost.com/2022/05/18/biden-admi...rd-report/
In a statement Wednesday, Nina Jankowicz, the “disinformation expert” tapped to head the panel, said that “[w]ith the Board’s work paused and its future uncertain, and [sic] I have decided to leave DHS [the Department of Homeland Security] to return to my work in the public sphere.” Jankowicz’s departure and the decision to scrap the board was first reported by the Washington Post.
The board had been the subject of weeks of backlash from Republicans, libertarians and even some liberals, who likened the scheme to the Ministry of Truth from George Orwell’s classic novel “1984.”
The Biden administration had quietly announced the creation of the board last month, saying it was meant to fight the spread of “disinformation” spread by agents of Russia, China and Iran that “can affect border security, Americans’ safety during disasters, and public trust in our democratic institutions.” Amid the backlash, DHS insisted that the board “does not have any operational authority or capability,” and was meant to preserve rather than limit free speech.
A DHS spokesperson insisted the Board was “grossly and intentionally mischaracterized,” telling The Post: “It was never about censorship or policing speech in any manner. It was designed to ensure we fulfill our mission to protect the homeland, while protecting core Constitutional rights. However, false attacks have become a significant distraction from the Department’s vitally important work to combat disinformation that threatens the safety and security of the American people.”
However, Jankowicz’s idea of standing up for the First Amendment included letting “verified” Twitter users “edit” other users’ tweets if the blue-checked chosen think they’re misleading.
The misinformation maven was also ripped for a bizarre TikTok performance from February 2021 in which she altered the lyrics to the “Mary Poppins” song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” to be about fake news.
“Information laundering is really quite ferocious. It’s when a huckster takes some lies and makes them sound precocious, by saying them in Congress or a mainstream outlet, so disinformation’s origins are slightly less atrocious,” she sang in the cringeworthy video.
In order to “help instill trust” in the Department’s work, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has asked former DHSSecretary Michael Chertoff and former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick “to lead a thorough review and assessment, conducted through the bipartisan Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC),” the DHS spokesperson told The Post.
“The Secretary has requested the HSAC’s final recommendations within 75 days. During the HSAC’s review, the Board will not convene and its work will be paused, but the Department’s critical work across several administrations to address disinformation that threatens the security of our country will continue,” the spokesperson said.
https://nypost.com/2022/05/18/biden-admi...rd-report/