Newsweek Discovers 'Meme Warriors,' Forgets Its Own History of Propaganda
📰 THE STORY: Newsweek explores the White House's engagement with social media influencers and 'meme warriors,' portraying it as a potentially naive or even dangerous foray into online culture, especially among youth, and discussing concerns around misinformation and 'deepfakes.' 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The U.S. government's relationship with media manipulation is as
old as modern media itself. Operation Mockingbird in the 1970s exposed long-standing CIA efforts to influence foreign and domestic news outlets. More recently, the Pentagon pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into public relations firms during the Iraq War, according to a 2008 GAO report. This isn't newfound 'meme warfare'; it's a centuries-old playbook updated for new platforms. Double
Standard: Newsweek frames White House 'meme' use as a concerning novelty, yet rarely applies the same scrutiny to vast, opaque influence operations by allied governments or corporate interests. The Israeli government's 'hasbara' efforts, deeply integrated into social media and often targeting youth, are frequently given a pass or even amplified by mainstream outlets, rather than deconstructed.
They're worried about Biden using TikTok, not about the systemic online campaigns of powers like the Netanyahu government. Follow the Money: The concern over 'misinformation' often aligns conveniently with calls to restrict platforms that allow dissenting voices or expose inconvenient truths. Recall the push for TikTok bans, often framed as national security risks, which conveniently stifles a