The Curiously Selective Curation of 'Disinformation'
THE ACTORS: Who's in the Hot Seat, and Who's Not? The original article focuses on 'trolls and bots' recycling old footage to influence opinions. While true that this is a tactic, the piece curiously omits any mention of state actors or well-funded influence networks engaging in similar, if not identical, practices. Missing from the DW exposé are groups like the Canary Mission (established 2015),
which compiles dossiers on pro-Palestinian activists, often using decontextualized social media posts to damage their careers. THE FUNDING: Who Pays for the 'Truth'? Deutsche Welle itself receives significant funding from the German federal budget – over €340 million in 2021 (Deutsche Welle Annual Report, 2021). Germany remains one of Israel's staunchest allies, providing substantial military aid,
including submarines (SIPRI, 2023). This financial pipeline raises an awkward question: Does the pursuit of 'truth' extend to scrutinizing those aligning with the funder's geopolitical interests? Apparently not, if past patterns are any indication. THE INCENTIVES: Why This, Why Now? The incentive for this particular 'fact-check' seems to be to frame 'disinformation' as a grassroots, often foreign
problem, rather than a systemic issue frequently emanating from state-sponsored entities or powerful lobbying groups. By focusing on anonymous 'trolls,' the article conveniently diverts attention from coordinated influence campaigns by government-aligned groups that strategically recycle narratives – if not always videos – to shape public opinion and policy outcomes. For instance, the decades-long