Combating Artificial Narratives in Social Media Related To The Sanders Candidacy

In this election cycle we are seeing unprecedented levels of inauthentic behavior in social media.  This is a key tool in manipulating public opinion; the use of social pressure.  By creating the artificial appearance of social approval of the opinions selected by the propagandist, the unethical actor can readily manipulate the public into repeating them and thus doing the heavy lifting of the propagandist for them.

Example:  Create multiple social media pages, groups, and other resources that appear on the surface to support Sanders or at least a substantial part of his platform.  For instance you might name your group “[Insert Social Group] For Sanders 2020,” where any defined group can be used – Christians, Muslims, Blacks, Whites, Teachers, Utahns, Californians, Progressive, Liberals, Democrats.

One of the things this technique accomplishes immediately is to create artificial attractions to Sanders’ base that are readily confused with authentic “organic” groups.  This has the added benefit of “teaching a lesson” to grassroots organizers that they’ll be outwitted, flanked, and have their own tactics used against them at every possible turn, which accomplishes some discouragement.

Rather than try to conduct a collegiate-level examination of the fine points of disinformation, let’s go ahead and dig in to the meat of the matter:  what do these false narratives look like, how do I identify them, and how do I counter them?

Identifying Inauthentic Behavior

One of the most subtle and complex techniques that has emerged in the last two-four years in the American political landscape is the “seeding” of inauthentic narratives in such a way that they play on the fears of “soft” Sanders supporters – those who perhaps believe in his message or ideological goals but are afraid they won’t gain public approval, or that he’ll be hamstrung by an uncooperative Congress once he’s in office.

For this reason, we can only take the default behavioral path of treating anyone posting disinformation or misinformation as authentic, at least initially.  So start out by giving the benefit of the doubt that the argument being put forth is sincerely held, and deal with it on that level first.

Inauthentic actors will double down on assertions and arguments that are readily disproven by fact or valid reasoning.  The more they cling to their position in the face of contradictory facts and reason, the more likely it is that you’re dealing with an inauthentic actor.

There simply is no iron-clad way to identify a fake, troll, or poser on sight.  You have to treat them as though they’re 100% real in every initial exchange.  Most of them will reveal themselves as fake or inauthentic in the course of a short conversation, if you watch carefully.