Imagine leading an organization that doesn’t have a consistent definition for the term it was founded to police, like being a sheriff who can’t define what a crime is. This was precisely the case with former director of the now defunct Disinformation Governance Board (DGB), Nina Jankowicz. At a recent testimony, she revealed that even President Joe Biden’s disinformation policing unit lacks an understanding of disinformation.
This shocking realization came to light when Rep. Jim Jordan’s House Judiciary Committee released the transcript of Jankowicz’s testimony. She struggled to provide a clear-cut definition of disinformation, something that should have been paramount in her position as head of the DGB. Although the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), a sub-department of Homeland Security, lays down a vague definition for disinformation, not all definitions across different entities align.
Jankowicz referred to the CISA’s definition as overbroad. She further expounded that effectively addressing the issue requires a unified interpretation of what disinformation is. Here’s an interesting nugget of information, Jordan suggests that the CISA simply labels anything it deems wrong or unacceptable as “disinformation.”
Jankowicz also downplayed the role of the DGB, portraying it as an entity with mere advisory powers and no means to act as the universal truth-bearer. This is a curious position considering that leaked documentation from Twitter and Facebook highlighted the government’s “suggestions” as being far from optional. Sen. Josh Hawley has put forth that the DGB was working in cahoots with social media platforms, contrary to what Jankowicz claims.
The former DGB director is not new to the world of information management. However, her allegiance has often leaned towards silencing voices and promoting organizations that serve as self-appointed truth tellers. Her endorsement of Twitter’s fact-checking and content demoting initiative “Bird Watch” came under sharp criticism in 2022.
Now she leads The American Sunlight Project, an operation aiming to disprove allegations against the government. It attempts to debunk claims of the government overseeing extensive censorship in coordination with social media platforms and academic institutions.
For conservatives, the game has changed. We need to insist on holding Big Tech accountable. Transparency, clarity on so-called hate speech, and preserving an unbiased platform for both liberals and conservatives are non-negotiable. Connect with your representatives today and demand these rights. And if you’re a victim of censorship, reach out to us through MRC Free Speech America’s contact form. Let’s turn up the heat on bias in media and hold Big Tech’s feet to the fire.
