Obama mocked for initiative to stop ‘spread of disinformation’: ‘No way this will ever be abused’
'In recent years, we've seen how quickly disinformation spreads, especially on social media. This has created real challenges for our democracy,' Obama tweeted.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Critics tore into former President Barack Obama’s recent Twitter announcement that his foundation would be combating misinformation in a new initiative.
The former president posted his derided Twitter thread on Tuesday: "In recent years, we've seen how quickly disinformation spreads, especially on social media. This has created real challenges for our democracy," it began.
"Part of the reason it’s hard to bring about change is because we live in a media environment that elevates falsehoods as much as truths, and divides people as much as it brings them together."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The last bit of Obama’s thread announced that the Obama Foundation would be on the case. "Through the @ObamaFoundation, we’re working to empower and equip emerging leaders to tackle issues like the spread of disinformation," he concluded.
Commentators from journalist Glenn Greenwald to author Benjamin Weingarten pointed out the irony of a Democrat leader complaining about disinformation when the Hunter Biden laptop story was censored by Democrat-friendly social media companies and the Russia-collusion story was peddled by Obama’s Democrat allies and in the press for the last six years.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In response to one of Obama's tweets about disinformation, conservative writer Jeryl Bier tweeted a screenshot of a Politifact article which called Obama’s infamous healthcare line the "Lie of The Year."
Mocking Obama, Bier tweeted, "For instance, you might remember my infamous Lie of the Year, 'If you like your health care plan, you can keep it'."
Liberal journalist Glenn Greenwald rebuffed Obama’s tweet with a simple screenshot response. He posted a picture of a 2020 Politico article titled, "Hunter Biden story is Russian disinfo, dozens of former intel officials say." It’s since been proven that the Hunter Biden laptop story is real and not Russian "disinformation."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}GROWING NUMBER OF SENATE DEMOCRATS AND DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES BREAK WITH BIDEN OVER BORDER
Real Clear Investigations Editor Benjamin Weingarten asked about the Trump-Russia collusion story, tweeting, "Speaking of, what did you know about Russiagate, when did you know it, and what did you do about it?"
Former National Security Agency analyst John Schindler asked, "Why did you order the shutdown of the only office in the entire US Government that was devoted to combating and debunking Russian disinformation -- one year *before* Trump's election?"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Independent conservative journalist Jordan Schachtel tweeted that Obama’s post was "More dystopian clown world genre."
Conservative radio host Austin Petersen posted a sarcastic response to Obama’s tweet, saying, "I'm sure there's no way this will ever be abused and turn into a professional leftist activist organization meant to deplatform conservatives and libertarians."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dilbert creator Scott Adams tweeted his concerns about Obama’s new project. "I have questions. Does anyone involved in this foundation think it is legitimate? Do they know they are a propaganda tool by design? Do they believe their preferred news sources are real?" he asked.