Combating Russia’s Propaganda Machine

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/opinion/combating-russias-propaganda-machine.html

Version 0 of 1.

To the Editor:

“Russia’s Powerful Weapon to Hurt Rivals: Falsehoods” (front page, Aug. 29) captures the greatest danger of Russia’s current use of disinformation: It seeks to erase the line between propaganda and news.

Through my work with technology companies, academics, journalists, policy makers and activists, I have seen how Russian-sponsored false “news” stories have increased support for fringe parties and xenophobic movements. They’ve also spawned intolerance and a global trend critical of international law and human rights standards.

The United States can do more to combat this trend. We need to investigate and make public the funding streams that link Russia to xenophobic and nationalist political parties, seemingly objective foundations, media sources and “news” outlets. But our best weapon in the war against hate is our embrace of diversity and free speech. Let’s use it.

MELISSA HOOPER

New York

The writer is a director at Human Rights First.