Media
Propaganda-Target Angela Merkel
In Germany, it is, finally, discussed the topic of disinformation on the Internet increased. In a specific example, Ingo man, the devil, and Naser Shrouf show how something works.
In the Internet Propaganda and disinformation are lurking, likely to be as common place now known. But for many, it is not clear how such disinformation campaigns work, and how quickly everyone in the misled. Who wants to inform himself in Germany, for example, at the end of the important Muslim fasting month, as Angela Merkel is, for Ramadan, could enter in Google the words “Angela Merkel Ramadan”.
Disinformation only a click away
On the first page of the search results is a Link to a message with the Heading “tax exemption due to Ramadan finds himself quite far forward?”. This message comes from a German-speaking Website with the title “Politically Incorrect”, which positioned itself as a News-Medium “against the Mainstream” and, thus, the tightening is expected, with the refugee policy of the German government unhappy. That the site in the broadest sense, has supported the actions of the Islam-critical Pegida movement and its regional offshoots, is a look at the Online Banner. Who exactly is behind the Website, you can not say clearly. The proximity of the site to Islam’s enemy, right-wing populist and right-wing extremist currents, but it is unmistakable.
The reader learns in this short message, that Angela Merkel, on 4. June, “the restaurant owner of a tax” exempt, “in order for the Muslims during Ramadan, cheaper food could be offered”. This actually already abstruse message falls on many readers of the site, apparently, on fertile ground: In the User-comments there is a barrage of criticism and insults against Angela Merkel and the refugee policy of the Federal government. The disinformation campaign intended image of a supposedly much to the generous refugee policy of the Federal government and, in particular, the Chancellor finds in the eyes of the readers of this Website, apparently, “re -” acknowledgement. Thus, the misinformation was successful.
Because of the alleged “tax relief” is nothing of Truth in it. Such a regulation before, during, or after Ramadan it has been given by the Federal government, or even personally by the Chancellor, never.
Disinformation is white washed
Interesting is the question of how this message is created and how the dissemination took place. Because even the anonymous authors of the German Website have guessed that this story can’t be true. You write, therefore, wisely: “To what taxes it is decidedly, is not reported, further details are missing in the report. Actually, it is hard to imagine that a German Chancellor for a particular group gives on his own authority special rights.” And then you continue in the conspiracy theoretical style: “Actually. As Merkel has, however, in their desire to get – and the new residents themselves wonderfully about the basic law set, you have to trust your well-being is also of such a measure. We reflect the message so here with caution and restraint.”
In order to make the story credible, and it is linked to Politically-Incorrect on a report from the English Website, Morocco world news, and refers to the Arabic Website of the Russian state channel RT (Russia Today). Instead of checking the authenticity of the message prior to publication, as it is the journalistic duty of care requires absolute, or following the publication of a hoax to admit a mistake, hiding the site from Politically-Incorrect reporting of the Russian state channel Russia Today in Arabic.
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Now the Arab news of Russia Today is the most German Internet users are not in the language immediately accessible. But even for those who take the trouble to Google Translate for an approximate Translation of RT-message, it must find that also RT Arabic does not specify a primary source for the news, but the Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh, calls, close to the Saudi Royal house.
It should be true skeptical that a Saudi newspaper about the German tax notice know questions supposedly better than the German media. But anyone who makes the effort to browse the Arabic Website of Al-Riyadh, you must also find after prolonged Effort, that there is this message about the alleged tax exemption on the site.
Double Disinformation Campaign
As a starting point, the lies of history must be considered, therefore, the Arabic Website of the Russian state broadcaster RT. The goal of this disinformation campaign in both the Arabic reader, as also in a roundabout way, German Internet Users are, in the end. Arab readers will mistakenly give the impression that Germany was overly generous to Muslims, resulting in the escape of willingness to be more promoted. And at the same time, be incited with the same lies, the history of the Islam-critical German against the German Chancellor.
The likely calculus behind this disinformation strategy: Should the overthrow of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, about the refugee crisis, Germany would be weakened in Europe. And, in particular, would receive cohesion in the EU for the sanctions against the Kremlin strong cracks.
The example shows perfectly how Propaganda and disinformation work: in this case untrue, but in other cases, half-true or highly distorted Information unit between Websites of different game types and languages, “white washed” to the actual “source” for the news from the field of view.
At the German End-User, the disinformation message is then with reference to the supposedly credible “international” media. Who is the idea of not appending, the leading German private and public service media to tell the truth, is likely to even see a confirmation in the fact that only the abstruse story of an alleged exemption from tax in the Lord of the manor by the Chancellor mention.
But in the end, no one should be lulled into security, that he can not fall to such a disinformation campaign in. Reminder: The message was just a click away from the Top 10 search results of Germany’s most used search engine Google. It is the rushes, and there remains wisdom: information and its sources need to be critically questioned.