Business

US puts ‘disinformation board’ on hold — Analysis

The government’s Disinformation Governance Board has reportedly been paused after a tide of online criticism

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has “paused” its Disinformation Governance Board, the Washington Post claimed in a story published on Wednesday. This decision was attributed to online. “right-wing attacks”Nina Jankowicz was appointed as its head, and she has resigned from government.

The following is an extract from the PostJankowicz wrote her resignation on Tuesday morning. However, Jankowicz was invited to join a conference call Tuesday evening to offer to continue in some capacity. 

While the DHS working group are being investigated by the Homeland Security Advisory Council, it is currently examining whether the board should be shut down entirely. “focused on mis-, dis- and mal-information have been suspended,”According to the Post

Jankowicz resigned after the article was published. A spokesperson released a statement. “I have decided to leave DHS to return to my work in the public sphere,” she wrote, noting that the board’s work has been “paused and its future uncertain.”

“It is deeply disappointing that mischaracterizations of the Board became a distraction from the Department’s vital work, and indeed, along with recent events globally and nationally, embodies why it is necessary,” Jankowicz added.

Official comments by the DHS have not been made about the current status of the board. According to a Post statement, the board’s status was not clarified. “Jankowicz has been subjected to unjustified and vile personal attacks and physical threats.”

Taylor Lorenz is the author of most of this story. She calls it “What she Calls” “coordinated online attacks”Jankowicz is adamant that they were led by “far-right influencer”Jack Posobiec is the editor for Human Events.

Jankowicz announced the board’s creation and her role in it on April 27. It did not take long for  critics to bring up her own online history, from Democrat activism and involvement in “Russiagate” to efforts to censor the – true – New York Post story about Hunter Biden’s laptop as a fake “Russian influence op.”

US government defends 'Ministry of Truth'

Alejandro Mayorkas (DHS Secretary) has however defended Jankowicz “eminently qualified”And a “renowned expert in the field of disinformation,”He also said that he didn’t question her objectivity.

Jankowicz, 33, has previously worked for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – the Post uses a 2019 photo taken at his campaign headquarters as the cover for its article – as well as the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and the US National Democratic Institute, where she ran the Russia and Belarus programs. 

The board’s purpose had been “grossly mischaracterized,”According to a spokesperson from the department, it was not intended as police speech. “Quite the opposite, its focus is to ensure that freedom of speech is protected.”

Lorenz, however, was informed by DHS and congressional employees anonymously that Jankowicz was. “set up to fail”Biden Administration, which was “unsure of its messaging” “unprepared”To counter online criticisms of her



[ad_2]

Tags

Related Articles

Back to top button