This is a sort of spinoff from my most recent draft (which is now scrapped), "Combating Misinformation About Autism", now focusing on fighting misinformation, or more specifically, disinformation, in general. This is a heavy WIP, and I am looking forward to some (constructive and friendly) criticism to really make this draft the best it can be. Please, share any suggestions you have, this really needs feedback.
UPDATE: I really think this draft has gone a long way from the first draft thanks to all the help I've gotten. The definitions are now clear and concise, the language professional, and the purpose clear. If all goes well, I will start campaigning on June 1 and submitting on June 5. If anyone has any spare stamps, please send me a TG so we can make this known and approved. Thank you.
FINAL UPDATE: It has been submitted!
Combating Disinformation in Society
Category: Political Stability
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: The Orwell Society
Co-author: -none yet-
The World Assembly,
Discontent at the amount of harmful disinformation on a variety of topics that some member state's societies produce and distribute on a daily basis;
Knowing that said disinformation can be very harmful to society if believed to be true by a large part of the populace;
Determined to stop the spreading of injurious lies with the power of international law from this very Assembly.
Hereby defines for the purpose of this resolution:
- "Disinformation," similar to misinformation, as false, unproven, and/or inaccurate information intentionally produced and distributed. In this resolution, all disinformation mentioned is that of harmful effect. The promoting of harmful disinformation can be defined as:
- a statement made by a person or group of people; that is
- falsely represented and stated to be a true fact;
- with the knowledge, from the person/people who made the statement, that the statement is factually untrue; and/or
- stated with a purposeful and reckless disregard for the statement's falsity; and
- is likely to cause harm to individuals specifically holding an arbitrary or reductive characteristic; and/or
- is intended to harm the reputation and/or wellbeing of any persons or nation.
- Note that all disinformation in this resolution is harmful on a international scale, i.e. harmful to a significant portion of a member state's populace.
Hereby enacts the following:
- The establishment of the Forthright Association for Circulating Truth (shortened to FACT) to provide each memberstate with a force actively fighting against harmful disinformation.
- FACT will monitor leading sources of suspicious, unreliable, and/or outright misleading information that is widely believed as true.
- FACT will not interfere in anything directly relating to or affecting one's religous beliefs.
- FACT will locate the sources of the disinformation and launch campaigns to combat it and provide the populace with proven, reliable facts.
- The disinformation handled by the FACT will be on a variety of topics, including but not limited to: physical, emotional, and mental health; history; political concepts; science and technology; and various other topics.
- The information distributed by the FACT must be proven fact, either by scientific, historical, or general research from proven, reliable sources.
- The information may be in any form each individual member state's government pleases, whether it be by book, internet article, pamphlet, advertising campaign, television program, etc., as long as it is an efficient method of spreading the information.
- The criminalization of the deliberate, repeat spreading of harmful disinformation by a person or group of people.
- Punishment of an individual's violation of this ban will be decided upon by individual member state's government, whether it be by fines, incarceration, or community service.
Hoping that these measures may combat the spread of harmful disinformation for the betterment of all member states' societies.