[bitwize]

2015 precedes the election of Trump and the Brexit referendum, watershed moments when we started to really worry about the kinds of things we allow to proliferate online.

We have a different internet now, and content policing by providers of various network services is very much on the table.

[nerdo]

What “kinds of things” are “we” really worried about? Representative government, public referendums? Very much on what table?

[bitwize]

Right-wing misinformation that can tip public opinion in favor of electing Trump or voting for Brexit. That's the danger.

[kbolino]

Forcing consensus upon a heterogeneous electorate raises the question of whether liberal democracy itself is the right model of governance.

[zrn900]

So 'misinformation' about nonexistent WMDs were all ok. Despite having been propagated by the 'most trustworthy' organizations and media outlets who are today ironically being used as 'fact checkers'.

[monsecchris]

An abundance of left wing disinformation is fine though

[neverrroot]

I'm trying to learn more about what disinformation is, could you please post your thoughts under the following Ask HN post?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39554369

[123yawaworht456]

"we" who?

[pyuser583]

“We” were worrying about misinformation far before those events.

“Misinformation” was pretty much a canned response to Brexit and the Trump election, neither of which were heavily influenced by misinformation.