Your guide to handling conspiracies at the (virtual) dinner table
This piece was originally published in the November 24, 2020 edition of CAP Action’s daily newsletter, the Progress Report. Subscribe to the Progress Report here.
“A sacrifice now [will] pay off in the protection of the health and safety of a loved one.”
— Dr. Anthony Fauci on why you shouldn’t travel for Thanksgiving
The holiday season is here — and even under these circumstances, we’re doing what we can to make the most of it.
But while navigating the holidays can be difficult, combatting disinformation at the (virtual) dinner table can be even trickier.
Follow these steps to debunk false information without spreading it further:
You may have seen Trump’s latest conspiracy theory “Dominion” floating around the internet. Here’s some context from last week’s edition of our weekly newsletter, What’s Trending?, to help set things straight:
- Dominion Voting Systems is a software used successfully by local governments around the world to help manage elections.
- Trump lost this election decisively, so he’s scrambling for ways to delegitimize the results — including blaming the company for “software glitches” in Michigan and Georgia.
- The bottom line: There is absolutely zero evidence that our election system was compromised. In fact, Trump’s own Department of Homeland Security called the 2020 election “the most secure in American history.”
Do you know someone who doesn’t believe COVID-19 is as bad as it is? Check out our quick, shareable guide to debunking false information about the pandemic on Facebook and Twitter for a safe and factual Thanksgiving:
WHAT WE’RE READING
- A few other editions of What’s Trending? might prove helpful in countering conspiracies this holiday week, too. This one outlines how to respond to disinformation, and this one provides strategies for engaging with family and friends on disinformation.
- No, a Negative Coronavirus Test Does Not Mean You Can Safely Socialize by Claire Cain Miller, Katherine J. Wu and Margot Sanger-Katz (New York Times)
- Mask Mandates Help Slow Coronavirus Spread, CDC Study Finds by Jane Greenhalgh (NPR)
- I lost my mom to COVID-19. Don’t let the holidays steal yours by Emily McCarty (Crosscut)
- ‘I Experience a Hollowing Fear Any Time I’m Stopped by Police’ by Philip V. McHarris (The Nation)
- Biden transition OK’d to start as Trump runs out of options by Zeke Miller, David Eggert and Colleen Long (AP)
- Trump’s election legal challenges are absurd…says GOP appointed judges by CAP Action (Medium)
This piece was originally published in the November 24, 2020 edition of CAP Action’s daily newsletter, the Progress Report. Subscribe to the Progress Report here.
