The Public Face of the Disinformation Project - Part 2B

Part 2B - The Disinformation Project and Mainstream Media

The Disinformation Project has a separate section on its website dealing with its media interactions. It states that it regularly offers commentary to and is featured in domestic and international media on topics such as misinformation, disinformation, online abuse, misogyny, harassment, and the impact of information disorders on democracy and electoral integrity.

The most recent entry on the site is a 1 News entry for 16 September 2022 dealing with the need for voters in local body elections to inform themselves about candidates. Dr Hattotuwa states:

"I urge, beg, plead, pray that those looking at this programme (Breakfast) to inform themselves about the nature of the candidates they think they should be voting for and to go exercise their vote.

"It's absolutely fundamental, but look into candidates' backgrounds first."

The advice is good but perhaps the manner of expression is somewhat shrill.

There are no notifications of media engagement since September 2022 on the Disinformation Project website and the last engagement that I have been able to discover is probably one that the Project would rather forget. I have been proven wrong in that conclusion with the release of the Transgressive Transitions paper. In an article dated 4 April 2023 headlined “Spike in online hate toward trans community after Posie Parker visit – researchers” Dr Hattotuwa stated that the outpouring of hate towards the trans community triggered by Posie Parker's visit is beyond anything he has seen.

"They are being hounded, harassed and harmed and hated upon online - to a degree we've never studied before."

Dr Hattotuwa said a major change in the past fortnight has been the degree to which the "extraordinarily violent" content has been taken up and distributed by anti-vax and anti mandate groups.

He said the extremity of the content was more characteristic of far right and neo-fascist and neo-Nazi groups, and the fact it was now being taken up by groups that flourished because of Covid measures was "really worrying".

He said the vitriol directed at the trans community could be described as "genocidal".

"Something that we've never seen before is the import of content from Australian neo-Nazi, neo-fascist, anti-Semitic networks and individuals and their personal networks, into Aotearoa New Zealand."

Clearly Dr Hattotuwa seems to have been overtaken by emotion and his subjective concerns. The use of the word “genocidal” to describe the level of vitriol is difficult to understand. Indeed, the use of that word in the context suggested by Dr Hattotuwa is quite incorrect and is best avoided.

The difficulty that it raises is that it casts something of a shadow over the validity of assertions that are made by Dr Hattotuwa and by the Disinformation Project. Such loose use of language coupled with highly charged emotional statements must give some cause for scepticism about other assertions by the Project and its members. I am sure Dr Hattotuwa is aware of the way in which the Geneva Convention of 1948-49 defines genocide and if he is not, he should consult the authoritative definition. However, as I have examined in part 2A the Transgressive Transitions paper doubles down on the “genocide” claim, preferring a definition from the Lemkin Institute to the far more authoritative and legally binding definition in the Geneva Convention.

In September 2020 the Project examined the “accidental release” conspiracy theory surrounding the origin of COVID-19 suggesting that for a time these theories were credible but were shown to be subsequently unjustified.

However in March 2023 Stuff reported that the FBI, along with the US Energy Department, endorsed the Covid lab leak theory. FBI Director Christopher Wray was quoted by Stuff as saying, “The FBI has assessed for some time now that the origins of the pandemic most likely involve a potential lab incident in Wuhan.”

In 2022 alone the Project had some 76 interactions with mainstream media as noted on their website. This is a significant number of comments and there is no doubt that the Project is not backward in coming forward with comments and soundbites.

Some journalists like Toby Manhire and David Fisher have regularly incorporated comment from the Project. Two articles by David Fisher of the New Zealand Herald are noted including a lengthy piece dated 9 April following the Parliament Protest and entitled “Big Read: Violent talk and fake news - how extremism went mainstream.” In that article he quotes Dr Hattotuwa who, as is his practice, uses hyperbolic and somewhat florid language to describe misinformation and the inadequacy of the agencies who, in his opinion, are meant to deal with it. From the article:

The approach, he says, resembles the "entropy of a Jackson Pollock painting with none of the aesthetic pleasure of viewing one". It's an analogy that evokes the disordered splatter of colour Jackson Pollock created with his abstract expressionist drip-and-splash method of painting.

Hattotuwa says the agencies dealing with misinformation don't have the capability or legislative framework to grapple with a rapidly growing problem. It's an environment unlikely to change at a stage in the political term when the Government will be looking to the next election.

Later in the article, Dr Hattotuwa is quoted as likening the disinformation situation as a cancer. He, as is Ms Kate Hannah of the project, frustrated that public service agencies haven't grasped the seriousness of what they perceive is the problem or how to tackle it. This echoes some of the concerns expressed in the papers discussed about perceived legal inadequacies to deal with the “infodemic.”

David Fisher buys into this messaging and amplifies the Project’s concerns in an article dated 18 May 2022 and headed “Analysis: False information is so out of hand that it should be a national security issue”. He focusses on Kate Hannah’s paper “The Common Good or the Tragedy of the Commons? Social cohesion, trust, and the impact of misinformation” which I have discussed above. Fisher picks up on the Project’s assertion of inadequate regulatory structures and notes

“The Disinformation Project's latest report shows we are entering a dangerous space and government needs to act fast.”

Anticipating  a freedom of expression retort he says, without any reasoning or analysis,

” There will be claims authorities are interfering with freedom of speech. This isn't about cancel culture - this is about stopping the development of a culture of community corrosion.

There is evidence elements of this manipulation have been under way for years. Our way of life has long been challenged by those who would unseat Western hegemony in favour of a different world order. Chinese and Russian misinformation has been working to undermine efforts to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in Western countries.”

The dismissal of the issue of freedom of expression by a member of Mainstream Media which enjoys, relies upon and demands freedom of expression is a matter of concern. Fisher seems to have bought into the Project’s message and has adopted it.

Dr Hattotuwa’s penchant for hyperbole was evident in an interview that he did for Newstalk ZB on 21 August 2022. In that interview he would not reveal some of the content he was dealing with because, as he put it, it would breach the guidelines issued by the Broadcasting Standards Authority to say what the Parliament protesters were saying on social media.

This is a somewhat feeble excuse, given that Dr Hattotuwa would be able to give the content a context and an analysis which would resolve his concerns. He describes the level of content as “off the Richter scale” But rather he adopts the position of “trust me – its bad.”

Two engagements with mainstream media took place in the context of the Wellington Protest of February-March 2022. Following that protest two documentaries were made covering the protest. They were polemical in nature and certainly did not take a balanced view of what went on. One glaring example is that none of the protesters were asked to comment. But the Disinformatiopn Project was and did.

The documentaries were Fire and Fury which was produced by Stuff and TVNZ’s Web of Chaos which was released on 1 November 2022. I have already discussed these productions elsewhere but I want to briefly consider the involvement of the Disinformation Project and its association with polemical propaganda to amplify its message.

Ms Kate Hannah appeared on the “Web of Chaos” documentary and made some startling assertions.

Ms. Hannah describes how people are drawn into mis/disinformation networks in in different ways. She refers to the “trad wife” viewpoint. She claims that white Christian pseudo-Celtic pseudo-Nordic ideology lies behind this viewpoint. They (presumably the “white Christian pseudo-Celtic pseudo-Nordic”) use Pinterest and Instagram to draw in other women who are interested in interior design, children’s clothing, knitting, healthy food for children.

From this innocent start people are drawn in towards a set of white nationalist ideas. Fair skinned children with braids is a danger signal according to Ms Hannah. She did not explain why this was the case.

She then referred to the association of these ideas with a toxic masculinity which had

 ”…very fixed ideas about gender roles, race, ethnic identity, national identity, nationalism and rights to  things like free speech – very influenced by a totally US centric model.” (“Web of Chaos” at 21.5)

In essence these characteristics, according to Hannah, derive from US based alt-right perspectives.

If I understand Ms Hannah’s position disinformation is associated with extremist ideologies. These ideologies are nationalistic, white supremacist and far right.

This may be viewed alongside the material presented in the documentary by Professor Lisa Ellis, Political Philosopher, Otago University. She commented on some aspects leading to the rise of the Nazi’s in 1930’s Germany. The racist hatred of Nazis is reflected in some modern extremist organisations. Ms Hannah and Professor Ellis focus on the Far Right but similar racist hatred is expressed in other ideologies represented by Al Quaeda or ISIS.

The Stuff documentary “Fire and Fury” – which I have written about here – dealt with the rise of disinformation and the way in which that led to radical and violent action and extreme expressions of hatred especially towards politicians.

The very clear message from these sources is that disinformation and racial hatred or hate speech are two sides of the same coin. According to Ms Hannah they are inextricably intertwined. One inevitably leads to another. It seems that any discussion of disinformation ultimately ends up in a consideration of hate speech or extremist speech.

Dr Hattotuwa discussed what he calls toxic information and commentary including material directed about the Prime Minister. What was extraordinary was the suggestion that this toxic informational landscape was being used by 350,000 New Zealanders – all grooming and harvesting. Dr Hattotuwa emphasizes “It is here. It is amongst you” (“Web of Chaos” at 29.30). No evidence is offered to support either the numbers or the assertion.

Ms Hannah expressed concerns about death threats that she received and records the ritualistic washing of hands she undertakes before she examines archival material – a form of symbolic disengagement from reading unpleasant material.  She does the same investigating information on the computer. Dr. Hattotuwa describes how he has two showers a day to symbolically wash away the detritus of the online material he has been viewing. These actions on the part of two individuals who are meant to be carrying out dispassionate and objective research is interesting if only for the level of subjectivity it introduces.

What the documentary does do is to further enhance the aura of fear that was generated by the “Fire and Fury” piece, identifying what is perceived as a problem but leaving the door open as to solutions.

The conflation of disinformation with hate speech suggests that whatever proposals there may be for restricting or limiting hate speech should be applied equally to disinformation and possibly even misinformation. This would result in a significant limitation upon the freedom of expression.

Ms Hannah and Dr Hattotuwa expressed their views in the “Fire and Fury” documentary as well as the “Web of Chaos” documentary. They are entitled to express their views. My suggestion is that those views should be approached with caution. Although they may be able to point to evidence – and as yet there is a paucity of evidence in all their papers - of what they describe as mis/disinformation, the way in which they interpret that evidence gives me some cause for concern.

Certainly they are neither dispassionate nor objective about their topic. This is evidenced by the reactions that they have to the content of the material that they view. They clearly are responding subjectively to it. They make value judgements rather than empirical or descriptive ones.

One astonishing connection was made by Ms Hannah to which I have referred above. In her discussion about connection between white nationalism and the slide towards extremism she said that an identifier of the groups of which she was critical involved the “advocacy of rights to things like free speech.” (My emphasis)

I trust Ms Hannah does not stand by that generalization. The implication is clear. If one is an advocate of rights such as free speech, one is a right-wing extremist, supporting white nationalism or white supremacy.

That conclusion cannot be supported by the facts. Those who advocate liberty are not extremists. Those who advocate freedom of expression are not far-right wing. For example, an examination of the Council of the Free Speech Union reveals some commentators who occupy a position on the Left of the political spectrum.

Ms Hannah’s sweeping generalisation does neither her argument nor her credibility any good. Dr Hattotuwa’s unsupported assertion that 350,000 subscribe to the toxic informational network does little for dispassionate analysis or objectivity.

Indeed, examples such as this cause one to examine with a greater critical lens, the assertions and validity of material that emanates from the Disinformation Project.

The release of the paper Transgressive Transitions was accompanied by a considerable amount of media interest. Comments and interviews featured on TVNZ, Radio NZ, Stuff and the NZ Herald. I think it fair to say that the media uncritically drank the Kool-Aid served up to it by Kate Hannah and the Project.

Jenny-Mae Clarkson’s sympathetic interview of Kate Hannah on Breakfast on 5 May[1] was an example of the interviewer letting the subject get away without critical challenge and indeed voicing some agreement and concern at the findings of the Project. No challenge was made to Ms Hannah’s assertions – it was all accepted as truth.

David Fisher in the NZ Herald wrote a long form piece about trans rights and women’s spaces[2]. It was a thorough and objective discussion that was well researched. It wasn’t until the end of the article that Fisher moved to discuss the Transgressive Transitions paper. He too uncritically reported the findings of the Project with little analysis and no critique whatsoever.

I would have thought that a journalist of Fisher’s experience would have been asking top see the data, who is behind the Project, who provides their funding, can they be relied upon. Perhaps the Project fits in with Fisher’s world-view which in the past seems to have been critical of contrarian positions.

Stuff’s approach[3] to the Transgressive Transition paper might well have been written by Kate Hannah herself given the total lack of any sort of critical analysis at all. But then, what could one expect from the organization that brought us the agitprop piece Fire and Fury.

Like the other media outlets Radio NZ accepted the Disinformation Project’s paper and interviewed Professor Marc Wilson who, likewise, was uncritical of the Project’s approach[4]. Professor Wilson advised that he was deeply concerned with what he had read. He accepted the claim that there had been a shift in the rhetoric from COVID to transphobic discussion and the way in which the commentators had expanded.

When it came to a critique of the Project Professor Wilson managed to dodge the issue by referring to material that was made available on the Transgressive Transitions paper. He did not doubt the data, an interesting comment given that there was no evidence of hard data in the paper - given his studies of conspiracy theories. Professor Wilson was rightly critical of some of the ways in which people use social media platforms and that people who may find themselves attached to Neo-Nazis should disengage. Professor Wilson observed, in the same way that the Project did, that much of the rhetoric was imported.

From this very brief look at the Project’s engagement with the news media it is clear that the Disinformation Project is keen to turn up the heat on the potential threats that mis and disinformation may bring to the table of civic discussion.

There is sufficient material available on the news media section of the Project’s website to do a deep dive into the use of language, generalization, unsupported assertion, absence of referencing, exaggeration and hyperbole, not to mention the utilization of extraordinarily obtuse and opaque metaphors.

In essence in considering the Project’s engagement with the media one must be careful to separate the wheat from the chaff. The examination of their papers and their interactions with the media would suggest that the “wheat” pile would be rather small.

In the final part of this study I shall discuss the methodology disclosed by the Disinformation Project and track and examine some of the sources for their information – where those sources are referenced.

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[1] https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/05/05/anti-trans-hate-in-nz-becoming-genocidal-disinformation-project/ (Last accessed 6 May 2023)

[2] https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/david-fisher-trans-rights-and-womens-spaces-the-voices-turning-up-the-volume/QYZTUOBBL5HTZLK3HU2273M6J4/ (Last accessed 6 May 2023)

[3] https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/131936575/most-violent-targeting-of-any-community-the-aftermath-of-posie-parkers-visit (Last accessed 6 May 2023)

[4] https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018888826/violent-transphobic-rhetoric-on-rise-online-report (Last accessed 6 May 2023)