• Syrc@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    edit-2
    6 months ago

    From Wikipedia:

    Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded language to produce an emotional rather than a rational response to the information that is being presented.

    Propaganda isn’t always fake news, it can also be true stuff presented in a biased way.

    Similarly, fake news isn’t always propaganda. Some is just stuff spread by trolls to make fun of people.

    • barsoap@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      6 months ago

      Propaganda isn’t always fake news, it can also be true stuff presented in a biased way.

      It can also be true stuff presented in an unbiased way. There’s a disconnect here between the proper definition of the word, which is perfectly neutral, and its connotations because the what secretary for tsunami safety doesn’t call their stuff “propaganda” but “public service announcement”. Still the same thing, though, the tsunami safety secretary is trying to persuade the audience to not be stupid and get to high ground as soon as the sea recedes. Very much pushing an agenda, they *gasp* want people to survive and *gasp* use communication to achieve it.

      • Syrc@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        6 months ago

        Can it? I searched a bit and all the definitions I’ve found seem to be about swaying public opinion, not simple objective announcements.

        It does have a negative connotation even though it can be used for good, but I still don’t think purely objective messages like “a tsunami is coming, get to high ground” should count as propaganda.

        • barsoap@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          6 months ago

          What about things like this?

          Which btw yes certainly has editorialising going on. The answer to “Useless projects are funded with EU money” starts with “National and regional authorities in the EU countries select projects which they think meet their needs best in line with the strategies and priorities agreed with the Commission.” Which isn’t saying that EU money doesn’t found useless projects, but implicitly blames regional authorities for it. I don’t even think they want to mislead, here, they simply want to stay diplomatic.

          (This video about the canopy walk is brilliant. (enable subtitles)).

          • Syrc@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            6 months ago

            I think that qualifies as propaganda too: its intention is to improve the public opinion of the Cohesion policy by clearing misconceptions.

            (About the “project” in the video… what the hell? I had to Google it because I wasn’t convinced it was a real thing. Just why?)

            • barsoap@lemm.ee
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              edit-2
              6 months ago

              Corruption, that’s why. Similar to how the Italian mafia would half-build highway bridges with taxpayer money and then mysteriously have some shell company go bankrupt. OLAF is on it because of course they are when stuff makes the press. If they have a case EPPO will take over at which point that Hungarian mayor will have the questionable honour of being up against the gal who cleaned up Romania… before Hungarian courts. If those turn out to be corrupt then that’s going to buy the mayor time but ultimately the ECJ would overrule them. Still no mechanism to actually set boots on member state grounds but Hungary is already on thin ice when it comes to getting suspended from the EU for various reasons, they’re going to tread lightly.

              See if you want to be corrupt in the EU you have to do it like the big boys: Implement some policy, then get a cushy job at a company. Or receive tons of money for boring private speeches. Something like that, directly grabbing into state coffers is so uncivilised.

              EDIT: Oh, Hungary didn’t join EPPO, figures. They can still freeze assets, though. Also if I understand things correctly our mayor would turn into a fugitive in the rest of the EU.

              • Syrc@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                6 months ago

                Yes, I figured but… isn’t that a bit too obvious? Surely there had to be a less blatant way of laundering money than… a treetop walk with no trees?

                • barsoap@lemm.ee
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  2
                  ·
                  edit-2
                  6 months ago

                  It’s also lazy and they’re used to not getting investigated or even called out. But even if prosecution is high and you’re not lazy you get corrupt politicians doing blatantly obvious stuff like the mask scandal in Germany, making a fortune of selling FFP2 masks at ludicrous markups to the state: Their behaviour was not technically illegal (laws got adjusted since then), the only one who got prosecuted got prosecuted for tax evasion, not corruption.