Russia's RT Network Working Directly With Kremlin To Spread Disinformation, U.S. Says
www.rferl.org
The United States on September 13 said the Russian news outlet RT is taking orders directly from the Kremlin and working with Russian military intelligence to spread disinformation around the world to undermine democracies.

The United States on September 13 said the Russian news outlet RT is taking orders directly from the Kremlin and working with Russian military intelligence to spread disinformation around the world to undermine democracies.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States has gathered new evidence that exposes cooperation between RT and four other subsidiaries of the Rossia Segodnya media group, and it intends to warn other countries of the threat of the disinformation.

In addition to RT, Rossia Segodnya operates RIA Novosti, TV-Novosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik, but the announcement on September 13 focused largely on RT. The outlet, formerly known as Russia Today, has previously been sanctioned for its work to allegedly spread Kremlin propaganda and disinformation.

  • Carrolade@lemmy.worldEnglish
    9·
    2 months ago

    This is exactly what a whataboutism is. Let’s take an axe murderer who murders people’s families. If another axe murderer goes and murders that guy’s family, would it be smart to just ignore it?

    The question isn’t what has been done in the past or who deserves what. It’s what should be done now?

    • Joncash2@lemmy.mlEnglish
      5·
      2 months ago

      You clearly do not understand whataboutism. It’s when someone uses someone else doing the same thing as an excuse. If Russia does it it’s OK for USA to do it. That’s whataboutism.

      And yes. Let the criminals kill themselves. That’s why USA doesn’t really do anything about gang wars.

      • Carrolade@lemmy.worldEnglish
        7·
        2 months ago

        No, that is not a whataboutism in general, perhaps it’s your personal definition to just reverse it like that. This is whataboutism:

        https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

        Note, my example was not an axe murderer murdering another axe murderer. It was murdering the axe murder’s family. Not him, his family. Siblings, children, cousins, aunts and uncles, you know. People related to you that aren’t actually you.

        • Joncash2@lemmy.mlEnglish
          3·
          2 months ago

          Your article agrees with me. But it’s clear I’m not going to be able to explain it to you.

          Are all those involved in gang wars guilty? Probably not but it’s still wise of the police not to get involved.

          And similarly, yes the axe murderer who just murdered the other guys family and is asking for help. I’m probably gonna ignore him.

          • Carrolade@lemmy.worldEnglish
            5·
            2 months ago

            That family didn’t do anything wrong though. His kids are still just kids, yet you’re fine with them dying just for being born to the wrong father?

            And no, the whataboutism article is sort of the opposite of your definition. Your definition says its a defense for an action. The article says it’s a defense for an accusation. These are not the same thing. The person doing an action, and someone else accusing them of their action, are not the same ones. That’s pretty key.

            Why do I get the vague impression I’m arguing with a right winger?

            • Joncash2@lemmy.mlEnglish
              4·
              2 months ago

              It’s saying it’s deflecting against an accusation. It’s clear your not able to understand basic things.

              Your idea that someone who disagrees with you is a right winger proves this to me.

              Finally you have no idea what the family did. It’s why in a court of law we have laws about facilitation or accessory. But I think that will go over your head.

              • Carrolade@lemmy.worldEnglish
                4·
                2 months ago

                Cute insults aside, his kids are still kids man. We shouldn’t be letting kids die to axe murder, most people usually agree on that one.

                Yes, but you said

                It’s when someone uses someone else doing the same thing as an excuse. If Russia does it it’s OK for USA to do it. That’s whataboutism.

                Not the same as saying “Russia is doing it!” “Oh yea? But what about when US did it?” That’s real whataboutism, as the article describes in detail. Spot the difference?

                • Joncash2@lemmy.mlEnglish
                  2·
                  2 months ago

                  When you understand both are whataboutism because it’s about the deflection not the action or the accusation, you’ll understand whataboutism.

                  And how do I know he has kids? I’m gonna trust an axe murderer?

                  • Carrolade@lemmy.worldEnglish
                    5·
                    2 months ago

                    Okay, so you not being able to spot the difference does not mean there isn’t one. While your “nuh uh’s” are kinda funny, you can’t just redefine words any time it’s convenient for you, not when they’re commonly used by others. Not all deflections are whataboutisms, just one single type, specifically, to an accusation. Like the very first line in the article, that says:

                    the strategy of responding to an accusation with a counter-accusation

                    So, it’s what we call a hypothetical, where I was proposing two axe murderers that targeted families. It’s just a possible thing that we can think about to discuss a finer point. So, if we say he has kids, since he doesn’t exist in the first place, then he has hypothetical kids.

                    edit: Just to save you a little scrolling, since I’m such a nice guy:

                    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism