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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: karajorma on March 16, 2010, 03:31:27 am

Title: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: karajorma on March 16, 2010, 03:31:27 am
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8568762.stm

So the basic story goes like this. Georgian TV station with links to the government decide to show a hyper-realistic fake news report about the assassination of the president followed by a take over by the opposition parties leading to an invasion by Russian forces.

The result was that people who missed the warning at the start of the broadcast thought it was real and jammed mobile phone networks (causing them to fall over, making the story seem even more realistic). The result was general panic over the situation and a really large backlash against the TV company that started this all.



And I'll bet it seemed like such a good idea at the time. :p

   
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: TrashMan on March 16, 2010, 03:42:58 am
And it could have all been avoided by red flashing letters on the screen (saying *THIS IS ALL A ACT*) during the whole thing....
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: Bobboau on March 16, 2010, 08:49:24 am
there aren't other stations in Georga? my first reaction to seeing a report of fox news about islamofascists taking over the white house in there steampunk airship would be to see if CNN had anything to say about it.

nb4waroftheworlds
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: headdie on March 16, 2010, 08:53:51 am
This reminds me of what my parents told me about the panic in america when the was of the worlds was first aired on radio
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: Kosh on March 16, 2010, 10:15:12 am
This reminds me of what my parents told me about the panic in america when the was of the worlds was first aired on radio

Too bad there wasn't a real alien invasion. :p
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: Titan on March 16, 2010, 12:25:03 pm
This reminds me of what my parents told me about the panic in america when the was of the worlds was first aired on radio

Too bad there wasn't a real alien invasion. :p

No, just communists.

Oh, wait. No.
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: TESLA on March 16, 2010, 12:39:35 pm
Really stupid idea. Esp, when you were at war with that nation two years ago!!

Common sense is so rare these days it should be a superpower
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: BloodEagle on March 16, 2010, 02:24:31 pm
This reminds me of what my parents told me about the panic in america when the was of the worlds was first aired on radio

Too bad there wasn't a real alien invasion. :p

That's what they want you to think.  :P
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: JCDNWarrior on March 16, 2010, 06:19:49 pm
Ask me, I believe, that everything on TV, no matter what program, is, obviously, pre-programmed, but also fully fake. Even the news, being only a representation of the state of the world summed up in 5-15 minutes is... at best, short sighted.

This particular event mentioned by the OP was a very elaborate experiment. Georgia wants to be in the EU very badly, and tries to keep pushing the Russians into attacking them, so they can allow the UN Peacekeepers in the country. Crazy Georgians...

Just remember, if Georgia can do this, your own government can too. ;) Probably much 'better', too.
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: headdie on March 17, 2010, 03:45:34 am
Be interesting to see what would happen if something like the georgian experiment happened in a country where civilian gun ownership is legal and prices allow mass ownership
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: Nemesis6 on March 17, 2010, 12:12:19 pm
Quote
The Georgian government, for its part, has denied that it played a role, but on Sunday Mr Saakashvili appeared to defend it, saying the televised scenario was "extremely close to what can happen and to what Georgia's enemy has conceived".

Mikheil, have you forgotten that you yourself actually caused this to happen once?  :D
It's kind of interesting how the politicians who worry about things like this are the ones with no qualm about shooting artillery at innocent civilians. Oh well, that's politics in the crazy third-world for ya.
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: Bobboau on March 17, 2010, 12:49:12 pm
Be interesting to see what would happen if something like the georgian experiment happened in a country where civilian gun ownership is legal and prices allow mass ownership

you mean like when the war of the worlds thing happened to America all those years ago when there were zero gun control laws.
Title: Re: The Dangers of Propaganda
Post by: FreeSpaceFreak on March 17, 2010, 05:26:16 pm
Heh, this reminds me of a stunt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flemish_Secession_hoax) the Belgian (Walloon) telly pulled off once...