Checking In on Misinformation

The numbers: The Biden administration spent $267 million on research grants intended to fight misinformation, per a new report from government spending watchdog Open the Books. (National Review)

• Compare that to the Trump administration, which spent just $6.7 million on similar grants.

Context: Trust in experts, media, and traditional gatekeepers has plummeted in recent years, especially during the pandemic, creating an unregulated and chaotic information landscape.

Bubba’s Two Cents

Yeah, there’s no shortage of outlandish conspiracy theories these days. And the fight against “misinformation” is clearly a reaction to the “Wild West” nature of the new media status quo. But trying to dictate what’s acceptable information by appointing experts to scold Americans is exactly the type of behavior that led to mass distrust in the first place.