Barbara McQuade, serving as both an MSNBC legal analyst and a law professor at the University of Michigan, recently voiced concerns over the United States’ vulnerability to disinformation campaigns, attributing this susceptibility to the nation’s staunch defense of free speech rights. During her appearance on “The Rachel Maddow Show,” McQuade discussed her latest book, “Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America,” aiming to ignite a dialogue about the importance of truth in American society.
She expressed her intention behind the book, stating, “I hope that by dissecting it, explaining it, and educating the public, we can all see disinformation for what it is so that we can begin to push back against it.” McQuade emphasized the need for public awareness to combat the spread of false information effectively.
In response to Maddow’s inquiry about America’s susceptibility to disinformation relative to other nations, McQuade suggested that the U.S. might be even more at risk. “Actually, Rachel, I think we’re more susceptible to it than other countries, and that’s because some of our greatest strengths can also be our Achilles Heel,” she explained. McQuade highlighted the First Amendment’s protection of free speech as a double-edged sword that, while fundamental to democracy, also opens the door to the challenges of disinformation.
She elaborated on the complexities surrounding free speech, noting that the Supreme Court recognizes the potential for limitations on this right, provided there is a significant governmental interest and the measures are precisely applied. McQuade pointed out the common knee-jerk reaction to label any form of speech regulation as censorship, which complicates efforts to address disinformation.
McQuade used the recent Supreme Court cases concerning state regulations on social media content moderation as an example of the broader issue at hand. She called for practical discussions and solutions rather than resorting to accusations of censorship and divisive rhetoric.
Concluding her thoughts, McQuade emphasized the unique challenge disinformation poses to the United States due to its deep-seated free speech values. Maddow commended McQuade’s book as both a significant contribution to public discourse and an enjoyable read, underscoring its role in addressing the pressing issue of disinformation in America.
[ * “Here is another glaring example of the Left projecting its implication that the source of ‘disinformation’ is coming from conservatives when it is the various dominant democrat-biased media outlets, trafficking in parroting joe biden’s administration’s own disinformation that:
1. ‘bidenomics’ is doing wonders for Americans and their national economy,
2. unlawfull invasion across the Southern Border is not a problem and that biden’s policies are working . . .
“The points made by biden & his puppet spokespersons deflects, misinforms, accuses, and demonizes conservatives (as ‘MAGA extremists’) for biden’s policy and the shortcomings in implementing them. This is the democrat playbook that former President obama and hillary clinton had similarly done in the decade and change before.” ]