"After Truth - Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News" (2020 release; 94 min.) is a documentary about the recent (as in: last 5-6 years) phenomenon by (mostly) right-wing conspiracy theorists to purposefully spew falsehoods onto social media. As the film opens, we get to know Jack Burkman, right wing consultant who looks at the use of "fake news" as nothing more than one would look at the use of chemical weapons in time of war: "it's there to use, it doesn't mean I like it". We then go to "2015, Bastrop, Texas" as Washington Post journalist Elizabeth Williamson talks about how local conspiracy nuts create a media frenzy claiming that US military exercises are just a front for imposing martial law and rounding up political opponents... At this point we are 10 min. into the documentary.
Couple of comments: this is the latest from veteran documentary-director Andrew Rossi. Here he examines the rise of "disinformation" (translation: falsehoods) being launched onto social media and what it does to society, The documentary focuses on several specific incidents: Bastrop, TX (2015), "pizzagate" (2016), Seth Rich's death (2016), and the smearing of Robert Mueller (2018). All of it is sure to make your blood boil in disgust, if not anger, as we watch how (mostly) right wingers cynically use and abuse facts to twist a "new" or "alternative" or outright false truth that suits them politically. The great thing about this documentary is that it isn't a one-way street, but instead it lets both sides of the story give their view/version, and the viewer can deduce his or her own conclusion. Along the way, Rossi and his team also examine how technology platforms like Facebook and Twitter enable these manipulations while standing by. And then this dilemma: should the left join the frenzy and spew their own falsehoods? As someone laments: "Do you win by playing their game?" "Two wrongs don't make it right", offers Alabama Senator Doug Jones.
"After Truth" premiered on HBO in late March, and is now available on HBO On Demand and other streaming services. If you have any interest in politics, or simply in understanding how falsehoods come about and influence society, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion. I myself found it to be must-see TV.
