Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014–…): Season 8, Episode 26 - Misinformation - full transcript

WELCOME, WELCOME,

WELCOME TO "LAST WEEK TONIGHT!"

I'M JOHN OLIVER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
US.

JUST TIME FOR A QUICK RECAP OF
THE WEEK. AND IT'S BEEN BUSY ONE.

A FORMER FACEBOOK EMPLOYEE
CONFIRMED WHAT EVERYONE

BASICALLY KNEW, FACEBOOK'S

TERRIBLE AND IT'S VERY MUCH BY
DESIGN.

OTIS THE BEAR, THE THREE-TIME

WINNER OF FAT BEAR WEEK BECAME

THE FOUR-TIME WINNER, BECAUSE



MERITOCRACY IS A LIE AND OUR

SYSTEM IS BROKEN.

AND IN IDAHO, THERE WAS THIS

DRAMATIC POWER GRAB.

THERE IS A BLISTERING BATTLE

HAPPENING NOW BETWEEN THE TWO

TOP ELECTED OFFICIALS IN IDAHO.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JANICE

McGEACHIN SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE

ORDER BANNING VACCINE MANDATES

IN SCHOOLS AND COVID TESTING IN

CERTAIN CAPACITIES.

THE PROBLEM IS THE GOVERNOR,

BRAD LITTLE, WAS OUT OF THE



STATE WHEN SHE DID IT, AND

QUICKLY PROMISED TO UNDO THE
ORDER.

YEAH, IT'S TRUE!

WHILE THE IDAHO GOVERNOR WAS OUT

OF STATE, HIS LIEUTENANT

GOVERNOR ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE

ORDER TRYING TO BAN SCHOOLS FROM

REQUIRING EMPLOYEES TO BE

VACCINATED.

AND NOT JUST THAT... SHE ALSO

SENT THE STATE NATIONAL GUARD A

QUERY ABOUT ACTIVATING TROOPS

AND SENDING THEM TO THE

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER.

WHICH IS A PRETTY BOLD MOVE FROM

A SECOND IN COMMAND.

IT'S BASICALLY A PLANE'S PILOT

GOING TO THE BATHROOM AND THE

CO-PILOT ANNOUNCING, "CHANGE OF

PLANS, WE'RE HEADED TO RENO.

MY BUDDY SAID HE'D SET ME UP

WITH HIS COUSIN IF I WAS EVER

THERE, AND I SAW A PICTURE OF HER
AND SHE'S AN ABSOLUTE SMOKESHOW.

SO STRAP IN, FOLKS.
IT'S GONNA BE BUMPY ON PURPOSE."

AND THE THING IS, IN IDAHO, THE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DOES

TECHNICALLY BECOME ACTING

GOVERNOR WHENEVER THE ACTUAL

GOVERNOR LEAVES THE STATE THANKS

TO A STATE CONSTITUTION THAT WAS

DEFINITELY WRITTEN LONG BEFORE

CELL PHONES EXISTED, BUT KNOWING

THAT, IT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE

THAT BRAD LITTLE CHOSE TO LEAVE

THE STATE AT ALL, ESPECIALLY

BECAUSE McGEACHIN HAD ACTUALLY

TRIED A SIMILAR STUNT BACK IN

MAY WHEN HE LEFT FOR A

CONFERENCE IN TENNESSEE AND SHE

ISSUED AN ORDER BANNING MASK

MANDATES.

SO IT FEELS BORDERLINE RECKLESS

FOR HIM TO STEP OUTSIDE THE

STATE RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE SHE'S EVER

DISGUISED WHO SHE IS.
JUST LOOK AT THIS APPEARANCE SHE

MADE LAST YEAR IN A VIDEO
CRITICIZING COVID RESTRICTIONS.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT ALL OF US

ARE, BY NATURE, FREE AND EQUAL,

AND HAVE CERTAIN INALIENABLE

RIGHTS, AMONG WHICH ARE ENJOYING

AND DEFENDING LIFE AND LIBERTY,

ACQUIRING, POSSESSING, AND

PROTECTING PROPERTY, AND

PURSUING HAPPINESS, AND SECURING
SAFETY.

WOW.

THAT IS A RICH TEXT.

ALTHOUGH, I WILL SAY, THAT
REPRESENTS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

BETTER THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER
SEEN.

AN ELEPHANT?

DOESN'T QUITE DO IT.

A SWIRLY SNAKE SAYING DON'T

TREAD ON ME?

NO.

BUT A GUN BIBLE AND A MISQUOTED

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE?

THAT IS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY I

KNOW.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS GOING

TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM, HAVING
TO KEEP A CONSTANT EYE ON THE

ULTRA-RIGHT IN THIS COUNTRY, SO

THEY DON'T SUDDENLY GRAB THE

WHEEL AND STEER US STRAIGHT INTO

HELL.

AND SPEAKING OF HELL, THAT

BRINGS US TO OUR SECOND STORY,

OAN, THE ONE AMERICA NEWS

NETWORK.

YOU MAY REMEMBER WE COVERED IT

LAST YEAR.

IT'S A FAR RIGHT CHANNEL THAT

PEDDLES COVID MISINFORMATION AND

CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

WELL, THIS WEEK, WE LEARNED SOME

PRETTY UNSETTLING NEWS.

A NEW REUTERS INVESTIGATION

BASED ON A REVIEW OF COURT

RECORDS REVEALS THAT OANN HAS

FLOURISHED THANKS TO FINANCIAL

SUPPORT FROM A SURPRISING

MAINSTREAM SOURCE, AT&T.

YUP!

TURNS OUT AT&T HAS BEEN UP TO

SOME SHIT.

AND IT'S WORTH NOTING... AT&T IS

STILL, TECHNICALLY, OUR BUSINESS

DADDY, MAKING OAN OUR BUSINESS

STEPSIBLING, AND NOT IN A HOT

WAY.

REUTERS REPORTED THAT, IN

DEPOSITIONS, OAN'S FOUNDER

ROBERT HERRING TESTIFIED AT&T

EXECUTIVES ONCE TOLD HIM THEY

WANTED A CONSERVATIVE NETWORK,

AND HE CLAIMS, "WHEN THEY SAID

THAT, I JUMPED TO IT AND BUILT

ONE."

AND ONCE HE BUILT THE CHANNEL,

AT&T CARRIED IT.

FIRST ON THEIR U-VERSE SYSTEM,

AND THEN ON DIRECT TV.

AND WITH THAT HELP, OAN HAS

GROWN INTO THE TOXIC NETWORK IT

IS TODAY, ONE THAT'S HAPPY TO

GIVE A PLATFORM TO BATSHIT

ELECTION FRAUD THEORIES FROM

AMERICA'S MOST OUT-OF-BREATH

PILLOW FETISHIST, AND ONE THAT,

A FEW MONTHS AGO, FEATURED ONE

OF ITS COMMENTATORS SAYING THIS.

DESPITE THEIR BEST EFFORTS,

THE RADICAL DEMOCRATS LEFT

FINGERPRINTS ALL OVER THE

COUNTRY, PROVIDING A TRAIL OF

EVIDENCE THAT THE 2020 ELECTION

WAS NOT ONLY TAMPERED WITH, BUT

WAS ACTUALLY OVERTHROWN.

ANY AMERICAN INVOLVED IN THESE

EFFORTS, FROM THOSE WHO RAN THE

VOTING MACHINES TO THE VERY

HIGHEST GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, IS

GUILTY OF TREASON UNDER U.S.

CODE 2381, WHICH CARRIES WITH IT

THE PENALTY OF DEATH.

LOOK, I GET THAT WE'RE

WATCHING A CALL FOR MASS

EXECUTIONS FROM A GUY WITH, FOR

LACK OF A BETTER TERM, "BIG

THEATER KID ENERGY," BUT ARE YOU

REALLY SAYING THOSE WHO RAN THE

VOTING MACHINES COULD BE

TRAITORS?

YOU MEAN DOLORES?

DOLORES FROM DOWN THE STREET?

WHO VOLUNTEERED TO SPEND 12

HOURS OF HER... LET'S FACE IT...

DWINDLING "NCIS" -WATCHING TIME

DOLING OUT PARTICIPATION

STICKERS TO VOTERS?

THAT DOLORES?

ALL RIGHT, DEATH TO DOLORES, I

GUESS.

SORRY, LO-LO, BUT DECAF PITBULL

HERE HEARD A RUMOR FROM A PILLOW

SALESMAN THAT YOU DESERVE THE

CHAIR.

NOW, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, AT&T

SAYS THAT NO "SENIOR" EXECUTIVE

SUGGESTED TO HERRING THAT HE

CREATE ANOTHER CONSERVATIVE

NETWORK, WITH THE CARVE-OUT OF

"SENIOR" THERE BEING PRETTY

STRIKING.

THEY ALSO SAY THEY'VE NEVER HAD

A FINANCIAL INTEREST IN OAN'S

SUCCESS AND "DO NOT FUND" THE

NETWORK, NEITHER OF WHICH IS

100% THE ISSUE HERE.

THEY ALSO CLAIM THE ONLY REASON

OAN WAS ON DIRECTV WAS THAT THE

NETWORK HAD SUED THEM.

AND OKAY!

I GUESS THE LARGEST TELECOM

COMPANY IN THE WORLD GOT ROLLED

IN A LAWSUIT BY A RAGTAG BAND OF

FASCISTS.

IT HAPPENS!

BUT THE LARGER POINT IS, OAN

WOULD BE LITERALLY NOTHING

WITHOUT AT&T.

AN OAN ACCOUNTANT REPORTEDLY

SAID, UNDER OATH, THAT AT&T

PROVIDED 90% OF HERRING

NETWORKS' INCOME.

AS FOR OAN'S HORRENDOUS CONTENT,

AT&T TOLD US DIRECTV RESPECTS

THE EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE OF

THE CHANNELS IT CARRIES, JUST AS

AT&T IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING

EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE FOR EVERY

WARNER MEDIA SHOW, INCLUDING

THIS ONE.

AND THAT IS SUCH A RELIEF!

ESPECIALLY THAT LAST PART.

BECAUSE IF I MAY, I'D LIKE TO

USE THAT GENEROUS EDITORIAL

INDEPENDENCE TO OFFER SOME

CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK.

TAKE AT&T'S RECENT CAMPAIGN.

"MORE FOR YOUR THING, THAT'S OUR

THING," WHICH IS, RESPECTFULLY,

COMPLETE GIBBERISH.

IT SOUNDS LIKE YODA PITCHING A

PENIS-ENLARGEMENT DEVICE.

IT'S SO NONSENSICAL I HAVE TO

ASSUME SOMETHING WAS LOST IN

COMMUNICATION, WHICH ACTUALLY

WOULD BE A MUCH MORE APPROPRIATE

SLOGAN FOR THE COMPANY.

AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT,

AT&T, DON'T WORRY, I'VE GOT

MORE.

HOW ABOUT "AT&T, ALL THE

BUSINESS SAVVY OF QUIBI WITHOUT

THE COURTESY OF COMMITTING

CORPORATE SUICIDE."

OR "AT&T, IF YOU RUN A CABLE OUT

THE BACK OF YOUR HEADQUARTERS

AND PLUG IT INTO T-MOBILE'S

NETWORK WHILE THEY AREN'T

LOOKING, THAT'S LEGAL, RIGHT?

ASKING FOR A FRIEND."

ANY OF THOSE ARE YOURS IF YOU

WANT THEM!

AND LOOK, AT&T, I KNOW OUR

RELATIONSHIP IS A LITTLE

AWKWARD, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU'RE

TRYING TO SPIN THIS BUSINESS

BABY OFF IN YOUR DEAL WITH

DISCOVERY.

BUT WHILE WE'RE STILL

TECHNICALLY RELATED, LET ME JUST
SAY THIS.

YOU'RE A TERRIBLE COMPANY.
YOU DO BAD THINGS AND YOU MAKE

THE WORLD WORSE.
PLEASE DON'T BOTHER KEEPING IN

TOUCH ONCE THE MERGER'S
COMPLETE.

ALTHOUGH THAT SHOULDN'T BE A
PROBLEM.

YOU'RE AT&T.

IT'S NOT LIKE YOUR MESSAGES WILL

GO THROUGH ANYWAY.

AND NOW, THIS.

AND NOW, FOX AND FRIENDS AS

BRIAN KILL MEAD LIKES

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS WAY, WAY

TOO MUCH.

IF YOU READ ONE REPUTABLE

BOOK ON COLUMBUS AND STILL DON'T

THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A

COLUMBUS DAY, YOU'RE NOT PAYING
ATTENTION.

HE MARRIED TO WORLD OF THE TIME.

I JUST DID THE MATH, 527 YEARS

AGO, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
DISCOVERED THE NEW WORLD.

WHAT HE DID AS AN EXPLORER

FIGHTING THE ODDS TO DO SO THEY

SAID WAS LIKE GOING TO THE MOON

TODAY BUT ONLY MORE DANGEROUS.

ONE PERSON DESCRIBED AS GOING TO

THE MOON BACK IN THE 1960s

ONLY MORE DANGEROUS.

ONLY IT WAS MORE DANGEROUS.

ONLY MORE DANGEROUS.

BASICALLY, HE DID THE EQUIVALENT

OF GOING TO THE MOON IN THE

1490s.

NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

ACTUALLY MORE DANGEROUS.

I WAS ALMOST THE CHRISTOPHER

COLUMBUS OF THE SHOW.

YOU ARE THE CHRISTOPHER

COLUMBUS OF PET GIVES.

SOME PEOPLE WHO THINK
COLUMBUS IS ACTUALLY SPANISH.

I DON'T BUY THAT AT ALL.

I READ FOUR VOYAGES AND TOTALLY
ITALIAN.

COULDN'T BE MORE ITALIAN.

I WAS COLUMBUS FOR HALLOWEEN, NO

PICTURES AVAILABLE.

I'M LIKE WHAT YOU TALKING

ABOUT?
MOVING ON.

FOR A MAIN STORY TONIGHT, WE'RE

GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE

INTERNET, MAGICAL PLACE WHERE

YOU FIND COMMUNITIES OF

LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS LIKE A

TIKTOKER WHO CREATED THE STORY

ABOUT THINGS NARROWLY FITTING

INTO TIGHT SPACES, SOMETHING THE

SUCCEEDING WEEK BRITISH WOMAN
WAS A BIG FAN OF.

ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO!
OH, THAT WENT NICE.

THAT LITERALLY FITTED PERFECTLY.
OH, THAT'S NICE.

OH, BLOODY HELL, BIT CLOSE FOR
COMFORT, THAT.

STRESSING ME OUT A BIT, BUT THAT
WERE NICE.

OH, GO ON!
OH, YES, GO ON.

HOW'D YOU FIND THAT ALL THESE
THINGS FIT, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

DID YOU JUST SIT IN YOUR HOUSE
AND JUST SEE IF THINGS FIT IN HOLES?

YOU KNOW WHAT?
SHE'S ASKING A LEGITIMATE

QUESTION THERE.

AND I DO THINK THE ANSWER IS
"YES."

BUT SADLY, OUR STORY ISN'T GOING
TO BE ABOUT THE FUN SIDE OF THE

INTERNET.

IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT THE

RAMPANT MISINFORMATION ON IT.

IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE COVERED

MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE, FROM ALEX

JONES TO VACCINE MISINFORMATION

TO CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

BUT TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK

SPECIFICALLY AT MISINFORMATION

THAT SPREADS AMONG IMMIGRANT,

DIASPORA COMMUNITIES.

BASICALLY, INSTEAD OF STUFF LIKE

THIS FACEBOOK POST IN ENGLISH,

TITLED "THE FAKE VACCINATION OF

KAMALA HARRIS," WHICH,

INCIDENTALLY, FACEBOOK HAS

FLAGGED AS FALSE INFORMATION,

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT

STUFF LIKE THIS POST IN SPANISH,

FEATURING THE EXACT SAME VIDEO

WHICH... AS OF THIS TAPING...

HAS NO SUCH WARNING.

AND THAT ACTUALLY ISN'T THAT

SURPRISING WHEN YOU CONSIDER

THAT... ACCORDING TO THE RECENT

FACEBOOK FILES EXPOSE... WHILE

MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF

FACEBOOK'S MONTHLY USERS ARE

OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND CANADA,

WHEN IT COMES TO THE HOURS THE

COMPANY SPENDS ON MONITORING

MISINFORMATION, LAST YEAR, ONLY

13% WERE SPENT ON CONTENT FROM

OUTSIDE THE U.S.

SO IT SEEMS THAT FACEBOOK'S

ADOPTED THE SAME GENERAL

ATTITUDE TO MISINFORMATION THAT

THE OSCARS TOOK TOWARD BEST

PICTURES FOR THE FIRST 90 YEARS

OF ITS EXISTENCE.

BASICALLY, IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN

IN ENGLISH, IT DOESN'T

FUNDAMENTALLY MATTER.

AND THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION

HAS REAL CONSEQUENCES.

WHEN A REPORTER RECENTLY TRIED

TO FIGURE OUT WHY VACCINATION

RATES AMONG LATINO COMMUNITIES

IN CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL VALLEY

REMAIN LOW, ONE WOMAN EXPLAINED

HER RELUCTANCE LIKE THIS.

I'VE LISTENED TO HEALTH

LEADERS.

LIKE WHO?

THERE'S A DOCTOR WHO I'VE

HEARD AND SEEN IN SOME

DOCUMENTARIES WHO SAYS THAT THE

VIRUS IS CURABLE.

I FOUND ONE OF THE FEMALE

DOCTOR.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR

MY PEOPLE OF EL SALVADOR IS TO

SAY NO.

WE SHOULDN'T BE GETTING THE

COVID VACCINE.

HOW DID YOU FIND THIS VIDEO?

MY MOTHER SENT IT TO ME.

THROUGH WHAT MEANS?

SHE SENT IT THROUGH FACEBOOK.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THIS

DOCTOR AND NOT SOMEONE LIKE DR.

FAUCI?

I HAVEN'T SEEN DR. FAUCI.

NEVER?

NO, I HAVEN'T.

YEAH, THAT'S NOT GREAT!

IS IT?

AND IT'S A PRETTY GOOD REMINDER

OF HOW, THANKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA,

IT'S POSSIBLE TO SILO YOURSELF

OFF AND HAVE VERY DIFFERENT

EXPERIENCES OF LIVING IN

AMERICA.

BECAUSE SHE WAS AWARE OF A

DOCTOR FROM EL SALVADOR PEDDLING

BULLSHIT COVID CURES, BUT HAD

NEVER HEARD OF DR. FAUCI.

AND ON THAT POINT, I HONESTLY

KIND OF ENVY HER.

WHATEVER YOU THINK ABOUT FAUCI,

I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE, IT

WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT TO HAVE

SEEN SIGNIFICANTLY LESS OF HIM

OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.

THAT WOMAN WILL NEVER KNOW THE

DYSTOPIAN HELL OF SEEING FAUCI

SUPERIMPOSED OVER A VOTIVE

CANDLE OR HEARING PEOPLE REFER

TO THE VACCINE AS A FAUCI

OUCHIE.

SHE ENJOYS AN INNER PEACE I WILL

NEVER KNOW.

AND LOOK, WE CLEARLY HAVEN'T

REMOTELY FIGURED OUT WHAT TO DO

WITH ENGLISH-LANGUAGE

MISINFORMATION YET, AS PROVEN BY

THE FACT THAT WHEN I SAY THE

WORDS "HORSE DEWORMER" OR "THE

LETTER Q," YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT

I'M REFERRING TO.

BUT WHILE I KNOW IT'S HARD TO

IMAGINE THAT THE SITUATION COULD

BE WORSE, WHEN IT COMES TO

NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE

MISINFORMATION, IT HONESTLY IS.

SO TONIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT

MISINFORMATION IN DIASPORA

COMMUNITIES, HOW EASILY IT CAN

BE SPREAD, AND WHAT CAN BE DONE

ABOUT IT.

AND LET'S START WITH THE FACT

THAT WHILE SOME MISINFORMATION

IS BASICALLY THE SAME IN OTHER

LANGUAGES, IN OTHER CASES, IT

TAPS INTO CULTURALLY SPECIFIC

INTERESTS OR FEARS.

FOR INSTANCE, COMMUNITIES WITH

LIVED EXPERIENCE UNDER COMMUNIST

OR SOCIALIST REGIMES ARE OFTEN

TARGETED WITH MISINFORMATION

THAT TRIES TO STOKE FEARS ABOUT

SOCIALISM.

IN FACT, JOE BIDEN'S

UNDERPERFORMANCE IN

MAJORITY-LATINO AREAS IN FLORIDA

MAY HAVE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH

THE FACT THAT CUBAN COMMUNITIES,

WERE INUNDATED BY FALSE CLAIMS

LIKE THIS.

FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS, MANY

HISPANIC-AMERICAN VOTERS HAVE

SEEN REPORTS AND IMAGES TRYING

TO TIE JOE BIDEN TO SOCIALISM.

FOR INSTANCE, THIS PHOTO HAS

BEEN FLOATING AROUND ON SOCIAL

MEDIA.

IT CLAIMS TO BE JILL BIDEN NEXT

TO FIDEL CASTRO.

BUT IN FACT, THIS IS FALSE.

IT'S ACTUALLY A PHOTO OF LATE

NORWEGIAN EXPLORER THOR

HEYERDAHL AND HIS WIFE,

JACQUELINE BIER.

OKAY, THAT PHOTO IS

CLEARLY NOT JILL BIDEN.

AND THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT JOE

BIDEN.

ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS A LOT MORE

LIKE HIM THAN THIS ANIMATRONIC

VERSION AT DISNEY WORLD'S HALL

OF PRESIDENTS DOES.

WHAT IS GOING ON THERE?

THAT LOOKS LIKE WHAT WOULD

HAPPEN IF AN ELDERLY ANDERSON

COOPER GOT A FACELIFT FROM A

PLASTIC SURGEON WITHOUT A

MEDICAL LICENSE.

AND SOMETIMES, THE SPREAD OF

MISINFORMATION IS EXACERBATED BY

THE FACT THAT, FOR MANY DIASPORA

COMMUNITIES HERE IN THE U.S.,

THERE JUST AREN'T MANY

ALTERNATIVES IN THEIR OWN

LANGUAGES.

FOR MANY OLDER VIETNAMESE

AMERICANS, THERE'S SUCH A VACUUM

OF CREDIBLE NEWS CHANNELS THAT

BROADCAST IN VIETNAMESE THAT

MANY TURN TO YOUTUBE FOR THEIR

NEWS, WITH CERTAIN CHANNELS ON

IN THEIR HOUSES 24/7.

ONE POPULAR HOST BASED HERE IN

THE U.S. IS NGUY VU, WHO BRANDS

HIMSELF "KING RADIO."

HE'S BASICALLY A VIETNAMESE ALEX

JONES, AS YOU CAN SEE IN RANTS

LIKE THESE.

CHINA COMPLETELY HAS CONTROL

OF BIDEN.

THE WHOLE SITUATION WITH HUNTER

BIDEN'S LAPTOP AND THE TROVE OF

DATA IT CONTAINS, I THINK XI

JINPING HAS GOT HIS HANDS ON ALL

OF IT.

GEORGE SOROS WAS PART OF THE

FINANCIAL PLOT TO OVERTHROW THE

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

WHY ARE WE STILL BEING FORCED TO

WEAR MASKS?

MASKS ARE KILLING PEOPLE.

IF YOU'RE IN A STATE THAT GIVES

YOU THE RIGHT TO NOT WEAR A

MASK, AND THEN YOU ENTER

SOMEONE'S HOUSE BUT THEY TRY TO

MAKE YOU WEAR ONE, TELL THEM

"FUCK YOU."

I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE

WHERE THE ALEX JONES COMPARISONS

COME FROM.

BOTH HAVE VOICES THAT SOUND LIKE

BONES GOING THROUGH A WOOD

CHIPPER, BOTH HAVE AN INABILITY

TO CONTROL THE VOLUME OF SAID

VOICES, AND BOTH HAVE SETS

CLEARLY INSPIRED BY A WINDOWS 95

SCREENSAVER.

ALSO, THEY SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME

BUSINESS MODEL WITH KING RADIO

SELLING HIS AUDIENCE VIAGRA,

MEDICATIONS, AND BEAUTY CREAMS

THAT HE CLAIMS ARE MADE BY HIS

COUSIN.

WHICH SHOULD BE A HUGE RED FLAG.

UNLESS HIS COUSIN IS NAMED STEVE

CLINIQUE, I DO NOT WANT ANY

CREAMS FROM THAT INDIVIDUAL.

BUT AGAIN, WHILE ALEX JONES HAS

BEEN REMOVED FROM YOUTUBE FOR

SPREADING MISINFORMATION, KING

RADIO IS STILL GOING STRONG ON

THE PLATFORM, DESPITE THE FACT

YOU JUST HEARD HIM SAY, "MASKS

ARE KILLING PEOPLE," WHICH

CLEARLY VIOLATES YOUTUBE'S BAN

ON CLAIMS THAT WEARING A MASK IS

DANGEROUS.

AND WHAT I GUESS THIS MEANS IS,

ALEX JONES COULD PROBABLY FIND

HIS WAY BACK ONTO YOUTUBE.

HE JUST NEEDS TO COMPLETE A

ROSETTA STONE VIETNAMESE COURSE.

AND AS BAD AS FACEBOOK AND

YOUTUBE ARE... AND THEY ARE

SCREAMINGLY BAD... AT LEAST IN

THEORY, THEY CAN BE MONITORED.

BUT THERE'S ANOTHER WAY

MISINFORMATION SPREADS THAT'S

ACTUALLY INVISIBLE TO MOST

PEOPLE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, ALSO

HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST

POPULAR TOOLS OF COMMUNICATION

AMONG IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, AND

THAT IS PRIVATE MESSAGING APPS.

THE BIGGEST, BY FAR, IS

WHATSAPP, OWNED BY FACEBOOK,

WHICH IS MASSIVE ALL OVER THE

WORLD.

SO MUCH SO, IT'S BECOME PART OF

MANY PEOPLE'S DAILY ROUTINE.

IN INDIA, SENDING "GOOD MORNING"

MESSAGES ON WHATSAPP IS

INCREDIBLY POPULAR, MEANING

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WAKE UP TO

RELATIVES HAVING SENT THEM ONE

OF THESE, OR EVEN A VIDEO LIKE

THIS.

I WILL SAY, THAT'S AN

AGGRESSIVELY PLEASANT WAY TO

WAKE UP!

WHEN WE CAME ACROSS THAT MESSAGE

UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE, THE TOP

CMMENT WAS SIMPLY "NICE."

WHICH IS PRETTY STRIKING.

NOTHING ELSE ON THE PLATFORM HAS

A RESPONSE THAT WHOLESOME.

YOU JUST KNOW THE AMERICAN

VERSION OF GOOD MORNING WOULD

HAVE A TOP COMMENT LIKE "YOU

KNOW WHO HAD A SHIT MORNING?

HARAMBE.

REST IN PEACE, KING."

BUT IT'S NOT JUST WHATSAPP.

CERTAIN COMMUNITIES HAVE THEIR

OWN PREFERRED APP.

KOREAN IMMIGRANTS HAVE

KAKAOTALK, WHILE MORE RECENT

CHINESE IMMIGRANTS USE WECHAT.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT ON THESE APPS,

IT CAN BE HARD TO UNDERSTAND

JUST HOW CENTRAL THEY ARE TO

PEOPLE'S LIVES.

THIS TUNE AND LOADING SCREEN

ARE INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE TO

OVER ONE BILLION PEOPLE AROUND

THE WORLD.

IN CHINA, WHERE MOST WESTERN

SOCIAL MEDIA IS BANNED, WECHAT

IS ESSENTIAL.

PEOPLE USE IT TO TEXT EACH

OTHER, ORDER FOOD, HAIL RIDES,

AND PAY FOR THINGS.

OUTSIDE OF CHINA, THE DIASPORA

USES IT TO CONNECT WITH FELLOW

CHINESE SPEAKERS AND ISSUES IN

THE COUNTRY THEY'RE LIVING IN.

EXACTLY.

COMMUNICATION, FOOD ORDERS,

TRAVEL, PAYMENT, EVERYTHING, ALL

IN ONE APP.

THAT'S SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENT

THAN THE U.S.-BASED MODEL, WHERE

YOU HAVE ONE APP TO CONVINCE YOU

EVERYONE'S HAVING A BETTER TIME

THAN YOU, ONE THAT FUNCTIONS AS

AN ENDLESSLY REFRESHING FURY

GENERATOR, ONE FOR PRETENDING

YOU'LL MEDITATE ONE DAY, ONE

THAT LETS YOU PAY TOO MUCH FOR

FAST FOOD, ONE FOR HORNY

MISTAKES, AND ONE THAT SIMPLY

LETS YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE VERY

OLD AND THE WORLD NO LONGER

BELONGS TO YOU.

SO I GUESS, IN A WAY, KUDOS TO

WECHAT FOR STREAMLINING OUR

SHARED DIGITAL NIGHTMARE INTO

ONE CONVENIENT PLACE.

SO THESE APPS ARE A CHEAP AND

UBIQUITOUS WAY TO ALLOW PEOPLE

TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH FAMILY AND

FRIENDS, AND ALSO GET NEWS AND

SHARE INFORMATION IN THEIR HOME

LANGUAGES.

WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY APPEALING.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE ALSO A

HUGE VECTOR FOR MISINFORMATION.

THERE IS ACTUALLY A SAYING IN

THE LATINO COMMUNITY, IN THE

VENEZUELAN AND CUBAN COMMUNITIES

ABOUT LA TIA DEL WHATSAPP.

IT'S THE AUNT THAT GOES ON

WHATSAPP AND RECEIVES ANY TYPE

OF CONSPIRACY THEORY AND

FORWARDS IT TO ALL HER CONTACTS.

WE ALL HAVE SOMEBODY IN OUR

FAMILY LIKE THAT.

OH, YEAH, WE DO.

AND IT'S ALMOST COMFORTING TO

KNOW THAT REGARDLESS OF

BACKGROUND, EVERY SINGLE FAMILY

HAS ONE MEMBER THAT WHEN ANYONE

GETS A MESSAGE FROM THEM, THE

FIRST RESPONSE IS TO GO "OH,

SHIT, WHAT NOW?"

IT'S A TRULY UNIVERSAL

EXPERIENCE.

AND THERE ARE PARTICULAR REASONS

THESE APPS HAVE BECOME

ESPECIALLY FERTILE GROUNDS FOR

MISINFORMATION.

FOR INSTANCE, IN MANY COUNTRIES,

FACEBOOK... WHICH, REMEMBER,

OWNS WHATSAPP... HAS PARTNERED

WITH MOBILE PHONE CARRIERS TO

MAKE ACCESSING ITS SERVICES A

LOT CHEAPER THAN ACCESSING THE

REST OF THE INTERNET.

SO MISINFORMATION CAN SPREAD FAR

AND WIDE WITHOUT THE SAME

ABILITY TO CHECK IT.

IN BRAZIL, A BROADBAND

CONNECTION CAN COST UP TO 15

PERCENT OF A HOUSEHOLD'S INCOME,

ESSENTIALLY MAKING FACT-CHECKING

TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THE AVERAGE

BRAZILIAN.

WHICH IS A TRULY TERRIFYING

THOUGHT.

AND WECHAT HAS ITS OWN FEATURES

THAT MAKE SOURCING HARDER TO

FOLLOW.

BECAUSE IT HAS A FUNCTION FOR

USERS TO SET THEMSELVES UP AS

WHAT'S KNOWN AS SELF-MEDIA...

BASICALLY A PSEUDO "NEWS

CHANNEL," BUT THERE'S A CRUCIAL

LIMITATION THERE.

WHILE FACEBOOK AND TWITTER

GENERALLY ALLOW PUBLISHERS TO

POST LINKS THAT TAKE USERS TO

OTHER WEBSITES, WECHAT BANS MOST

PUBLISHERS FROM EMBEDDING

HYPERLINKS IN ARTICLES.

THIS MEANS PRETTY MUCH

EVERYTHING IS SELF-CONTAINED ON

THE PLATFORM.

IT'S HARD TO FIND THE ORIGINAL

SOURCE MATERIAL AND DEBUNK IT.

RIGHT, AND THAT'S A BIG

DEAL, BECAUSE WHO YOUR SOURCE IS

MATTERS!

A BOOK CALLED "HOW I BROKE RULES

AND MADE HISTORY" READS

COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY IF IT WAS

WRITTEN BY RUTH BADER GINSBURG

OR OSAMA BIN LADEN.

SO MISINFORMATION CAN CIRCULATE

FREELY ON MESSAGING APPS, AND IN

CLOSED GROUPS, BASICALLY

INVISIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC,

AND SOMETIMES, WHEN THE MESSAGES

ARE END-TO-END ENCRYPTED, EVEN

TO THE COMPANIES THAT HOST THEM.

AND THEY'RE OFTEN BEING PASSED

AROUND BY TRUSTED FRIENDS AND

FAMILY MEMBERS, LENDING THEM AN

AURA OF LEGITIMACY.

AND IT CAN BE TRULY EXASPERATING

FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE TO SEE JUST

HOW SUSCEPTIBLE THEIR RELATIVES

ARE TO THIS BULLSHIT.

SUBREDDITS LIKE "ASIAN PARENT

STORIES" ARE FULL OF POSTS LIKE

"WECHAT FUCKED UP MY PARENTS."

AND LISTEN TO THIS WOMAN READ A

MESSAGE THAT WAS FLYING AROUND

HER SOUTH AFRICAN FAMILY'S

WHATSAPP GROUP.

"PLEASE DO NOT FULL PETROL TO

THE MAXIMUM LIMIT.

IT MAY CAUSE EXPLOSION.

THIS WEEK, FIVE EXPLOSION

ACCIDENTS HAVE HAPPENED DUE TO

FILLING PETROL TO THE MAXIMUM.

PLEASE DO SHARE THIS MESSAGE.

RESCUE 1122."

I'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT, I'VE

NEVER SEEN IT, SO I DON'T SEE

HOW SHE BELIEVES IT.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?

BECAUSE WHATSAPP SAYS SO, IT'S

TRUE.

YOUR CAR'S GONNA EXPLODE.

YEAH, IT'S TRUE!

I MEAN, IT'S NOT.

YOUR CAR'S NOT GOING TO EXPLODE.

WHAT'S TRUE IS THAT

MISINFORMATION LIKE THAT IS

EVERYWHERE ON THESE APPS.

OUR OWN STAFF HAS HAD FAMILY

MEMBERS CIRCULATE THINGS LIKE

THESE VIDEOS IN KOREAN PROMOTING

CONSPIRACY THEORIES LIKE QANON,

OR THIS POST ABOUT HOW AYURVEDIC

DOCTORS SAY WE CAN SAVE

OURSELVES FROM CORONAVIRUS, WITH

TIPS LIKE "BOILED BLACK PEPPERS

IN WATER AND ADD LEMON JUICE, IT

KILLS THE VIRUS."

WHICH WOULD BE GREAT NEWS IF IT

WAS TRUE, BUT IT ISN'T.

THIS PROBLEM IS SO FAMILIAR TO

YOUNGER GENERATIONS THAT ONE SON

OF INDIAN PARENTS MOCKED IT ON

TIKTOK LIKE THIS.

HERE'S HOW YOU MAKE BROWN

PARENTS BELIEVE LITERALLY

ANYTHING.

YOU'RE GONNA START WITH A PLAIN

BACKGROUND AND WRITE WHATEVER

YOU WANT, BUT JUST MAKE SURE YOU

WRITE IT IN THIS FONT, THAT'S

CRUCIAL.

NOW, MENTION ANY RELIGIOUS TEXT

AND TALK ABOUT BODY, MIND,

SPIRIT, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT

AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU MENTION A

HARVARD SCIENTIST HELPED CONFIRM

ANCIENT WISDOM, 'CAUSE WE LOVE

THOSE HEADLINES.

NOW, MAKE A DIAGRAM THAT LOOKS

SCIENTIFIC AND RELIGIOUS AT THE

SAME TIME AND THROW SOME

SANSKRIT ON THERE, DON'T WORRY

ABOUT ACCURACY.

BEAUTIFUL!

NOW, MENTION SOME CHEMICALS.

I CHOSE KANYE AND DRAKE'S NAME

AND MADE THEM LOOK LIKE

COMPOUNDS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY'RE

REAL OR NOT.

OUR UNCLES AND AUNTIES HAVE PhDS

IN SCIENCE BUT THAT'S NO MATCH

FOR WHATSAPP.

NOW, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT YOU

INSULT WESTERN MEDICINE AND

CULTURE AT THIS LAST PART.

YOU KNOW THE DRILL.

THREE DOTS, THREE EXCLAMATION

POINTS, CITE YOUR SOURCES, AND

MAKE THE IMAGE QUALITY A LITTLE

WORSE.

AND THAT IS PERFECTION.

YEAH!

ALL IT TAKES IS A FEW

SUPERFICIAL LABELS AND STYLISH

CHOICES TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT

SOMETHING WITH NO REAL SUBSTANCE

IS ACTUALLY MEANINGFUL AND GOOD

OR, AS IT'S KNOWN IN AMERICA,

THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE.

WHILE THAT WAS CLEARLY FUN, THAT

GUY LATER POSTED A FOLLOWUP

SAYING THAT HIS IMAGE HAD WORKED

SLIGHTLY TOO WELL, BECAUSE IT

WAS MAKING THE ROUNDS ON

WHATSAPP, BUT NOT ALWAYS AS A

JOKE.

AND WE'VE SEEN THE VERY REAL

IMPACTS MISINFORMATION ON THESE

APPS CAN HAVE.

IN INDIA, MISINFORMATION HAS

BEEN LINKED TO VIOLENCE AND

DEATHS, TO THE POINT WHERE

WHATSAPP FELT IT NECESSARY TO

CREATE THIS AD.

MEET KAVYA.

SHE LIVES AWAY FROM HER FAMILY,

BUT VERY CLOSE TO THEIR HEARTS

ON THE FAMILY WHATSAPP GROUP.

BUT TODAY, SHE'S A LITTLE

SERIOUS.

FUFAJI HAS FORWARDED SOME RANDOM

FAKE NEWS ON THE FAMILY GROUP.

KAVYA CALLED HIM RIGHT AWAY.

KAVYA?

DO YOU HAVE SOME PROOF OF

THAT MESSAGE OR DID YOU JUST

FORWARD IT?

I JUST RECEIVED IT ON SOME

RANDOM GROUP.

AND MADE HIM UNDERSTAND THAT

FAKE NEWS CAN CAUSE VIOLENCE.

WE SHOULDN'T CIRCULATE

SOMETHING DANGEROUS, RIGHT?

SHE CONVINCED FUFAJI TO LEAVE

THAT GROUP.

BE LIKE KAVYA.

SHARE JOY, NOT RUMOURS.

YEAH, YEAH, SURE,

IT'S A NICE SENTIMENT, BUT IT'S

NOT GREAT WHEN YOU HAVE TO

PRODUCE A PSA ESSENTIALLY

SAYING, "LOOK, SOME OF WHAT'S ON

OUR SERVICE IS DANGEROUS

NONSENSE AND IF YOU COULD HELP

CLEAN IT UP FOR US, THAT'D BE

GREAT!"

AT THE VERY LEAST, THEY MIGHT

WANT TO CHANGE THAT SLOGAN TO

"SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR

KEEPING MISINFORMATION FROM

DESTROYING THE FABRIC OF OUR

SOCIETY BECAUSE WE CLEARLY CAN'T

DO IT."

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT ALL

THIS?

WELL, IDEALLY, PLATFORMS LIKE

FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND OTHERS

WOULD BE AT LEAST AS PROACTIVE

ABOUT TAKING DOWN MISINFORMATION

IN OTHER LANGUAGES AS THEY ARE

ABOUT TAKING IT DOWN IN ENGLISH.

WHICH I KNOW IS A LOW, LOW BAR,

BUT IT DOES SAY SOMETHING ABOUT

WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.

AS FOR PRIVATE MESSAGING APPS,

THAT'S TRICKIER, BECAUSE OF HOW

THEY'RE DESIGNED.

AND EVEN WHEN SOME HAVE TAKEN

STEPS TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF

MISINFORMATION, THEY'VE OFTEN

AMOUNTED TO HALF-MEASURES.

WHATSAPP, FOR INSTANCE, STARTED

PLACING LIMITS ON THE NUMBER OF

CHATS A MESSAGE CAN BE FORWARDED

TO, CAPPING IT AT UP TO FIVE

CHATS AT A TIME.

WHICH MIGHT SOUND GOOD, BUT IN

PRACTICE, IT LEAVES PLENTY OF

ROOM FOR DAMAGE.

IF A MESSAGE IS SENT TO A

WHATSAPP GROUP OF 20, THEN EACH

OF THEM SHARES IT WITH 20 OTHER

PEOPLE, AND THIS HAPPENS FIVE

TIMES, IT CAN REACH MORE THAN 3

MILLION PEOPLE VERY QUICKLY.

YEAH, IT CAN STILL

SPREAD PRETTY FAR.

AND I KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T THE

MAIN POINT HERE, BUT ALSO HOW

MANY OF US ARE IN TWO GROUP

CHATS OF 20 DIFFERENT PEOPLE

EACH?

AND IF YOU ARE, HOW THE FUCK DO

YOU SLEEP?

HOW DO YOU GET ANYTHING DONE

WITHOUT CONSTANTLY SWIPING AWAY

NOTIFICATIONS?

AND IF YOU'RE THINKING HOLD ON,

IT'S NOT A PROBLEM, JUST MUTE

THEM, THEN HOW DO YOU THEN CATCH

UP ON ANYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED

IN THE CHAT?

YOU'D SPEND HALF YOUR DAY

SCROLLING BACK UP JUST SO YOU'D

KNOW WHAT THIS GIF MEANT IN

CONTEXT.

MOM SENT THAT?

IN RESPONSE TO WHAT?

I HAVE TO KNOW.

A KEY PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IS THAT

MANY COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE THE

SAME FACT-CHECKING RESOURCES

THAT ENGLISH-SPEAKING ONES DO.

IF SOMEONE SENDS YOU AN ALEX

JONES CLIP, YOU CAN RESPOND TO

IT WITH ANY NUMBER OF TRUSTED

SOURCES DEBUNKING HIM.

YOU CAN SEND THEM SOMETHING FROM

POLITIFACT, OR SNOPES, OR

BUT IF SOMEONE SENDS YOU A CLIP

FROM KING RADIO,

VIETNAMESE-LANGUAGE

FACT-CHECKING SOURCES ARE THIN

ON THE GROUND.

THERE ARE SOME... THERE'S VIET

FACT CHECK, A VOLUNTEER-LED

PROJECT, AND THE INTERPRETER,

WHICH WORKS TO TRANSLATE NEWS

ARTICLES FROM REPUTABLE OUTLETS

INTO VIETNAMESE.

BUT THESE ARE OFTEN SMALL

ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE PEOPLE

RUNNING THEM ARE OUTMATCHED AND

UNDERSTANDABLY FUCKING
EXHAUSTED.

SO GROUPS LIKE THESE NEED
RESOURCES TO BETTER MATCH THE

CHALLENGE THEY'RE FACING.
BUT BEYOND THAT, THERE NEEDS TO

BE PUBLIC PRESSURE ON PLATFORMS

TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL FORMS

OF MISINFORMATION, WHETHER

THEY'RE IN ENGLISH OR NOT.

BECAUSE A WHOLE LOT DEPENDS ON

THIS.

AND UNTIL THEY DO, IF YOU'RE A

MEMBER OF ONE OF THESE DIASPORA

COMMUNITIES, YOU MAY NEED TO

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR MORE

DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH

YOUR CRAZIEST UNCLES.

ALTHOUGH THERE'S ONE TINY WAY WE

MAY BE ABLE TO HELP, BECAUSE WE

MADE SOME "GOOD MORNING"

MESSAGES SPECIFICALLY TAILORED

FOR YOUR NEEDS.

LIKE THIS ONE, WHICH READS,

"GOOD MORNING!

TAKE EVERY CHANCE YOU GET IN

LIFE AND RETHINK SHARING NEWS

FROM A BULLSHIT SOURCE!"

IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO SEND THAT

TO AN UNCLE IN THE MORNING

RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, SPEAK TO

HIM.

OR YOU CAN SEND HIM A VIDEO

MESSAGE LIKE THIS.

THAT'S RIGHT!

IT MAY NOT BE THE MORNING

MESSAGE THEY WANT, BUT IT'S

DEFINITELY THE MORNING MESSAGE

THAT THEY NEED.

AND FOR VIETNAMESE-AMERICANS IN

PARTICULAR, IF ANY OF YOUR

RELATIVES HAVE KING RADIO ON IN

THE BACKGROUND 24 HOURS A DAY,

WE MADE A SPECIAL MESSAGE JUST

FOR YOU.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THAT

MESSAGE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND

VIETNAMESE AND A FEW MORE LIKE

THEM AT

FEEL FREE TO USE THEM WHEN YOU

CAN'T HANDLE A WHOLE

CONVERSATION, BUT KNOW THAT YOU

REALLY HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING.

THAT'S OUR SHOW, THANK YOU SO

MUCH FOR WATCHING.

WE'RE OFF NEXT WEEK, BUT WE'LL

BE BACK AFTER THAT.

GOOD NIGHT!