Former Newsnight presenter warns of misinformation deluge
Speaking at the University of Leeds, where Esler studied for his MA, he said the “toleration of lying” has resulted in society being “deluged by misinformation, disinformation, deliberate falsehoods, deceit and mendacity.”
He added: “Those in leadership positions attacking or undermining the truth has led to the normalisation of lying in not just our public life, in that of democracies elsewhere including the United States.
“Lying in public life erodes confidence in what we see, what we read, what we see on television, social media and even what we think we know or believe…
“Lying in public life by some leaders has become so widespread that we tolerate it or just say that’s how they are – it has become the new normal.
“But when we shrug off lying in public life then our democracy is diminished and eventually it is in danger.”
Esler went on to say: “The US and the UK are suffering from a democratic recession; lying is part of the democratic recession. Lying in public life in the 21st century has gone from being a sin to being a policy option.
“When we cannot know for sure the difference between truth and falsehood or fact and fiction, the truth about lying is, it’s destructive of trust and therefore democracy.”
Esler was delivering a public lecture entitled: “Dead Cats, Strategic Lying & Truth Decay”.
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