US

Connecticut To Hire ‘Misinformation’ Specialist To Police The Internet

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Connecticut is hiring a “misinformation” specialist to police the internet ahead of the midterm elections, according to the state’s budget statement.

The position of a misinformation “security analyst” was proposed by Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill to combat alleged election misinformation that has “undermined public confidence in the fairness and capability of election results,” according to the budget statement.

Their role will be to “monitor and combat election misinformation on a full-time basis,” the statement read. Additionally, the budget allocates millions of dollars towards election education, including information on absentee voting and security.

I wish this authoritarian urge to censor speech would die along with the Disinformation Governance Board. https://t.co/9aYLSLrzRB pic.twitter.com/288WEPRzrJ

— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) May 31, 2022

Other states are following Connecticut’s lead by creating positions similar to “misinformation” specialists, according to The New York Times. Colorado hired cybersecurity analysts to scan sites for misinformation.

In April, the Biden administration launched the Disinformation Governance Board, an internal group within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created to combat disinformation that threatens national security, according to a memo released May 2.

DHS shut down the board May 18, just three weeks after its announcement.

Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Rand Paul, have voiced that the creation of positions such as those in Connecticut, Colorado, and the Disinformation Governance Board pose a threat to free speech and other civil liberties, The NYT reported.

Connecticut Gov. Lamont’s office did not respond to TheDCNF’s request for comment.