Episode
A Movement to Fight Misinformation... With Misinformation
28:21
Published: Wed Feb 09 2022
Description
Birds Aren’t Real, a conspiracy theory with an apparently absurd premise, has become surprisingly popular in the past few years.But its followers were in on the joke: The movement’s aim was to poke fun at misinformation … by creating misinformation.Has it been successful?Guest: Taylor Lorenz, a former technology reporter for The New York Times.Have you lost a loved one during the pandemic? The Daily is working on a special episode memorializing those we have lost to the coronavirus. If you would like to share their name on the episode, please RECORD A VOICE MEMO and send it to us at [email protected]. You can find more information and specific instructions here.Background reading: Among the outlandish claims of the Birds Aren’t Real movement: Our feathered friends are really U.S. government drones used to spy on Americans.Want more from The Daily? For one big idea on the news each week from our team, subscribe to our newsletter.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Chapters
The "Birds Aren't Real" movement is a fake conspiracy theory that claims the government replaced all birds with surveillance drones in the 1970s.
00:00 - 04:46 (04:46)
Summary
The "Birds Aren't Real" movement is a fake conspiracy theory that claims the government replaced all birds with surveillance drones in the 1970s. Despite its absurdity, it has gained support among young people online and has become a part of internet and youth culture.
EpisodeA Movement to Fight Misinformation... With Misinformation
PodcastThe Daily
The speaker shares their experience of feeling isolated due to their different beliefs from their community, and how it shaped their worldview.
04:46 - 10:49 (06:03)
Summary
The speaker shares their experience of feeling isolated due to their different beliefs from their community, and how it shaped their worldview.
EpisodeA Movement to Fight Misinformation... With Misinformation
PodcastThe Daily
The Birds Aren't Real movement started as a humorous conspiracy theory, but has since gained popularity and turned into a rally cry for those who want to hold up a mirror to absurdity.
10:49 - 16:26 (05:37)
Summary
The Birds Aren't Real movement started as a humorous conspiracy theory, but has since gained popularity and turned into a rally cry for those who want to hold up a mirror to absurdity. The movement is centered around the idea that the government has replaced all birds with surveillance drones.
EpisodeA Movement to Fight Misinformation... With Misinformation
PodcastThe Daily
The "Birds Aren't Real" movement is seen as a symptom of a greater issue in society, void of meaning for many people, and serves as a coping and therapeutic mechanism through satire and rallies, while also providing a unique form of counter protest for young people against conspiracies.
16:27 - 20:56 (04:29)
Summary
The "Birds Aren't Real" movement is seen as a symptom of a greater issue in society, void of meaning for many people, and serves as a coping and therapeutic mechanism through satire and rallies, while also providing a unique form of counter protest for young people against conspiracies.
EpisodeA Movement to Fight Misinformation... With Misinformation
PodcastThe Daily
The speaker shares his empathy for those who fall victim to conspiracy mindsets, but acknowledges that it's not healthy to feel empathy for certain ideologies such as racism and homophobia.
20:56 - 25:56 (05:00)
Summary
The speaker shares his empathy for those who fall victim to conspiracy mindsets, but acknowledges that it's not healthy to feel empathy for certain ideologies such as racism and homophobia. He believes people fall into these mindsets when they feel like the system is failing and become the victims in their own narrative.
EpisodeA Movement to Fight Misinformation... With Misinformation
PodcastThe Daily
States in the US, including New York, Connecticut, Oregon, and Virginia, are dropping their indoor mask mandates in defiance of CDC guidance, while the Russian government sent six large landing ships capable of carrying thousands of troops near Ukraine.
26:06 - 28:09 (02:03)
Summary
States in the US, including New York, Connecticut, Oregon, and Virginia, are dropping their indoor mask mandates in defiance of CDC guidance, while the Russian government sent six large landing ships capable of carrying thousands of troops near Ukraine.