Sec. Mayorkas | DHS.gov
Sec. Mayorkas | DHS.gov
The DHS's Disinformation Governance Board is being compared to '1984' all around the country.
Whoever came up with the name of the board did nothing but scare the people and now Congress is trying to pass legislation that will bring an end to the board for good.
"Another huge threat to our homeland is mis- and disinformation," Rep. Underwood said to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. "One of my main concerns about disinformation is that foreign adversaries attempt to destabilize our elections by targeting people of color with disinformation campaigns."
A fact sheet provided by the Department of Homeland Security states, "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is charged with safeguarding the United States against threats to its security, including threats exacerbated by disinformation." It then goes on to say, "The Department identifies disinformation that threatens the homeland through publicly available sources … DHS then shares factual information related to its mission to potentially impacted people and organizations."
The fitness of the Board's director, Nina Jankowicz, has also been called into question, as reported Washington Post. Conservatives have pointed out that she is unqualified for the job. "There are people in (DHS) who have a diverse range of views, and they're incredibly dedicated to the mission. We're not the opinion police," Mayorkas said on Fox News. "She has testified before Congress a number of times, she's recognized as a tremendous authority, and we're very fortunate to have her."
As reported by Daily Herald, Mayorkas has testified before Congress clearly stating that the board would only be examining how the DHS is countering disinformation and it will ensure that the agency "does not infringe on freedom of speech, rights of privacy, civil rights and civil liberties."