Conservative Influencers Misrepresent Routine Revision to Defense Department Policy

Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. Quick Take The Department of Defense issued a standard policy revision in September to existing procedures for the intelligence community. Some social media accounts have misrepresented the language and timing of the update to falsely claim the military has been newly authorized “To Use Lethal Force On Americans!!” Full Story The Department of Defense published an updated policy on intelligence gathering on Sept. 27. The update didn’t add any new rules or expand military authority. It just described some existing policy from other, related protocols about the use of force. But some conservative influencers have misrepresented the revised policy, claiming that it “NOW includes the legal use of lethal force against civilians by the military,” or& that the “US military was just ‘authorized to kill Americans on US soil.'” Others have gone in a decidedly political direction, claiming: “DoD quietly expands military powers just weeks before the 2024 election,” and “Biden & Harris Authorize Military To Use Lethal Force On Americans!!” An analysis from the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public shows that by Oct. 16 there were thousands of posts and engagements on both mainstream and more...