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The Platform Trans Disinformation Debate

This debate/discussion occurred on 01 Feb 2023 at 13:56:03...

This debate was about a very topical subject: disinformation. It then evolved into including trans issues as well. What a great combination!

Me I'm sure real disinformation exists, but the way the term is being used today it just means "stuff the government and their supporters don't like". I think I would prefer to continue to see the alternative views, and deal with the real disinformation myself.

Opponent That is why teaching children to separate fact from opinion and propaganda is important. With social media, people are bombarded with all sorts of different views and claims. Some information is based on accurate facts, some is misleading or inaccurate and some, the disinformation, is deliberately designed to deceive, often for monetary gain. We need our young people to be able to sort out fact from fiction and recognise when someone is trying to mislead them. Look at the kids who have been severely injured or killed by trying to copy what they saw on TikTok. I remember a kid died drinking boiling water through a straw, for instance.

Me I have been a skeptic for years, so I totally support genuine critical thinking. My concern would be it turns into a propaganda exercise saying all official government information is true (the pulpit of truth) and nothing else can be trusted.

Opponent Teaching children and young people how to separate fact from fiction, how to check the reliability of sources and how to recognise persuasive and emotive techniques in propaganda is not political.

Opponent Cough.

Opponent That's well and good but ouf current government is totally behind and supportive of spreading misinformation by teaching children they can become the opposite sex by taking (proven) harmful off label drugs.

Me That's the problem. Those trans issues are currently trendy and what is presented as fact is really just a political fad, poorly supported by science. And, of course, trans isn't the only example.

Opponent I don't think gender identity is a political issue. It's just that people are more open about it these days. There have always been gay and transgender people in all cultures. In the past though it was kept hidden.

Me Of course it's a real issue but the prominence it's been given now is a political phenomenon.

Opponent I see you have a genuine fear and loathing of LGBT people. Sad.

Opponent I have not heard the issue spoken about in the political arena apart from the banning of conversion therapy, which is really a health and safety issue. It's discussed most in social media really.

Me Trans issues are extremely prominent in other countries, but not to the same extent here. Maybe my definition of "political" is a bit wider than yours. You are right that it is primarily a societal debate rather than one politicians have much to do with, but look at recent issues in the UK, US, Canada. It is a significant component of modern leftist ideology.

Me I think the problem with spreading trans ideology to young children is a real one. It is possible to be supportive of trans rights in general, while also being concerned with the spread of what is basically propaganda to kids by extremist LGBTQIA+ activists.

Opponent I doubt that is happening here. Hopefully schools are teaching acceptance and love not bigotry and hate as evidenced in one person's profile who is commenting here. What do you regard as extremist LGBT propoganda? Extremist seems to be more "opinion" than fact. Is teaching acceptance "extremist" in your view?

Me Jenny Fisher I'm assuming some of the more extreme "teaching" in the US will arrive here soon, if it hasn't already. I think there is good reason to think that becoming trans has become a "trendy fad" in the US, thanks to encouragement to take common questions about gender identity as a necessity to begin transition.