Foreign Disinformation in America and the U.S. Government's Ethical Obligations to Respond

The U.S. no longer has a free marketplace of ideas. Instead, the marketplace is saturated with covert foreign-backed disinformation. And despite the ethical obligations to act, successive administrations have done nothing. Additionally, the decline in trust has left the door open for populism and illiberalism to enter. Some believe the very fabric of American liberalism is at stake. So what are the ethical responsibilities of the executive branch to counter covert campaigns such as the one coming from Russian-backed disinformation circulating within the US? Why has the government failed to act? So far, the practical challenges are daunting if the executive branch addresses the threat to the homeland. The process to limit this problem is wrought with profound political implications. By its very nature, social media-based disinformation is inextricably linked with existing complex societal cleavages, the First Amendment, and politics. But the failure to do anything is a serious abdication of the government's ethical responsibilities. This raises the question of where the line is for government intervention. This work provides answers.

Auteur

Dr. Murphy teaches about homeland security and the domestic intelligence architecture underpinning national security at Georgetown University. His area of research and publications are tied to his expertise in national security, policy, law and intelligence. Dr. Murphy completed over 25 years of federal service in 2021. In his last assignment, he served as both the Principal and Acting Under Security for Intelligence for the Department of Homeland Security. In this capacity, he led the intelligence and analysis activities of more than 250,000 personnel and served on the National Intelligence Council. Prior to that, Dr. Murphy was a special agent with the FBI for over 20 years. Dr. Murphy began his federal service as a member of the Marine Corps. His credentials include a PhD from Georgetown University; M.A. from Columbia University; and a BA from the College of William and Mary. Dr. Murphy currently works as s senior executive for a threat intelligence company.