Blog 9

     

        The 1948 Smith-Mundt Act was amended in 2012 to allow the dissemination of public diplomacy materials within the country. The content was only meant for foreign audiences prior to the change. The goal of the legislation is to bring the U.S. government's interactions with its domestic audience into the digital era.

The effects of the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act go beyond a straight definition. On the plus side, it allows the American government to interact with its citizens more openly by giving them access to the same information as overseas audiences. This might improve public perception of the government's diplomacy and foreign policy initiatives, potentially creating more confidence. The act also aids the government in stopping internal and international campaigns of misinformation and deception.

But there are worries that the act would encourage the distribution of government propaganda within the United States, possibly confusing the distinction between unbiased reporting and official messages. Some contend that this could lead to the government influencing public opinion, interrupting a democracy based on informed consent. On top of this since the public can mistake the government's public materials for an official story. Making it more challenging to distinguish fact from fiction, the spreading of incorrect information could be increased.

        It's important to know Smith-Mundt Modernization Act can have positive and negative effects on society as a whole. The government could promote a more informed and involved population by giving them access to public diplomacy materials. On the other hand, the act might accelerate the spreading of false information and the decline in trust in the government making it harder for the public to navigate an environment that is getting more and more complicated.

Certain social groups can be affected by the Mundt Modernization Act as well. For example, wealthy people may be more able to differentiate between normal news and government propaganda since they have access to a wider catalog of information sources. But, those with lesser incomes might have less access to a lot of information sources, making them more open to government propaganda. Different age groups may also be affected in different ways by the law. Older people may be more open to government messages, while younger people may be less open. Gender and sexual identification may not have as big of an impact on the act's outcomes, because information and potential propaganda can spread to all areas of our society to some extent.

The Act of 2012 might have an impact on my family, generation, and self by quite literally increasing our access to knowledge about government acts, potentially exposing us to government propaganda and misinformation without even knowing. Access to this information results in more informed discussions, but it may also cause misunderstanding among my generation. It is important to focus on media literacy and critical thinking to successfully travel this complicated landscape, find reliable sources, and keep an educated society.

Both positive and negative have resulted from the act. It can increase informed citizens and offer information about government actions, but it also has the potential of spreading false information and government propaganda.