In the last decade, public discourse in America has become increasingly contaminated by aggressive disinformation campaigns to mislead the public in order to advance certain political or financial agendas. Kamarck and West examine this phenomenon in Lies That Kill, showing that in many instances the book’s title is not hyperbole—many public figures have been threatened with or been the victims of violent attacks perpetrated by people motivated by false information spread by malicious actors. The authors make the point that disinformation is spread not only by conservative Republicans and malicious foreign agents but, to a much lesser degree, left-wing Democrats. They examine how disinformation, spread with lightning-fast efficiency on the internet and many social-media platforms, poisons discourse on election integrity, public health, race relations, and other vital issues. Thankfully, they conclude with a final chapter detailing how the government, various agencies and think tanks, and the general public are detecting—and can detect in the future—false narratives and arrive at some semblance of truth. Everyone, whether they work in the public sector or are private citizens, will find this book invaluable.
— Booklist, Starred Review
Kamarck and West have written extensively on public policy. Together, they present a simple but effective manual that spotlights, analyzes, and discusses the many threads of disinformation circulating in the news, social media, and the general public. Writing in a clear and comprehensive writing style, they show how the U.S. political, social, and economic environments make disinformation believable to large numbers of people and difficult to stop or prevent. The first seven chapters each focus on one contentious current issue: smear tactics, climate change, election security, war, public health, race relations, and impediments to the ability to govern. The eighth chapter provides feasible action plans for individuals and institutions to restrain (and maybe even eliminate) the increasingly pervasive techniques that destroy society’s cohesion. Librarians and educators will find this thorough and outstanding resource about misinformation highly useful for community activists and students.
— Library Journal, Starred Review
Citizens who want to know how to get at the truth should read this timely and important book. It describes the new landscape of disinformation in America today across a wide range of issues: – from climate change to public health and elections, to race and to war. It explains where disinformation comes from, the networks that spread it and the large sums of money that are made from pushing it. Nothing is more important in this day and age than citizens armed with the ability to tell truth from fiction.
— Al Gore, former vice president of the United States
Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, but we are seeing how disinformation can be used to deceive voters and undermine trust in the electoral process. Elaine Kamarck and Darrell West offer an important and critical analysis about what is at stake for Americans across the political spectrum as disinformation spreads and evolves, especially with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, underscoring the urgent need to take action.
— Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator
Elaine C. Kamarck and Darrell M. West have written an essential citizen’s guide to disinformation just when it is most needed: going into an election that may well determine the future of American democracy. Perhaps what is most valuable about Lies That Kill is its deep understanding of the motives and organizational roots of disinformation. Its production often involved complex organizational networks fueled by greed. This is a timely and important book.
— Steven Livingston, George Washington University
