National security officials, Democratic politicians and media figures often cite the terrifying scourge of misinformation among their top concerns. Mainstream news organizations constantly warn their readers and viewers that right-wing provocateurs, Republican politicians, and foreign agents are flooding social media with lies. Technology regulators around the world Brazil joins the European Union– they use the threat of misinformation as an excuse for censorship. In the US, the First Amendment makes it much harder for censors to directly criminalize misinformation, but that won’t stop politicians from trying; Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz already suggestedthat – incorrectly – misinformation and hate speech are not protected speech.

This claim itself is an example of misinformation because it is a false statement; The Supreme Court has staunchly maintained, for example, that hate speech is protected by the First Amendment. But when mainstream Democrats make blatantly false statements, they rarely face the misinformation label. This points to the one-sidedness of the concept; the one-sidedness perfectly illustrated during a panel on CNN on Sunday.

The topic of the panel was, ironically, misinformation. CNN’s Wolf Blitzer was interviewing former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson about how malicious lies spread by right-wing actors are eroding trust in US democracy. Blitzer invited several panelists to respond. Democratic strategist Maria Cardona made a comment about former President Donald Trump.

“Let’s remember Charlottesville,” he said. “Let’s remember January 6. All of these events ended in tragedy, and all of these events were inspired and encouraged by the words that came out of the former president’s mouth.”

CNN contributor and Republican Scott Jennings then interrupted Cardona to argue that Trump’s rhetoric led to the 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where one person was killed by a white nationalist and a dozen others were injured. Cardona doubled down, arguing that Trump “went there and said both parties were good people.”

“I think he caused Charlottesville,” he said. “The people marching were marching to support one person. They were marching to support Donald Trump.”

While discussing misinformation, Maria Cardona says Donald Trump inspired Charlottesville by saying the oft-used and debunked “good people on both sides” line after Charlottesville.

He then claims that Democratic leaders do not support anti-Israel rallies. pic.twitter.com/KytdgVu4uD

— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) 4 November 2024

These claims are extremely false.

Most clearly: Trump’s rhetoric From where A group of white nationalists will hold a rally in Charlottesville. The debate over Trump’s remarks is about what he said in response to the rally.

And here too the criticism of Trump has gone overboard. As a fact checking website Snopes to have concludedTrump never said neo-Nazis were very good people; He said neo-Nazis and white nationalists “must be completely condemned.” The “good people on both sides” comment was a reference to the debate over whether removing statues of problematic historical figures is a good idea. And indeed reasonable people may disagree about the wisdom of repealing the laws. Which historical figures deserve new scrutiny?.

It’s completely normal to disagree with Trump’s handling of the incident or to think his condemnations don’t go far enough. But no serious person has suggested that Trump’s words caused the racism and violence in Charlottesville in 2017. The rally was organized by avowed white nationalists Jason Kessler and Richard Spencer to protest the impeachment of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. statue. Their efforts were not inspired by or defending Donald Trump.

At no point did Blitzer accuse Cardona of spreading misinformation. It was left to Jennings, one of the panelists, to correct him. Remember: This was ostensibly a panel highlighting the toxic spread of misinformation.

This is a patently false assertion that in any other situation the presenter would interrupt and correct himself, especially if the speaker is a Republican. (Although conservative panelists @ScottJenningsKY He did an admirable job of setting the record straight.)

— Robby Soave (@robbysoave) November 3, 2024

It’s nothing new for people to accidentally or intentionally spread bad information. Long before the advent of social media, it was happening on television, radio, newspapers, books, and in everyday conversations. Commentators stuck on platforms they don’t trust, or partisan actors they dislike, often treat misinformation as if it were an actual pathogenic disease, while ignoring lies on their side or dismissing them as mere disagreements.