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Jan. 5, 2022, 11:01 p.m.

How disinformation around Jan. 6 riot has downplayed violence, divided Americans

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Summary

The attack on the U.S. Capitol was based on a “Big Lie” about election fraud in 2020, and the hope of supporters of former President Donald Trump that they could stop the certification of electoral vote results. But in the year since, there's been a new misinformation campaign to recast, downplay, and misrepresent the events that unfolded at the capitol. Amna Nawaz reports.

Five Facts

  • What is some of the misinformation spread about the attack on the Capitol, according to this piece?
  • Who is spreading this misinformation?
  • Why is this misinformation harmful or significant, according to this piece?
  • How do Americans differ in how the view the Jan. 6 attack, according to the poll mentioned in this piece?
  • How is misinformation about Jan. 6 connected to other misinformation in this piece?

Focus Questions

The journalist interviewed in this piece compares those who spread misinformation about the Jan. 6 attack to supporters of "Lost Cause" mythology, which was the misinformation spread in the South about the Civil War in its aftermath. Do you think this is a fair comparison? Why or why not? Media literacy: Did this piece do a good enough job explaining what kinds of misinformation is being spread about the attack on Jan. 6? What else would you like to know?

For More

For more on the connection between the Jan. 6 attack and post-Civil War ideology and violence, see this lesson .
Trump supporters breach the US Capitol
A supporter of President Donald Trump carries a Confederate battle flag on the second floor of the U.S. Capitol near the entrance to the Senate after breaching security defenses, in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Theiler TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
A supporter of President Donald Trump carries a Confederate battle flag on the second floor of the U.S. Capitol near the entrance to the Senate after breaching security defenses, in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Theiler TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

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