THIS PROGRAM IS MADE BY MPT TO ENRICH ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

THANK YOU.

LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WITH JEFF SALKIN.

*] >> JEFF: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO YOUR "DIRECT CONNECTION."

COMING UP TONIGHT CAN YOU SPOT ON-LINE DISINFORMATION?

WE'LL GET EXPERT ANALYSIS ABOUT THE EXPLOSION OF ON-LINE FAKE NEWS AND CONTENT.

BUT WE BEGIN TONIGHT TALKING ABOUT YOUR HEALTH.

JOINING US IS LARISSA DICHARD, TRANSPLANT CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK LEAD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Jeff: TELL US FIRST ABOUT YOUR ROLE AT THE HOSPITAL?

>> SO I AM ONE OF NINE TRANSPLANT SOCIAL WORKERS I AM THE TEAM LEAD THE CLINICAL SUPERVISOR.

AS TRANSPLANT SOCIAL WORKERS WE ARE PART OF THE TRANSPLANT PROCESS, EVALUATING POTENTIAL RECIPIENTS AND DONORS FOR THEIR READINESS FOR TRANSPLANT AND WE FOLLOW THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS.

WE IDENTIFY THEIR STRENGTHS TO THEIR CANDIDACY, ANY RISKS TO CANDIDACY AS WELL AS ESTABLISHING A RISK MITIGATION PLAN TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL POST TRANTSDZ PLANT.

>> Jeff: THIS IS DONATE LIFE MONTH.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT OBSERVANCE?

>> THE IMPORTANCE OF DONATE LIFE MONTH IS TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED AND DONATED TO THEN BE ABLE TO GIVE LIFE TO RECIPIENTS AS WELL AS HOPEFULLY ENCOURAGING THOSE TO REGISTER TO BE ORGAN DONORS BY WAY OF REGISTERING ON-LINE OR WHEN GETTING A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

SO REALLY ENCOURAGING THE NEED FOR THAT.

AND TO GIVE HONOR TO THAT PROCESS AND THAT -- NOOSH BECAUSE YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER DO GREAT WORK IT IS A HUGE TRANSPLANT CENTER.

BUT STILL NOT ENOUGH?

>> NO.

THERE IS CONSISTENT NEED FOR MORE ORGAN DONORS.

RIGHT NOW IN THE UNITED STATES THERE'S 100,000 PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST.

OVER 2,000 OF THEM ARE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

AND WE CONSTANTLY NEED MORE DONORS.

OUR KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PROGRAM IS GETTING 100 REFERRALS A MONTH FOR WORK UP.

THERE IS AN INCESSANT NEED FOR MORE LIFE-SAVING CARE.

OUR TEAM IS REALLY MOTIVATED TO WORK THROUGH THAT AND HOPEFULLY GET PEOPLE TRANSPLANTED.

>> Jeff: DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR THE PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST.

AS YOU DEAL WITH THEM, ARE THERE COMMON CONCERNS?

OBVIOUSLY AMIDST LIFE OR DEATH HOW CAN YOU HELP THEM THROUGH THIS VERY DIFFICULT WAITING PERIOD?

>> SO WE DO A LOT OF NORMALIZING THE PROCESS.

WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WAIT ON THE LIST.

THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT THAT COMES FROM THAT.

SOMETIMES POTENTIAL RECIPIENTS GET AN ORGAN OFFER THAT MIGHT NOT GO THROUGH FOR WHICHEVER REASON DEALING WITH THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF THAT.

THOSE ARE COMMONALITIES THAT HAPPEN AND THE WAITING GAME OF EXPERIENCING YOUR CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION THAT REQUIRES A TRANSPLANT AND HOW YOUR HEALTH IMPACTS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND GOING THROUGH LIFE SUSTAINING TREATMENT LIKE DIALYSIS FOR EXAMPLE.

THIS IS MULTIPLE DAYS PER WEEK.

AND THE MENTAL DRAIN YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE DEPRESSION ON DIALYSIS.

SO RECEIVING THESE TREATMENTS FOR A LONGTIME CAN HAVE AN IMPACT.

>> Jeff: AND THE UNFAIR THING TO SOMEBODY IN THAT SITUATION, IS THAT YOUR PRIORITY ON THE LIST YOU'RE STANDING ON THE LIST IMPROVES THE WORST THINGS GET THE LONGER YOU HAVE BEEN ON DIALYSIS AND THE MORE DIRE THE SITUATION IS.

>> YEAH, FOR KIDNEY TRANSPLANT THE TIME ON DIALYSIS IS A PART OF ORGAN ALLOCATION.

WHERE SOMEONE IS ON THE LIST AND FOR OTHER ORGANS LIKE LUNG, HEART AND LIVER THE SEVERITY OF YOUR CLINICAL ILLNESS AS WELL.

WE SEE A LOT OF REALLY SICK PATIENTS IN THE I.C.U.

I'VE HAD LOVED ONES SAY IT'S AS IF THEY HAVE TO BE KNOCKING ON DEATH'S DOOR TO GET A TRANSPLANT AND FOR A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT IS THE CASE.

>> Jeff: TOUGH STUFF.

AND AT SOME POINT YOU BECOME IF THERE'S NO ORGAN YOU BECOME TOO SICK TO BE A VIABLE CANDIDATE?

>> YES.

I BELIEVE 13 PEOPLE PASS AWAY DAILY WHILE WAITING ON THE TRANSPLANT LIST.

SOME PEOPLE DO NOT GET TO LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO RECEIVE THIS LIFE-SAVING CARE.

>> Jeff: MOST IN DEMAND IS KIDNEYS AND LIVERS.

AND THE GOOD LORD GIVES US TWO KIDNEYS AND INCREDIBLY YOU CAN DONATE HALF A LIVER.

>> YES, IF YOU WERE TO BE A LIVING DONOR AND GET WORKED UP YOU WOULD DONATE ONE KIDNEY TO DO A KIDNEY DONATION AND THEN FOR LIVER YOU DONATE 60% OF YOUR LIVER FROM MY UNDERSTANDING AND THEN IT TYPICALLY GROWS BACK WITHIN FOUR MONTHS.

LIVER THAT WAS A REGENERATIVE QUALITY ABOUT IT WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING.

>> Jeff: JUST THE MOST AMAZING THING.

AND, OF COURSE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BEFORE THE SHOW THAT RESEARCH CONTINUES TO BE DONE AT YOUR INSTITUTION ABOUT EVENTSLY BEING ABLE TO REGULARLY USE PIG ORGANS BUT WE ARE NOT THERE YET.

SO YOU NEED HEALTHY PEOPLE WATCHING US NOW TO GIVE THOUGHT TO WHETHER THEY WOULD BE AN ORGAN DONOR AND WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO DO?

>> WELL, THEY CAN GO REGISTER WHEN THEY ARE RENEWING THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE OR GETTING PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION.

AS WELL THEY CAN GO TO INFINITE LEGACY THE ORGAN ORGANIZATION AND GO TO THE WEBSITE AND REGISTER AND GO TO DONATE LIFE AND REGISTER AND THIS ESTABLISHING YOUR WISHES AHEAD OF TIME.

IF YOU ARE NOT SO SURE WHENEVER YOU ARE IN YOUR LIFE, YOUR AGE, BUT AS YOU MAYBE ARE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OLDER YOU CAN TELL YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR LOVED ONES YOUR WISHES AS WELL TO BE AN ORGAN DONOR SO WHEN YOU DO PASS THEY CAN MOVE THAT FORWARD.

>> Jeff: I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE CHOOSE THAT BECAUSE PERIODICALLY THERE IS A NEWS STORY ABOUT AN ALLEGATION THAT SOME PROCESS MAY HAVE BEEN HURRIED TOO MUCH SOMEWHERE.

IT'S AN INTERMEDIATE STEP IN LETTING YOUR FAMILY KNOW THAT BE DELIGHTED TO DO IT WHEN THE TIME COMES.

FOR A LIVING DONOR IT IS A DIFFERENT SETUP?

>> FOR LIVING DONATION YOU CAN DONATE TO SOMEONE YOU KNOW, SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW YOU CAN DO IT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE GREATER GOOD.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND DOES DO LIVING DONOR KIDNEY AND LIVER.

YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AND EXPRESS INTEREST BY WAY OF THE TRANSPLANT PROGRAM SECTION ON THE WEBSITE.

>> Jeff: LOOKING AT ALL THIS WITH A BACKGROUND IN SOCIAL WORK TELL ME ABOUT THE EMOTIONS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE?

IF YOU SAY YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST A LONGTIME AND YOU GET AN ORGAN UNFORTUNATELY AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT THERE HAS TO BE SURVIVORS' GUILT AND ISSUES I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD DO THIS BUT SIGN UP FOR A SUPPORT GROUP?

>> YES, THERE IS A LARGE EMOTIONAL BURDEN ESPECIALLY SURVIVOR'S GUILT IN THIS PROCESS.

WE LIKE TO FOCUS THE BEGINNING STAGES OF RECEIVING A TRANSPLANT ON HEALING BUT IT IS NOT WITHOUT THE IDEA OF THE PERSON HOPING FOR A TRANSPLANT AND UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMEONE PASSES AWAY AND THEN THEY GET THAT TREATMENT.

A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS REALLY HAVE A HARD TIME PROCESSING THE FACT THAT SOMEONE DIED AND NOW THEY ARE RECEIVING THIS CARE.

BUT WE MAKE SURE AS THE SOCIAL WORK TEAM TO LET THEM KNOW THIS PERSON HAS DONE THIS OUT OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL OR THEIR FAMILY'S WISHES IN ADDITION TO THE RECIPIENT KNOWING THEY WORKED REALLY HARD FOR THIS CARE AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY DESERVE AND THEY WILL DO REALLY WELL WITH TAKING CARE OF.

>> Jeff: WHAT IS THE TRANSITION LIKE FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN ON DIALYSIS FOR A LONGTIME, WHICH IS A VERY TIME INTENSIVE BIG PART OF YOUR LIFE AND SUDDENLY, HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT.

>> YES.

IT'S VERY EXCITING.

YOU HEAR A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM RECIPIENTS AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK TO THE DIALYSIS CENTER AND SHOW THEM HOW WELL I'M DOING.

AS WELL AS YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAYING SO AND SO GOT A TRANSPLANT AND THEY ARE DOING GREAT.

THEY ARE ENTHUSIASTIC TO BE ABLE TO REGAIN A LOT OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SOME THINGS LIKE GO BACK TO WORK, COACH THEIR KIDS' SPORTS TEAMS, GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY THEY HAVE TIME TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT THEY SET OUT WHEN THEY DECIDED TO GO FORWARD WITH GETTING A TRANSPLANTS.

>> Jeff: VERY GOOD.

LARISSA DICHARD TRANSPLANT CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK LEAD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER, DONATE LIFE MONTH.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Jeff: AND "DIRECT CONNECTION" CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> Jeff: AND NOW WE ARE JOINED BY PAUL BRANDUS THE PUBLISHER OF THE DISINFORMATION WIRE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WHAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR STARTING THIS JOURNALIST PARTICULAR VENTURE?

>> I HAVE BEEN A JOURNALIST FOR SUCH A LONGTIME AND ALL KINDS OF PLACES, RUSSIA, THE WHITE HOUSE.

ON AND ON AND ON.

AS PART AND PARCEL OF THAT I'VE JUST BEEN WITNESS TO PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THEIR VERSIONS OF EVENTS OUT AND SOMETIMES I KNOW THAT WHAT A POLITICIAN IS SAYING ISN'T TRUE.

BUT I'VE COME TO REALIZE THAT BEYOND POLITICS, WHAT DISINFORMATION REALLY IS AND I WILL DEFINE IT.

DISINFORMATION IS WHEN A PERSON OR AN ENTITY PRETENDS TO BE SOMEONE OR SOMETHING ELSE IN AN ATTEMPT TO FOOL YOU EITHER FOR POLITICAL OR FINANCIAL GAIN.

THAT IS A REALLY BROAD DEFINITION BUT REALLY IT IS AN ATTEMPT TO FOOL YOU AND THE WAY THAT PEOPLE FOOL US, IS BY DELIBERATELY MANUFACTURING INFORMATION OR MESSAGES THAT ISN'T FALSE.

AGAIN IN AN ATTEMPT TO FOOL US.

AND IT'S MUCH MORE THAN POLITBURO PARTICULARS IN ALL FACETS.

I WANTED TO BRING AWARENESS TO THIS ISSUE.

AND YOU MIGHT KNOW THAT THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, A BIG GROUP THAT MEETS IN SWITZERLAND EVERY JANUARY, THEY SAID THAT THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE IN THE WORLD OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS IS NOT CLIMATE CHANGE, OR MIGRATION OR THIS AND THAT OR SPREAD OF DISEASE IT'S DISINFORMATION.

THIS IS A VERY, VERY BIG ISSUE.

I WANT TO BRING MORE AWARENESS TO IT.

>> Jeff: AND YOU'VE WRITTEN THAT THE TWO ACCELERANTS OF THE DISINFORMATION TREND ARE SOCIAL MEDIA AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

>> WELL, THAT'S TRUE.

DISINFORMATION THESE FALSE NARRATIVES HAVE BEEN WITH US FROM TIME IN MEMORIAL.

REMEMBER THE TROJAN HORSE STORY FROM SEVERAL THOUSAND YEARS AGO.

IT'S REALLY BEEN WITH US FOREVER BUT WHAT MAKES IT SO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS NOW ARE THESE TWIN ACCELERANTS.

ALL YOU NEED IS A KEYBOARD AND SOME KIND OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM YOU CAN CREATE A FALSE VIDEO, WHAT ARE CALLED DEEPFAKES.

YOU CAN CREATE FAKE ROBOCALLS.

YOU CAN CREATE FAKE DOCUMENTS.

YOU CAN MAKE A PERSON APPEAR AS IF THEY ARE SAYING SOMETHING WHEN, IN FACT, THEY DID NOT.

AND THEN WITH THE SPEED OF SOCIAL MEDIA ALL YOU NEED IS A SEND BUTTON ON YOUR COMPUTER TO DO THAT.

SO IT'S REALLY NOT QUITE SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT WORD BUT DISINFORMATION HAS BEEN DEMOCRATIZED ANYBODY CAN DO IT, ANYBODY CAN MANUFACTURE THESE FALSE NARRATIVES SEND THEM OUT WITH THE EASE OF PUSHING A SEND BUTTON.

THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT SO DANGEROUS IS ANYBODY CAN DO IT.

>> Jeff: ANYBODY WHO HAS BEEN A REPORTER HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO TREAT EVERYTHING WITH A HEALTHY DOSE OF SKEPTICISM.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S REALLY NEEDED BY ANYBODY WHO VENTURES ANYWHERE NEAR THE WORLDWIDE WEB?

>> THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE HUMAN BRAIN IS WE'RE CONDITIONED TO BELIEVE WHAT WE SEE OR HEAR.

IF YOU ASKED ME THE TIME AND I TELL YOU WELL IT'S 2:00, YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BELIEVE ME YOU ARE CONDITIONED TO BELIEVE WHAT I'M TELLING YOU.

IT COULD BE THAT I MADE AN HONEST MISTAKE AND IT'S NOT 2:00 BUT WE ARE CONDITIONED TO BELIEVE WHAT WE ARE EXPOSED TO.

SO THAT REALLY GIVES SORT OF THE BAD GUYS AGAIN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DELIBERATELY MANUFACTURING THIS STUFF, IT GIVES THEM AN EDGE, AGAIN, BECAUSE WE ARE CONDITIONED TO BELIEVE WHAT WE SEE AND WHAT WE HEAR AND WHAT OTHERS SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS, IS THAT YOU AND I NOW ARE SPEAKING ON A COMPUTER.

WELL, ON-LINE COMPUTER I HAVE VARIOUS DOCUMENTS AND IF I WANTED TO GET RID OF SOMETHING, I CAN SIMPLY DELETE IT WITH THE PUSH OF A BUTTON AND IT'S GONE I CAN GET RID OF IT A DOCUMENT OR A PHOTOGRAPH I CAN DELETE IT.

THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THINGS GET INTO OUR BRAIN, A DIFFERENT KIND OF COMPUTER, THERE'S NO DELETE BUTTON IN OUR BRAIN.

ONCE SOMETHING ENTERS OUR MIND IT'S THERE.

THERE'S NO DELETE BUTTON IN THE BRAIN.

THAT IS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE ONCE YOU ARE EXPOSED TO SOMETHING, IT ENTERS YOUR MIND AND YOU CAN'T GET RID OF IT.

NOW, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE OR HEAR THINGS THAT PERHAPS A FACT CHECKER MIGHT SAY THAT WILL CORRECT THE LIE YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO.

BUT ALL THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TWO COMPETING NARRATIVES IN YOUR BRAIN.

YOU CAN'T GET RID OF AN ORIGINAL LIE ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO IT.

IT IS A VERY INTERESTING PHENOMENON.

ONCE YOU ARE EXPOSED TO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT TRUE IT'S IN YOUR MIND FOREVER.

>> Jeff: THIS CURRENT ROUND OF HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS DIFFERENT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, INCLUDING NEW TECHNOLOGY, DRONES FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

IS IT DIFFERENT IN THE INFORMATION WORLD, THE DISINFORMATION SPACE?

>> WELL, SOME OF THE BIG PLAYERS ABROAD WHO DO NOT WISH US WELL, THE RUSSIANS, THE CHINESE AND THE IRANIANS ALL HAVE THESE ROBUST INFORMATION WARFARE CAPABILITIES AND THEY ARE TRADING NOTES, BY THE WAY, AND GIVING BEST PRACTICES TO EACH OTHER.

AND IN THIS WAR WHICH IS NOW APPROACHING ITS SECOND THIRD MONTH, I SHOULD SAY, THE IRANIANS HAVE BEEN VERY SKILLFUL IN TERMS OF GETTING THEIR OWN FALSE NARRATIVES OUT.

WE'VE SEEN DEEPFAKE VIDEOS THAT PURPORTEDLY SHOW CERTAIN ATTACKS THAT HAVE NOT REALLY TAKEN PLACE.

BUT AGAIN, ONCE YOU MANUFACTURE A DEEPFAKE VIDEO AND GET IT OUT THERE, IT'S LODGED IN OUR BRAIN AND PEOPLE IN TURN SHARE THAT ON THEIR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.

SO IT HAS THIS AMPLIFICATION EFFECT THAT MAKES IT EVEN WORSE.

THEY ARE QUITE SKILLED AT THAT.

THE RUSSIANS ARE SKILLED AT THAT.

THE CHINESE ARE QUITE SKILLED AT THAT.

>> Jeff: HOW ABOUT THE AMERICANS?

>> WELL, WE HAVE OUR OWN CAPABILITIES BUT ONE PROBLEM AND I'M LOATHE TO GET INTO POLITICS HERE AND BLAMING CERTAIN POLITICIANS, BUT IT IS A FACT THAT SINCE THE SECOND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CAME TO POWER, ABOUT A YEAR-AND-A-HALF AGO, THEY'VE REALLY CUT FUNDING FOR A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO STOP THIS KIND OF STUFF FROM GETTING INTO THE COUNTRY.

THEY CUT FUNDING AGAIN THAT PRIOR ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE USED TO YOU CAN'T ELIMINATE THIS INFORMATION BUT YOU CAN AT LEAST TRY AND THWART IT IN VARIOUS WAYS.

IT'S MUCH HARDER NOW FOR US TO DEFENDS OURSELVES AGAINST THIS STUFF.

BUT WE HAVE OUR OWN CAPABILITIES TOO.

BUT WE ARE BEING BOMBARDED EVERYDAY BY THIS STUFF FROM ABROAD.

AND ON THE CONSUMPTION END HERE WE SEE THIS STUFF IT IS IN ENGLISH IT'S QUITE GOOD IT'S EXTREMELY SOPHISTICATED.

LOOKS REAL, SOUNDS REAL.

WE ARE INCLINED TO BELIEVE IT.

AND THE WAY THAT SOCIAL MEDIA WORKS SOMETIMES WE SHARE THINGS WITH OUR FRIENDS.

DID YOU SEE THIS?

LET ME SEND THIS TO YOU IF YOU COMES FROM YOUR FRIEND OR RELATIVE YOU ARE INCLINED TO BELIEVE IT.

>> Jeff: YOU KNOW, I SEE THAT ALL THE TIME.

I WAS GOING TO BRING THAT UP THAT YOU SEE A POST THAT YOU KNOW I LIKE TO THINK I HAVE GOOD BS DETECTOR AND SOMETHING LOOKS PHONY TO ME AND I SEE PEOPLE RESHARING IT AND JUST WONDER WHAT AM I MISSING?

OR MAYBE THESE ACCOUNTS THAT I THINK ARE REAL PEOPLE, MAYBE THEY ARE NOT.

MAYBE THEY ARE BOTS, TOO.

>> WELL, IT'S INTERESTING THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE INTERNET HAS BEEN AROUND, IT'S NOW BELIEVED THAT THIS IS A STUNNING STATEMENT, IT'S NOW BELIEVED THAT THE MAJORITY OF INFORMATION THAT IS CREATED IS NOW ARTIFICIAL.

EITHER GENERATED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, SPREAD BY BOTS, MORE THAN HALF.

SO IT'S VERY HARD TO BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE.

AND I WOULD URGE ANYONE WHO SEES ANYTHING ON THE INTERNET EVEN IF IT'S YOUR BEST FRIEND OR A SPOUSE OR A RELATIVE SENDING SOMETHING TO YOU, IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO BE SKEPTICAL AND CHECK THINGS OUT.

BUT HOW DO YOU CHECK THINGS OUT THOUGH?

THAT IS ANOTHER DISCUSSION IT'S JUST A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

>> Jeff: SO WE HAVE A BULL MARKET LET'S SAY IN DISINFORMATION.

WE HAVE A BEAR MARKET IN THE TRUTH.

YOU MENTIONED FACT CHECKERS.

IS THERE ANYBODY ACTIVELY POLICING THIS STUFF?

SOME SORT OF CROWD SOURCE THING ON THE FORMER TWITTER.

I MEAN DOES THAT HELP?

>> WELL, MOST NEWS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE WHAT THEY CALL FACT CHECKERS PEOPLE WHO MIGHT SAY WATCH IT, SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OR SCOUR THROUGH DOCUMENTS LOOKING FOR THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE.

FACT CHECKING IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT THE PROBLEM WITH FACT CHECKING IS IN THIS KIND OF IT GOES BACK TO AN OLD I BELIEVE IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH MARK TWAIN FROM A CENTURY OR SO AGO, WHEN HE SAID LOOK, A FALSEHOOD CAN TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD SIX TIMES BEFORE THE TRUTH CAN EVEN PUT ITS BOOTS ON.

THAT IS NOT AN EXACT QUOTE BUT I THINK YOU GET THE GIST OF IT.

THE PROBLEM IS THE PEOPLE THAT MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTE LIES, ALWAYS HAVE FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE.

ONCE THE LIE IS OUT THERE, THE FACT CHECKERS ARE, AGAIN IT'S AFTER THE FACT.

LIES ARE OUT THERE THEY ARE TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP THEY CAN NEVER QUITE AND THEY CAN NEVER CAN QUITE CATCH UP.

SO THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

SO I THINK FACT CHECKERS GOD BLESS THEM THEY DO THEIR BEST BUT FIRST OF ALL THE SHEER NUMBER OF LIES IT IS IMPOSSIBLE YOU HAVE TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO FACT CHECK.

AND THEN TO TRY AND, YOU KNOW, GET SOMETHING OUT THERE AND SAY WELL SO AND SO SAID THIS IT'S NOT TRUE.

IT'S TOO LATE.

THE HORSE IS ALREADY OUT OF THE BARN IF I CAN USE ANOTHER GOLD CLICHE.

>> Jeff: WELL, YES AND I WILL DOUBLE DOWN ON THE CLICHE TO SAY THE HORSE IN QUESTION COULD BE A FIGMENT OF THE IMAGINE OF SOME ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CLOUD SERVER SOMEWHERE AND THAT STUFF HAS GOTTEN SO GOOD, THAT ON FIRST LOOK, IT FOOLS.

>> LET ME SAY WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DEEPFAKE VIDEOS AND WHAT DIFFERENT COUNTRIES DO LET ME COME BACK TO ONE OF THE EARLIER POINTS THAT I THINK I MADE HERE; JEFF, AND THAT IS THAT WE ARE SURROUNDED, WE'RE BOMBARDED WITH THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE EVERYDAY.

YOU MIGHT GET A ROBOCALL ON YOUR PHONE.

FROM SOMEONE WITH SOME POLITICAL MESSAGE VOTE THIS OR THAT ON SOME KIND OF AN ISSUE.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT IS TRUE OR NOT.

IT COULD BE A LOBBYING GROUP OR POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE WITH AN AGENDA THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW ABOUT.

IT COULD BE SHADING THE TRUTH.

YOU DON'T KNOW.

THERE IS A PHENOMENON OVER THE PAST TWO, THREE YEARS CALLED A SWATTING, THE FAKE 911 CALLS THAT SENDS THE POLICE OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO SOMEBODY'S HOUSE FOR A FAKE EMERGENCY.

THAT IS A TERRIBLE FORUM OF DISINFORMATION.

SOME MORE CLASSIC FORMS OF DISINFORMATION IN THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER FROM YEARS AGO, HUGE FINANCIAL SCANDALS TA AT COMPANIES LIKEN RON AND WORLD KOM AND OTHERS WHERE THEY COOKED THE BOOKS TRIED TO FOOL INVESTORS INTO THINKING THAT THE COMPANY WAS IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE FINANCIALLY THAN IT WAS THAT IS A FORM OF DISINFORMATION.

AGAIN, THE DEFINITION HERE IS WHEN YOU DELIBERATELY MANUFACTURE FALSE INFORMATION WITH THE GOAL OF FOOLING SOMEONE ELSE.

IT IS A LOT MORE THAN POLITICS IT'S FINANCIAL IT'S EVERYTHING.

AGAIN, HUGE ISSUE.

>> Jeff: PAUL, LET'S LEAVE IT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF ADVICE FOR OUR AUDIENCE.

WHO HAVE JUST HEARD US BASICALLY SAY DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THAT YOU SEE OR HEAR.

OUTSIDE OF MAYBE THE MAJOR BROADCAST NETWORKS INCLUDING THIS ONE, YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR ANTENNAS UP YOU NEED TO BE A SKEPTIC BUT WE CAN'T ALL BE TURNED INTO CYNICS EITHER.

>> I ADVICE GET OUT OF YOUR SILO WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY THAT IS DIVIDED AND WE CONGREGATE ONLY WITH THOSE WE ARE INCLINED TO BELIEVE.

SOMETIMES IT'S HEALTHY AND EDUCATIONAL TO MAYBE EXPOSE YOURSELF TO THE VIEWS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH.

SOMETIMES THE TRUTH MIGHT BE SOMEWHERE IN-BETWEEN.

YOU MIGHT NOT BE COMFORTABLE DOING THAT BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO DO.

I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO READ WIDELY NOT JUST THINGS THAT YOU READ.

DIFFERENT NEWSPAPER FOR EXAMPLE.

OR READ A DIFFERENT BOOK.

BUT YOU KNOW, HAVE A HEALTHY SKEPTICISM TOWARD WHAT YOU ARE READING AND WATCHING.

>> Jeff: PAUL BRANDUS IS THE PUBLISHER THE DISINFORMATION WIRE WE ARE GOING TO START CALLING HIM Mr.

DISINFORMATION.

PAUL, WE HOPE YOU NEVER DEFECT TO THE OTHER SIDE.

WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> Jeff: WE'RE BACK FRIDAY WITH "STATE CIRCLE" AND THE LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS.

JOIN US FOR THAT FRIDAY EVENING AT 7:00 P.M.

FOR ALL OF US AT MPT THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

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