More than 150 guests gathered in the Meyer Theater atrium for a lecture on Monday, Nov. 18.
Barbara McQuade, author of “Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America,” spoke at MCCC about disinformation and misinformation. The event was presented by AAUW Monroe.
McQuade is a lawyer who served as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan from 2010-2017. She has been named a best-selling author by the New York times.
In McQuade’s book, disinformation is defined as “the deliberate use of lies to manipulate people, whether to extract profit or to advance a political agenda.”
McQuade said she is concerned about progressing technology and critical thinking surrounding information online.
“I am most concerned about the rapidly evolving technology that makes it very easy for someone to post a deep, fake video or audio recording online,” McQuade said in an email. “These kinds of deceptions could fool people into believing that someone said something or did something that they did not say or do. I also worry that we’ve become so polarized in our society that people care less about truth than they do about supporting their political tribe. We each need to think critically about information and reach our own opinions rather than engaging in a simple us-versus -them narrative.”
Following her talk, McQuade answered questions from the audience, signed copies of her book and posed for photos.
“I was very impressed with the quality of the questions,” McQuade said. “The members of the audience were clearly informed and engaged in current events, civics, and history. They take seriously their duty as citizens to be part of an informed electorate.”
