US State Department directs embassies to counter foreign propaganda using X (Twitter) and military units
Consensus Summary
The US State Department under Secretary Marco Rubio issued a classified directive on March 29, 2024, ordering all American embassies and consulates to launch a global campaign against foreign propaganda. The cable, obtained by the Guardian, explicitly endorses Elon Musk’s X platform—particularly its Community Notes feature—as a tool to counter disinformation while preserving free speech and privacy. The directive also instructs embassies to collaborate with the US military’s Psychological Operations unit (MISO) to combat state-sponsored disinformation campaigns from Iran, Russia, and China, which target US allies across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The cable outlines five key objectives, including countering hostile messaging, amplifying pro-US local voices, and ensuring US-funded aid is visibly branded. Notably, the EU has already fined X €120 million for deceptive practices, raising questions about the platform’s reliability as a counter-disinformation tool. The directive also repurposes over 700 ‘American spaces’—diplomatic cultural centers and libraries—as hubs for uncensored information, framing them as free speech zones to counter restricted or biased local media environments.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The US State Department issued a cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on March 29, 2024, directing all American embassies and consulates worldwide to launch coordinated campaigns against foreign propaganda.
- The cable endorses Elon Musk’s X (Twitter) platform, specifically its Community Notes feature, as an ‘innovative’ and ‘crowdsourced’ tool to combat disinformation without compromising free speech or privacy.
- The directive instructs embassies to work alongside the US military’s Psychological Operations unit (MISO, formerly Psyop) to counter disinformation.
- The cable identifies Iran, Russia, and China as state actors conducting sophisticated disinformation campaigns targeting US allies in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
- The US is at war with Iran, which has long operated one of the world’s most advanced state disinformation apparatuses.
- The cable outlines five broad goals: countering hostile messaging, expanding information access, exposing adversary behavior, elevating pro-US local voices, and promoting ‘telling America’s story’.
- The EU fined X €120 million ($137.5 million) under the Digital Services Act for deceptive practices, with further investigations ongoing into its AI tools and recommendation algorithms.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The cable suggests embassies should recruit local influencers, academics, and community leaders to carry counter-propaganda messaging to make narratives feel locally organic.
- The cable explicitly mentions the need for ‘prominent, flag-forward branding’ on US foreign assistance to visibly mark it as government-funded.
- More than 700 ‘American spaces’ (cultural centers, libraries, and exchange hubs) are to be repositioned as platforms for uncensored information and free speech ‘zones’.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- No contradictions found between the two Guardian articles provided.
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