Thank you for your insightful article on social media’s evolving role in political discourse, and especially for emphasizing community-centered solutions. We share your vision for a more democratic, trustworthy information ecosystem, and the idea of fostering healthier digital communities resonates with our own work. However, to truly realize this vision and address the scale of the challenge, we believe that solutions must operate in the shared digital space that lies above the webpage itself, rather than creating yet another siloed platform. To tackle these issues at a societal level, we need to create systemic change that enables conscious, informed choices at scale—something that community-focused initiatives alone might struggle to achieve within the constraints of traditional platform design.
A key issue, one we call “context tampering,” illustrates why broader, infrastructure-level solutions are necessary. Context tampering involves taking statements or events out of context to convey a misleading impression, often shaping public opinion with half-truths that reinforce biases or social divides. Two recent examples highlight how potent this issue has become and how dangerous it is for the information ecosystem and democratic discourse.
First, at Trump's sold-out Madison Square Garden rally, Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico’s garbage problem was criticized as racist when it actually could have brought attention to a serious environmental issue affecting the island. The Oct. 30th 2024 article in the Environmental Blog, https://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/2024/10/puerto-rico-trash-problem, begins:
"Puerto Rico is grappling with a pressing trash problem that’s not just a visual blight, but a serious threat to its stunning landscapes, marine life, and the environment. The urgency of this crisis is underscored by its far-reaching impacts on health, tourism, and the economy."
The clip circulated without context, omitting any nuance or understanding of the larger problem. A misplaced outcry ensued, stifling the possibility of honest conversation about Puerto Rico’s situation, in favor of polarizing narratives. A classic case of "context tampering."
A particularly egregious case of context tampering is on display in the viral Kamala Harris endorsement video by famous basketball player, LeBron James, which mixed "out of context" statements by Trump with civil rights footage, creating a misleading narrative that went well beyond simple opinion. Interestingly, James' video opens with Hinchecliffe's joke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDwTZzdN7HU.
By editing Trump’s "out-of-context" audio clips into a misleading and placing over footage designed to evoke strong emotions, the video essentially created a false portrayal, tampering with context to shape public perception rather than encourage informed debate. This video epitomizes the risks of unverified, highly edited content circulating widely without tools to verify its authenticity.
We agree wholeheartedly with your point that these issues call for fresh approaches, but we believe that only a broader, infrastructure-based approach can consistently counteract context tampering and other forms of misinformation at scale. Moving beyond individual platforms into a shared space—what we call the space above the webpage—offers a unique opportunity to make informed, context-rich information available directly to users as they navigate digital environments. In this model, context could be verified, and statements traced back to their origins, giving people the tools to assess content on its true merit.
Adding another silo, however community-oriented, may only perpetuate the fragmented, sometimes misleading flow of information that currently exists. Our approach is focused on empowering people to engage with the full context of information wherever they encounter it, using a transparent and interconnected layer over existing platforms that fosters authentic discourse and allows for real-time validation. With systemic context integrity measures, we can foster conscious, informed choices at the level of digital infrastructure itself.
Your article was inspiring, and we hope our perspective contributes to this essential dialogue on shaping a more responsible, democratic digital world. We’d love to explore ways we can work together to build solutions that operate above the limitations of traditional platforms and bring integrity back to the information ecosystem.
Thank you again for pushing this vital conversation forward. We look forward to continuing it.
Dear Josh,
Thank you for your insightful article on social media’s evolving role in political discourse, and especially for emphasizing community-centered solutions. We share your vision for a more democratic, trustworthy information ecosystem, and the idea of fostering healthier digital communities resonates with our own work. However, to truly realize this vision and address the scale of the challenge, we believe that solutions must operate in the shared digital space that lies above the webpage itself, rather than creating yet another siloed platform. To tackle these issues at a societal level, we need to create systemic change that enables conscious, informed choices at scale—something that community-focused initiatives alone might struggle to achieve within the constraints of traditional platform design.
A key issue, one we call “context tampering,” illustrates why broader, infrastructure-level solutions are necessary. Context tampering involves taking statements or events out of context to convey a misleading impression, often shaping public opinion with half-truths that reinforce biases or social divides. Two recent examples highlight how potent this issue has become and how dangerous it is for the information ecosystem and democratic discourse.
First, at Trump's sold-out Madison Square Garden rally, Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico’s garbage problem was criticized as racist when it actually could have brought attention to a serious environmental issue affecting the island. The Oct. 30th 2024 article in the Environmental Blog, https://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/2024/10/puerto-rico-trash-problem, begins:
"Puerto Rico is grappling with a pressing trash problem that’s not just a visual blight, but a serious threat to its stunning landscapes, marine life, and the environment. The urgency of this crisis is underscored by its far-reaching impacts on health, tourism, and the economy."
The clip circulated without context, omitting any nuance or understanding of the larger problem. A misplaced outcry ensued, stifling the possibility of honest conversation about Puerto Rico’s situation, in favor of polarizing narratives. A classic case of "context tampering."
A particularly egregious case of context tampering is on display in the viral Kamala Harris endorsement video by famous basketball player, LeBron James, which mixed "out of context" statements by Trump with civil rights footage, creating a misleading narrative that went well beyond simple opinion. Interestingly, James' video opens with Hinchecliffe's joke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDwTZzdN7HU.
By editing Trump’s "out-of-context" audio clips into a misleading and placing over footage designed to evoke strong emotions, the video essentially created a false portrayal, tampering with context to shape public perception rather than encourage informed debate. This video epitomizes the risks of unverified, highly edited content circulating widely without tools to verify its authenticity.
We agree wholeheartedly with your point that these issues call for fresh approaches, but we believe that only a broader, infrastructure-based approach can consistently counteract context tampering and other forms of misinformation at scale. Moving beyond individual platforms into a shared space—what we call the space above the webpage—offers a unique opportunity to make informed, context-rich information available directly to users as they navigate digital environments. In this model, context could be verified, and statements traced back to their origins, giving people the tools to assess content on its true merit.
Adding another silo, however community-oriented, may only perpetuate the fragmented, sometimes misleading flow of information that currently exists. Our approach is focused on empowering people to engage with the full context of information wherever they encounter it, using a transparent and interconnected layer over existing platforms that fosters authentic discourse and allows for real-time validation. With systemic context integrity measures, we can foster conscious, informed choices at the level of digital infrastructure itself.
Your article was inspiring, and we hope our perspective contributes to this essential dialogue on shaping a more responsible, democratic digital world. We’d love to explore ways we can work together to build solutions that operate above the limitations of traditional platforms and bring integrity back to the information ecosystem.
Thank you again for pushing this vital conversation forward. We look forward to continuing it.