October 13, 2023
Māori meat for disinformation menu
The director of a new study on disinformation says hate and fear of the unknown are behind an upsurge in social media attacks on Māori in the lead-up to this election.
Victoria University cultural historian Kate Hannah says she’s tracked an increase in deliberately false or misleading internet content over the past three months – including accusations of reverse racism against Māori initiatives or candidates.
“And some of those false ideas include denial of Māori indigineity. They include false ideas around wahine Māori, and they include ideas around what co-governance or tino rangatiratanga, or mana motuhake might mean for the future of New Zealand,” Ms Hannah says.
Kate Hannah says the disinformation also targets what might be considered sympathetic groups in business, farming and mainstream communities .