I am saying that but would prefer to state it this way:

Individuals are not equipped to recognized and counter the effects of highly sophisticated influence operations run by adversaries with enormous resources.

And you are basically saying that despite decades of focused high-stakes research into the matter, propaganda doesn't work at all on the masses, and that algorithmic manipulation of people is simply impossible? How could anyone take that idea seriously.. global advertising spend is approaching like a trillion dollars every year.

Why not call for the dismantling of the global advertising networks in the US rather than Tiktok since you think it is a giant propaganda machine?

Saying a foreign nation has the capability to brainwash your citizens into making a vote is propaganda by itself. It's not only cheap and imbecilic, it's a waste of everybody's time.

>Why not call for the dismantling of the global advertising networks in the US

Yes, we should do this also.

It’s not cheap, that’s the point.. ads as an industry moves more money every year than the pentagon. That’s a lot of people betting that algorithmic influence campaigns work. Are you saying everyone is wrong about this but you, or is your position is that influence campaigns work for brands but not for nation states? Or nation states would not try? Or what?

Americans are humans and all humans are susceptible to advertising/propaganda

so we ban all advertising/“propaganda”? who gets to decide what is or isn’t propaganda if we gonna ban it?

> who gets to decide what is or isn’t propaganda if we gonna ban it?

in a representative republic that would ideally be the elected representatives

this is the cost of free speech. it has to be, or free speech is meaningless. yes speech influences people.