Influence Over Truth: The Rise of Public Manipulators

Posted bystenoimperiumPosted inSITCTags:, , , , , , , , ,

A master manipulator has used her social media influence in the stenography community to spread false narratives, stoking public hate and racial tensions. She took advantage of her perceived authority to incite hate and manipulate public perception. Her fabricated “Stenographer” or “Student” title created a veneer of credibility, enabling her to channel funds into personal projects. From behind the scenes, this person used the power of social media to amplify falsehoods. Her position as a trusted figure, entrusted to participate in organizing student events for the NCRA, National Court Reporters Association, allowed her to shape public opinion with little accountability. Through carefully crafted stories, she manipulated the truth, fueling distrust for those who questioned her unethical business practices and illegal use of volunteers. Her actions illustrate how unchecked public and social media influence can shape false narratives, with devastating consequences for those targeted.

In today’s digital age, the power of social media is undeniable. Platforms designed to connect individuals and foster communication have, in many instances, become tools for manipulation, misinformation, and the distortion of truth. The case of this unnamed woman serves as a poignant example of how unchecked influence can lead to the spread of false narratives, incitement of hate, and the erosion of public trust.

The Allure of Authority

Unnamed Woman X, hailing from Oakland, California, positioned herself as a passionate advocate for the stenography profession. She founded a podcast, a website, a company that she actively brands, throws multiple events per year, and created an app, all platforms aimed at promoting the court reporting and captioning profession. Her involvement with the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), serving on various committees, further solidified her standing in the community.

However, beneath this veneer of credibility lay a more sinister agenda. She leveraged her perceived authority to disseminate false narratives, stoking public hate and racial tensions. By fabricating titles such as “Stenographer” or “Student,” she created an illusion of expertise, enabling her to channel funds into personal projects under the guise of professional development.

The Mechanics of Manipulation

Her strategy was multifaceted. She utilized her platforms to craft stories that resonated with her audience’s emotions, often playing on existing societal divisions. By presenting herself as a trusted figure within the NCRA, she was able to shape public opinion with little accountability. Her involvement in organizing student events provided her with a platform to influence aspiring professionals, further entrenching her narratives.

This manipulation was not limited to her direct audience. Through the amplification of her messages on social media, she reached a broader audience, spreading misinformation far and wide. The rapid dissemination of her narratives made it challenging for individuals to discern truth from falsehood, leading to widespread confusion and mistrust.

The Broader Implications

Her actions are emblematic of a larger issue plaguing modern society: the rise of public manipulators who exploit social media to distort reality. A report from the University of Oxford highlighted that organized social media manipulation campaigns were found in 81 countries, with governments, public relations firms, and political parties producing misinformation on an industrial scale.

The tactics employed in these campaigns often involve planting or amplifying misinformation using human agents or digital tools, targeting public figures for psychological manipulation, and gaming algorithms to force topics into public conversation.

These methods create an environment where false narratives can thrive, leading to the erosion of public trust and the polarization of societies.

The Role of Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms have become the battlegrounds where these manipulative campaigns unfold. Despite efforts to curb misinformation, manipulation services continue to outperform platform countermeasures. A study by the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence found that 89% of manipulation across platforms was delivered within 24 hours, with the vast majority remaining active weeks after delivery.

This rapid dissemination and the platforms’ delayed response times allow false narratives to gain traction, making it difficult to reverse the damage once the truth emerges. The algorithms that govern content visibility often prioritize engagement, inadvertently promoting sensational or divisive content, further exacerbating the problem.

The Human Cost

The consequences of such manipulation are profound. Individuals and communities targeted by false narratives often experience harassment, discrimination, and violence. In Day’s case, her actions fueled distrust towards those who questioned her unethical business practices and illegal use of volunteers. This not only harmed individuals but also undermined the integrity of the stenography profession as a whole.

Moreover, the spread of misinformation contributes to societal polarization, as communities become entrenched in opposing beliefs based on false premises. This division hampers constructive dialogue and makes it challenging to address pressing societal issues collaboratively.

The Path Forward

Addressing the rise of public manipulators requires a multifaceted approach:

  1. Enhanced Platform Accountability: Social media companies must invest in more robust mechanisms to detect and remove false narratives swiftly. This includes improving algorithmic transparency and prioritizing content accuracy over engagement metrics.
  2. Public Education: Educating the public on media literacy is crucial. By equipping individuals with the skills to critically assess information sources, the impact of misinformation can be mitigated.
  3. Regulatory Oversight: Governments should establish regulations that hold individuals and organizations accountable for deliberately spreading false information. This includes implementing penalties for those found guilty of such actions.
  4. Community Engagement: Building resilient communities that value truth and transparency can serve as a bulwark against manipulation. Encouraging open dialogue and fostering trust within communities can reduce the susceptibility to false narratives.

Conclusion

The case of this imposter woman in the steno industry underscores the dangers posed by individuals who exploit their influence to manipulate public perception. In an era where information is abundant, discernment becomes paramount. Society must remain vigilant, holding both individuals and platforms accountable to ensure that truth prevails over manipulation.

Published by stenoimperium

We exist to facilitate the fortifying of the Stenography profession and ensure its survival for the next hundred years! As court reporters, we've handed the relationship role with our customers, or attorneys, over to the agencies and their sales reps.  This has done a lot of damage to our industry.  It has taken away our ability to have those relationships, the ability to be humanized and valued.  We've become a replaceable commodity. Merely saying we are the “Gold Standard” tells them that we’re the best, but there are alternatives.  Who we are though, is much, much more powerful than that!  We are the Responsible Charge.  “Responsible Charge” means responsibility for the direction, control, supervision, and possession of stenographic & transcription work, as the case may be, to assure that the work product has been critically examined and evaluated for compliance with appropriate professional standards by a licensee in the profession, and by sealing and signing the documents, the professional stenographer accepts responsibility for the stenographic or transcription work, respectively, represented by the documents and that applicable stenographic and professional standards have been met.  This designation exists in other professions, such as engineering, land surveying, public water works, landscape architects, land surveyors, fire preventionists, geologists, architects, and more.  In the case of professional engineers, the engineering association adopted a Responsible Charge position statement that says, “A professional engineer is only considered to be in responsible charge of an engineering work if the professional engineer makes independent professional decisions regarding the engineering work without requiring instruction or approval from another authority and maintains control over those decisions by the professional engineer’s physical presence at the location where the engineering work is performed or by electronic communication with the individual executing the engineering work.” If we were to adopt a Responsible Charge position statement for our industry, we could start with a draft that looks something like this: "A professional court reporter, or stenographer, is only considered to be in responsible charge of court reporting work if the professional court reporter makes independent professional decisions regarding the court reporting work without requiring instruction or approval from another authority and maintains control over those decisions by the professional court reporter’s physical presence at the location where the court reporting work is performed or by electronic communication with the individual executing the court reporting work.” Shared purpose The cornerstone of a strategic narrative is a shared purpose. This shared purpose is the outcome that you and your customer are working toward together. It’s more than a value proposition of what you deliver to them. Or a mission of what you do for the world. It’s the journey that you are on with them. By having a shared purpose, the relationship shifts from consumer to co-creator. In court reporting, our mission is “to bring justice to every litigant in the U.S.”  That purpose is shared by all involved in the litigation process – judges, attorneys, everyone.  Who we are is the Responsible Charge.  How we do that is by Protecting the Record.