A History of Misleading the Public

While we often view fake news as a modern glitch, the past shows that twisting the truth has always been a core part of how societies function. Information has been used as a weapon throughout human history.

The Republic of Venice stands out as a master of information control during the Renaissance. Government officials in Venice were famous for using a mix of secrecy and strategic rumors to protect their trade routes. Historical records from the 15th century reveal that the Venetian Council of Ten often spread false stories about their military numbers to scare away potential invaders. This calculated use of deception allowed them to punch above their weight in European politics, proving that controlling the narrative was just as important as having a strong navy. It is much alike how military propaganda still works today.

In Japan, visual media played a similar role during the 1800s as the country moved toward the Meiji Restoration. Artists created woodblock prints, called ukiyo-e, that often depicted foreigners as frightening or demonic beings. These prints served as a visual warning to the Japanese people about the perceived dangers of outsiders and Western technology. Historical studies of these Kurofune or Black Ship prints show that they were used to foster a sense of national protectionism, turning art into a tool for political propaganda. Today we have nationalists that print posters and rallying to stop immigration because it is always "the others that are evil".

There are countless stories like these around the globe, some shared information for the benefit of people, but many stories of influence and malicious intent. Whether it was rumors whispered in a palace or images printed on paper, the intent was to fill the mind with biased ideas before people could find the real facts.

Today, we deal with the same motives. Humanity is still the same, merely the speed and scale of spreading information have increased.

The future of how we deal with information lies with us.

We design tools and set guardrails in our ai models. Acting in good faith and building with the intention to make the lives of those around us better may sound wishful, but it's worth a shot.