And yet, what if that group of "researchers" decrying such propaganda is itself a propaganda machine? Society has always suffered from from the plague of liars, exaggerators, and jump-to-conclusioners. What it didn't have to contend with was the ability of these lone voices to be wantonly broadcast. Historically, the ability to publish, regardless of the medium, had a natural barrier to entry. It cost money to print newspapers or erect a radio tower. So there was an economic incentive to get it right it right.
As early as the 1600s, society also recognized the legal implication of falsehood and the concept of libel and defamation took root. However, at least in the US, enter the inappropriately named "Communications Decency Act of 1996," where Congress basically wiped out the concept of libel for online service providers. In one fell swoop, not only did Congress pave the way for the garbage that infests us today, but they also managed to kill journalism by creating this unlevel playing field. Newspapers and TV were still held to the standard of libel, but any idiot with online account could say whatever he or she wanted, and the service provider broadcasting it to the world had very limited culpability.
