Chris Hayes on the Right's Internet Smear Machine

This week's cover story in The Nation covers a topic I've treated on this blog--the use of viral email as a below-the-radar system for disseminating right-wing anecdotes, rumors, and lies. Although the sources of these hard-to-kill emails are almost impossible to track--which of course is part of what makes them so attractive to people with dishonest motives--journalist Christopher Hayes was able to confirm that at least some of them originate with paid operatives for conservative Republicans.

Hayes also provides a link to BreakTheChain.org, a website dedicated to tracking and debunking phony information circulating on the Internet. A quick comparison suggests that the Mikkelsons' well-known "urban legends" site Snopes.com may be more thorough in its research and presentations. But both sites--and indeed any site that tries to combat misinformation with facts--deserve respect and support.