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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on the Global Engagement Center's Fight Against Disinformation
Record date · January 1, 2020
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What This Bill Does
This Senate subcommittee hearing reviewed the progress and operations of the Global Engagement Center (GEC), a State Department agency tasked with countering foreign propaganda and . Senators and expert witnesses discussed the GEC's role in coordinating federal efforts to protect democratic processes from foreign influence campaigns.
The hearing evaluates the effectiveness of the federal agency responsible for identifying and countering foreign-led campaigns that target U.S. elections and public health information.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Global Engagement Center
The agency is subject to congressional oversight regarding its operational progress and mission execution.
U.S. Voters
The GEC's activities are intended to mitigate the impact of foreign disinformation campaigns on the electorate.
Key Facts
- The Global Engagement Center (GEC) was established by bipartisan legislation to lead and synchronize federal efforts against foreign propaganda and disinformation.
- The GEC operates within the U.S. Department of State.
- The hearing took place on March 5, 2020, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
- The GEC's mission includes countering both foreign state and foreign non-state disinformation efforts.
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- The hearing included testimony from the GEC Special Envoy and experts from the American Enterprise Institute and the Center for European Policy Analysis.
- The committee received written responses to follow-up questions from Lea Gabrielle and Alina Polyakova, but did not receive a response from Daniel Blumenthal regarding questions from Senator Booker.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Global Engagement Center?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of GEC Scope
The hearing highlights that the GEC's mandate evolved to include countering misinformation related to public health crises like the coronavirus, in addition to election interference.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment15Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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