This blog maps the Behaviour Economy in Australia, it's connection to Misinformation and Disinformation, leading back to a classified taskforce inside the National Cabinet.
Foreign Interference Through Social Media Committee 30th of July 2021 - Part One and Two
The terms of reference are classified, they give a brief outline to the misinformation and disinformation strategies in the links above.
Freedom of Information Requests starting 2022 asking for correspondence between Departments and external stakeholders such as The Digital Industry Group Inc.
Back in 2021, I started attending Behaviour Economics Hosted by the Prime Minister and Cabinet (BETA) events, they are a working partnership with Government agencies in Australia and they provide insights on human behaviour, they target complex policies priorities and provide behaviour insight solutions. They support the Australian Public Service to adjust language scope and suggest behaviour "nudges" to optimise outcomes.
On their website BETA indicates to an open and transparent dialogue with the Australian people and declare they disclose trials ahead of time and publish their findings for the public to promote accountability and sharing of knowledge.
I started sharing the trial language across my social media pages in 2021, which resulted in community violations, stating it was misinformation.
This raised concerns for me at the time as the trial information they were sharing was the trajectory of medical participation and the supporting "nudges" required to incentives involvement.
The first video I watched on New Challenges and New Behaviours 2020, the psychology of compliance.
There are four discussions on behaviour insights in 2020
Emerging Issues - https://youtu.be/DM1xebz_wY0
Think Globally, Act Locally - https://youtu.be/ReypBp4xnTk
Impacts on work and beyond - https://youtu.be/J9Zg00o4Y1Q
Matthew Nurse presented in 2021 on Misinformation Behaviours
There are three discussions on behaviour insights in 2021
Covid Behaviours - https://youtu.be/MWTSiJZJRyo
Building Back Better - https://youtu.be/YdXFAe2gCxU
After watching Dark Patterns and Greenwashing, I wrote to Ministers and Senators with concerns around non-transparent behaviour manipulation.
The case studies discussed in the first presentation indicate legal barriers and could be a factor in certain Ministers voting against a Royal Commission into Covid.
They have three discussion on behaviour and policy cycles in 2022
Sludge and complex consumer choices - https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/bi-connect-2022/sludge-complex-consumer-choices
Bringing BI upstream in the policy cycle - https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/bi-connect-2022/bringing-bi-upstream-policy-cycle
I also wrote freedom of information requests asking how BETA contributed to the Australian Media and Communication Association (ACMA), Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI), the signatory group (Meta, Google, Tiktok, Twitter, Snapchat, Apple, ebay, Spotify, Linktree, Yahoo) The Classified Taskforce situated under National Cabinet dual chaired by the Australia Electoral Commission and Katy Gallaghers Finance Portfolio, The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and The Arts and The Esafety Commission.
My correspondence starts back in 2020 to current, the freedom of information outlines through emails between the above Departments on designing the Misinformation and Disinformation ecosystem. This correspondence links back to my Hypersonic and Electromagnetic Warfare Blog.
Historically in 2015, Cass Sunstein coauthored the book Nudge, and was in charge of Barack Obama's Nudge Unit, a year before robotdebt began, the then prime minister Malcolm Turnball setup BETA in his department. It was modelled on the Nudge Unit setup by former President Barack Obama and former UK prime minister David Cameron. Centrelink wanted a solution for consumers to pay outstanding debts. The robodebt royal commission heard details suggesting specific colours of the letters after receiving advice from behaviour insight professionals, similar to the dark patterns discussion above. The robodebt findings should alarm Australia's to take a closer look at how BETA interferes with your day to day life.
The digital nudge in social security administration
Brilliantly written article on an extremely important issue! Great information, with links to all relevant sources, of course… Uncomfortable, but necessary information we should be aware of. Thanks Gatty!
Great information summarised adequately to assist anyone lost in the political jargon, provided links to read/watch very helpful