Do we recognize fake news from Russia?

letter of the day

Sander Schimmelpenninck writes: ‘We should study and refute fake news from Russia, not ban it’. What he forgets is that we will first have to recognize fake news from Russia as such.

On Facebook, under articles from de Volkskrant about Ukraine, comments from respondents with a Dutch profile and written in fluent Dutch can be found within a few minutes.

Of course there are plenty of Dutch ‘useful idiots/FvD supporters’, but could it be that some of these responders are ‘trolls from Russia’? Armed with a Dutch name and the ever-improving Google Translate, they seem to be consciously seeking out free media.

In terms of content, it is played smart, sometimes links are made with covid, sometimes with references to Dutch politics.

As an attentive reader, it strikes me that the repertoire of these commentators is one-sided and completely in line with Putin’s message. I also see tactics: when there is a lot of opposition they say things like ‘all politics is corrupt, one is no better than the other’. Sowing doubt seems to be the goal.

Many suspicious profiles lack personal perspectives and characteristics that respondents from the Netherlands are inclined to do. Facebook does not seem to be able to filter these profiles. Meanwhile, unsuspecting people respond to the comments and enter into discussions.

Do we really recognize fake news from Russia? Has this perhaps been going on for years and have ‘wappies’ been created in this way? Anyone who recognizes it may say so.

Ralph CopperThe Hague

misplaced

The short and light-hearted section Week Off (Volkskrant Magazine) had the title Chillen to the max on Saturday. It was about author and actress Liesbeth Kamerling who, photographed in a spacious, luxurious open kitchen with a beautiful piano in the background, finally enjoys having her own retreat room at home ( ‘It’s just a pity that the administration is also there, that’s less relaxed’).

In the newspaper of the same day, of course, it was about the hundreds of thousands of people who are currently traumatized looking for a roof over their heads.

Life, and also a newspaper, is inevitably full of contrasts. But if you choose to place such a piece at this moment and in this way, it is misplaced.

Paul WijsmanUtrecht

rethink

Now that the very expensive tax specialists and law firms in the Zuidas have so spontaneously given up their services to Russian companies, a lot of work capacity has become available there. They can now use it to release those same companies of their assets for the benefit of reconstruction in Ukraine. After all, they know these companies and the tax structures they have devised through and through. So come on, Houthoff and others.

JM KloosApeldoorn

Conscription

It is tempting to argue now for the reintroduction of military service and to include social service and the educational value of conscription in the plea: three social problems solved in one fell swoop.

There are shortages of IT staff, nurses and technicians in the armed forces, just like in the rest of society. In military circles there is sometimes speculation to partially introduce conscription. Ten thousand young people with the desired professions are selected from a year class of 200,000 boys and girls. Honestly?

The conscription means that the armed forces can sit in the front row for a dime on the labor market. But if society is of the opinion that security is necessary for an armed forces, then there is a price tag attached to this. If society wants to better socialize young people, then an investment in education and youth care is necessary.

It is fairer to ask all citizens to contribute than to force young people to do so.

Stan MeuweseAmstelveen