The Intercept revealed a document from February 2023 released by U.S. Special Operations Command. It detailed how the elite warfighters of the United States are looking into new tools for psychological warfare operations. In particular, it seems they want to use “deepfake” videos for military operations. Deepfakes are a type of fake, but very realistic-looking, video where people’s faces can be superimposed. They can make public figures appear to say things they never said. And they could be used to frame people for crimes or scandals they had no part in. As we’ve discussed frequently on this show, information is the lifeblood of a free society. The marketplace of ideas is meant to be the stage of debate between the people who really call the shots in a constitutional republic—between the voters who decide who leads the nation and which policies represent them in the seats of power. But what happens if the forums for public debate get censored? What happens when key topics become off-limits? When certain political narratives can no longer be challenged or discussed openly? If information is restricted, then what information informs the voters when they choose their representatives? And most importantly, who is left to control the flow of information? And which side of the political system do their interests serve? In this episode of Crossroads, we’ll discuss these topics.