Connecticut is hiring a “misinformation” specialist to police the internet ahead of the midterm elections, according to the state’s budget statement.
The position of a misinformation “security analyst” was proposed by Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill to combat election misinformation that she said has “undermined public confidence in the fairness and capability of election results,” the budget statement says.
The misinformation security analyst’s role will be to “monitor and combat election misinformation on a full-time basis,” the statement reads. Additionally, the budget allocates millions of dollars toward election education, including information on absentee voting and security.
Other states are following Connecticut’s lead by creating positions similar to “misinformation” specialists, according to The New York Times. Colorado hired cybersecurity analysts to scan sites for misinformation.
In April, the Biden administration launched the Disinformation Governance Board, an internal group at the Department of Homeland Security created to combat misinformation and disinformation that threaten national security, according to a memo released May 2.
However, DHS shut down the board May 18, just three weeks after its announcement.
Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Rand Paul, said the creation of positions such as those in Connecticut and Colorado, and with the Disinformation Governance Board, pose a threat to free speech and other civil liberties, The New York Times reported.
The office of Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, did not respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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