this post was submitted on 07 Jun 2024
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Conspiracy theorists are trying to influence European election campaigns with disinformation and lies. Much of the fabrication comes from Moscow, but plenty is homegrown.

If media campaigns in more than a dozen European countries were to be believed, the European Union (EU) intends to force citizens to eat insects instead of meat. 

The claim has touched nerves, especially in Italy, where variations of it have been revived and splashed across billboards during European elections to pit Brussels against mama's special sauce.

But consumers of this claim are being fed pure nonsense, an example of countless fabrications launched or adopted by candidates seeking political gain at the cost of the truth.

The fake insect-food narrative, which first surfaced last year in a number of EU countries, has proven so popular with malign actors both within and outside the bloc that they've brought it back for the European election cycle to try to discredit pro-EU candidates.

But no one should be surprised that malignant actors want to impact Europe's election cycle, with 720 seats up for grabs for the next five-year term in the European Parliament and many national elections taking place simultaneously as part of a record year for elections worldwide.

The EDMO reports a record-high amount of disinformation ahead of the vote about universally controversial issues like migration, agricultural policy and climate change, including even the resurrection of fake stories from years past, such as COVID-19 conspiracies.

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[–] iiGxC 9 points 5 months ago (4 children)

I don't understand where the bug meat narrative is coming from, besides that it's gross so it's easy to use to incite fear and disgust any time imitation meat is brought up, when in reality it's usually soy or vital wheat gluten based.

I'm against all animal exploitation, including bugs!

[–] Syntha@sh.itjust.works 3 points 5 months ago

It originates mostly from a post on the blog section of the WEF where the author advocates for consuming insects. The WEF blog is also where the "you'll own nothing and be happy" quote and I think even the 15 minute city scare comes from.

[–] barsoap@lemm.ee 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

The EU approved some bugs under the novel foods regulation. In short, to place some ingredient on the market that didn't get grandfathered in you have to jump some bureaucratic hurdles, some companies did that for some bugs, and the rightoids twisted it into a world-ending conspiracy.

All it means that they are legal to use as an ingredient in foodstuffs, still has to be labelled etc. as is usual.

[–] FierySpectre@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

It is interesting to consider where we draw the line of what we define as an 'intelligent animal'...

[–] iiGxC 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Intelligence isn't a good marker of moral value anyways 🤷

[–] FierySpectre@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

So you feel bad about slapping a mosquito? What about skipping a rock?

[–] Enkers@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I'd punch a human trying to come up to me and draw my blood with a dirty needle as well.

And this may alarm you, but rocks are not, in fact, alive, or sentient in any manner (despite what pet rock enthusiasts want you to believe).