SHARE THIS VIDEO —
Liars: Putin-Trump axis blasted as Obama likens Steve Bannon to Russian dictator
Former President Barack Obama confronted social media companies for spreading misinformation in a formal address at Stanford, warning of the real-world consequences of disinformation and fringe conspiracy theories. Obama argued the tech industry can play a more constructive role and singled out dangerous, dishonest actors, like Vladimir Putin and former Trump aide Steve Bannon, in unusually direct remarks. MSNBC’s Ari Melber reports on the address and examples of disinformation being amplified online, noting that while conspiracies always existed, for-profit companies are spreading them far more than before. Melber also distinguishes between the “information victims" who believe these lies, and those who pedal them.