Episode 13: Disinformation and gun culture, with JJ Janflone

Send us Fan MailCONTENT WARNINGThis episode of Unchecked deals with the sensitive topic of gun violence.SYNOPSISJJ Janflone, who works on culture change and narrative strategy at Brady: United Against Gun Violence, joins Rachel and Dan to unpack the Big Lie at the center of gun violence disinformation. JJ explains how that single falsehood generates cascading misbeliefs — about storage, risk, and identity — and describes Brady's efforts to shift gun culture. Rachel identifies the lens Accidents Happen and Dan suggests the lens Wild Imagination.INTERVIEWBrady: United Against Gun Violence — gun violence prevention organization where JJ works on culture changeThis is Our Lane – Brady initiative amplifying healthcare professionals' voices on gun violenceShow Gun Safety – Brady program to depict gun safety in entertainmentThe Dickey Amendment — 1996 legislation that banned CDC funding for gun violence research for over two decades (rescinded 2019)LENSESWild ImaginationWhen a core premise goes unchallenged — like the idea that guns make you safer — information systems without guardrails allow users to spin that premise into increasingly untethered conclusions. The result is a cascade of misinformation that distorts risk perception and makes it nearly impossible to reason toward accurate, proportionate responses.Does the system provide any framing or guardrails that help users interpret broad claims responsibly?How does the system help users accurately assess where risk actually lies, rather than where they imagine it to be?When users construct false or exaggerated threat scenarios, how does the system correct or contextualize them?Accidents HappenOnce an action is taken in an information system — sharing a post, liking content, amplifying a story — it sends signals that are difficult or impossible to fully reverse. Even well-intentioned interactions can feed an algorithm in ways the user didn't intend, with consequences that outlast the original act.Does the system provide a meaningful undo mechanism, and does undoing an action actually reverse its downstream effects?How does the system handle users who want to signal disagreement with content without inadvertently amplifying it?When users change their minds about information they've already shared or engaged with, how does the system support them in communicating that change?(Show notes drafted by generative AI and edited by a human.)_____________________________________________________PersonnelDan Brown, HostRachel Price, HostMusicTurtle Up Fool, by Elliot_____________________________________________________Unchecked is a production of Curious SquidCurious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design