The Media Literacy for Truth Seekers to Fight Disinformation and Take Back Control with Nolan Higdon

In this episode of The BoricuaBC2 Show, Bill Cancel sits down with Nolan Higdon to unpack the state of media, misinformation, and democracy in the United States. At a time when trust in institutions is eroding and information overload dominates daily life, the conversation explores how media consolidation, propaganda, social platforms, and weak civic education have contributed to widespread confusion and polarization. Through a historical and critical lens, the episode examines why misinformation thrives, how fear is weaponized, and what citizens can realistically do to protect themselves and rebuild democratic culture starting at the community level.   Nolan Higdon is an American author, critical media literacy scholar, and university lecturer specializing in media, propaganda, and disinformation. He teaches at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is the author of The Anatomy of Fake News and the writer of the Gaslight Gazette newsletter, where he examines how media systems shape democracy and public trust.   Expect to Learn: Where the U.S. media ecosystem stands today and why consolidation threatens democracy How misinformation and propaganda exploit fear, anxiety, and bias Why trust in institutions has collapsed and why that distrust isn’t irrational The role social media platforms play in amplifying false and emotionally charged content Practical habits individuals can adopt to avoid manipulation and rebuild civic resilience  Episode Breakdown with Timestamps: [00:00] - Introduction to Nolan Higdon [01:10] - Where We Are Today With Media [03:08] - What Happens When Trust in Institutions Collapses [04:57] - Propaganda, Fear, and National Stress [06:43] - Failure of Media, Institutions, and Civic Education [08:36] - Fake News Isn’t New: A Historical Perspective [13:18] - Distraction, Narrative Control, and Avoiding Accountability [17:53] - Social Media, Regulation, and Democratic Risk [20:48] - Rebuilding Trust Through Community [24:28] - Practical Habits to Resist Manipulation [27:00] – How a Media Scholar Consumes Media [29:21] – Books, Resources, and Final Thoughts   Follow the Guest, Nolan:  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nrhigdon  Website: https://www.nolanhigdon.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-higdon-5886bb318/ X: https://x.com/NolanHigdonCML Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nolanhigdon.bsky.social Newsletter: https://nolanhigdon.substack.com/   Follow the Host, Bill Cancel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cancelbill/  Website: https://www.theboricuabc2show.com/  BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boricuabc2.bsky.social   Listening Links: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0j6soWAazqs8DJTJJ9FsZr Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-boricuabc2-show/id1802890213 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Boricuabc2