• Kelly@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Exactly, and the report uses the term “memetic” to distinguish from its frequent use to mean “image macro”. Unfortunately the article headline chose to confuse things.

    "Advanced memetic engineering attacks could progressively undermine trust in financial markets and institutions, causing a steady, incremental impact on market stability rather than a sudden breakdown“
    RAND Corporation, Technological and Economic Threats to the US Financial System, July 2024

    The article body does a good job covering the topic, its a shame they chose such a clumsy headline.

    • conciselyverbose@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      Image memes were never the only memes in internet lingo, and the original Dawkins term is exactly how they’re using it, as the analogue for gene, but with ideas generally. That’s all fine.

      But that makes their core concept “people might spread ideas we don’t like”.

    • OneMeaningManyNames@lemmy.mlOP
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      4 months ago

      Is this just trying to say ‘propaganda’ (latin participle for “things that should be disseminated”) with fancier words?