Besides influencing government and making your voice be heard, you need to know how other groups are trying to influence YOU. So you need knowledge about all of the “players” around an issue, and you need to become aware of the many sophisticated techniques being used to influence you—fairly or manipulatively. Knowledge of techniques is sometimes called “media literacy.”
“Scrutinizing Propaganda” covers eight propaganda techniques.
FlackCheck.org has a section with videos of politicians using deceptive techniques.
Propaganda techniques a long list of deceptive techniques, fallacies, and debating techniques. (This website often picks on Alchoholics Anonymous for its examples of deception. Some examples involve the George W. Bush administration.)
SourceWatch.Org SourceWatch is a collaborative project of the Center for Media and Democracy to produce a directory of the people, organizations and issues shaping the public agenda. A primary purpose of SourceWatch is documenting the PR and propaganda activities of public relations firms and public relations professionals engaged in managing and manipulating public perception, opinion and policy. SourceWatch also includes profiles on think tanks, industry-funded originations and industry-friendly experts that work to influence public opinion and public policy on behalf of corporations, governments and special interests. Over time, SourceWatch has broadened to include others involved in public debates including media outlets, journalists, government agencies, activists and nongovernmental organizations.
PR Watch A quarterly publication of the Center for Media & Democracy, is dedicated to investigative reporting on the public relations industry
Media Literacy: Five Core Concepts and Five Key Questions