The revelation that the government had created a new board to fight "disinformation" prompted a slew of Nineteen Eighty-Four comparisons.

On Wednesday news broke that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—a department that didn't exist 20 years ago but today spends $52 billion annually—had created a new "Disinformation Governance Board."

The news comes just days after Twitter accepted Tesla-founder Elon Musk's offer to buy Twitter for $44 billion, a move that critics of the deal claimed could unleash disinformation. (Musk has been vocal in his support for free speech.)

DHS declined to be interviewed by the Associated Press, but issued a statement after news broke of the development.

"The spread of disinformation can affect border security, Americans' safety during disasters, and public trust in our democratic institutions," DHS said.

A Ministry of Truth?

Perhaps naturally, the revelation that the government had created a new board to fight "disinformation" prompted a slew of Nineteen Eighty-Four comparisons, especially since it came so soon after Musk's purchase of Twitter.

"Elon Musk buys Twitter to save free speech and days later President Biden announces a Ministry of Truth," one observer quipped. "It's like we're living through an Ayn Rand/George Orwell novel mash-up."