Bill Gates, We Need to Talk About MisinformationSucks.com

Dear Bill Gates,

I'm sure you hear this all the time, but I'm your biggest fan. Your work has influenced me profoundly—from your role in transforming technology to your philanthropic efforts in public health, climate, and education. You’re a giant in the fight for a better world. That’s why I’m reaching out.

You’ve spoken about the dangers of misinformation extensively, particularly its impact on health and society. And as someone deeply invested in tackling these issues, I’d like to introduce you to MisinformationSucks.com—a platform where we confront misinformation in a way that mainstream media won’t. This site doesn’t just aim to call out “fake news”; it’s built to tackle misinformation at its very root and reframe how we understand autonomy, ethics, and power.

The Core Issue: Misinformation as a Feature, Not a Bug

You’ve noted that misinformation is more than just a nuisance; it’s a systemic issue that requires new solutions. But here’s the truth: misinformation isn’t just an unfortunate side effect of our current systems. In many cases, it’s a feature. The profit-driven models of major platforms prioritize engagement over truth, and they capitalize on this engagement regardless of the quality of information they spread.

At MisinformationSucks.com, we see misinformation as more than a tech problem; we view it as a manipulation of autonomy and power. When platforms police misinformation without addressing the root causes, they only scratch the surface and sometimes do more harm than good. Their top-down “solutions” can risk sidelining genuine autonomy and free expression, particularly when these solutions are driven by corporate interests.

What MisinformationSucks.com Is Doing Differently

On MisinformationSucks.com, the gloves are off. We’re not here to play by the rules of mainstream media, nor to package information in ways that make it more digestible or palatable. Instead, we’re digging deep into the systems that perpetuate misinformation and the structures that prop them up.

This isn’t about banning specific content or policing thought; it’s about transparency, empowerment, and breaking down the barriers that prevent people from accessing unbiased information. We aim to expose how Big Tech’s data practices and profit motives fuel misinformation and explore ways to give power back to the users. We’re shifting the conversation from “how do we control misinformation?” to “how do we empower people to see through it?”

Why I Believe This Matters to You

You have both the influence and the reach to shift this conversation in ways few others can. You’ve been a long-time advocate for responsible tech and have voiced concerns about misinformation in critical spaces like healthcare and climate science. But the current approach—limited to banning posts or adding fact-checks—has been a superficial fix for a much deeper problem. MisinformationSucks.com offers a fresh, unfiltered perspective on how to reframe this issue.

What we’re doing isn’t just another “fake news” watchdog project; it’s a movement to reimagine how information can be managed in a way that respects and promotes user autonomy. Imagine if people had genuine control over their data, if transparency was built into the framework, and if platforms were designed to empower, not restrict. This is what we’re working toward, and with your insights, we believe we could accelerate this vision.

An Invitation to Collaborate

Bill, this is more than an introduction—it’s an invitation. We believe MisinformationSucks.com aligns with your commitment to a healthier, more informed world. And we think there’s real potential here for creating new frameworks for transparency and autonomy in tech. Let’s have a conversation about how we can tackle misinformation at its root, rethink tech’s role in public discourse, and create a model that prioritizes truth and user empowerment.

We’d love to hear your thoughts. The fight against misinformation needs all hands on deck, and we can’t think of a better partner than you.

Sincerely,

Michael Kelman Portney