discourse about values in regards to covid or climate is sensible. Do you want more freedom, more safety, fewer deaths, more economic growth? That's something every person has a meaningful position on. The safety of mrna vaccines? That's not a layman's question, and these factual technical questions are where misinformation enters the picture.
And the twisted thing about the debate is that saying this often creates accusations of elitism. But really, if scientific literacy is required to have coherent political preferences, what does that say about the right of participation of people in a democracy who are simply not educated or smart enough?
Ellul would likely argue that prerequisite of any propaganda is the obligation for a preference -- regardless of whether the individual knows anything at all. The purpose is to include him/her in the machine.
Personally, to me it is akin to my aunt telling me computer's are devil's creation ( she did ) and be the downfall of us all ( possible ). Yeah, maybe basic literacy is necessary to participate.