Combating Disinformation

RAND ‘s report on wartime #disinformation : Applying lessons learned from #Ukraine to other contexts. 92 pages, 3 chapters, 12 lessons learned : 🪖Before the war: shaping operations. 🔹 2014-22: building government &civil society institutions countering adversary disinformation 🔹 steps to stop the flow of Russian propaganda targeting the country 🔹 intelligence-driven “prebunk” informing international audiences about planned Russian operations 🪖During the war: countering false narratives across the 3 theaters of the information war. 🧰12 lessons learned : 🔸Prepare and plan for 3 theaters of information war, look for innovative ways to reach & communicate with populations in totalitarian countries; rally international institutions to effectively prebunk adversary campaigns targeting the rest of the world; support a broader array of institutions residing in host nations. 🔸Build critical host nation institutions in advance of and during conflict 🔸Build and maintain capacity to counter disinformation: assess own doctrine, training, and wargaming efforts to ensure it is able to counter disinformation during conflict. Ensure that institutions & psychological operations forces retain their capability. 🔸Invest in and work with civil society 🔸Build and maintain trust to effectively dispel adversary narratives. 🔸Work with and empower local and military influencers: promote online voices to help support national security objectives. 🔸Build #resilience of troops: to avoid frontline soldiers being a target of adversary campaigns, undermining their will to fight. Develop a mandatory media literacy education campaign to help deployed and garrison personnel recognize malign influence attempts and foster safer online behavior. 🔸Do not allow coordination to sacrifice speed in responding: the Ukrainian experience highlights the value of a loosely coordinated and redundant network response that involves multiple actors both monitoring media and communicating key narratives. 🔸Be prepared to take risks: accept that government communicators outsource their efforts to creative and agile civil society institutions. Allow communicators to quickly create unique, humorous, and engaging content. 🔸Plan on resourcing and executing 3 critical counterdisinformation tools: Debunking (fact checking), prebunking, and the promulgation of proactive information narratives. Ensure the 3 are integrated in military theaters of operation. 🔸Be prepared to build the capacity of key institutions: In future contingency operations, consider adversary targets for propaganda and disinformation and evaluate the ability of local institutions to effectively respond. 🔸Recognize the risk of waning support over time, as the time engaged in conflict increases and influence of messaging decreases & adversary disinformation narratives may become more influential. Wargame these risks and consider incorporating them in war plans. 👏🏼 Todd Helmus Khrystyna Holynska

The current energy shock makes the case for renewables more obvious than ever. It also generates the windfall profits and public anxiety that the architects of delay reinvest into manufactured doubt. As I argued in an earlier post, our information systems are structurally vulnerable to disinformation, mostly because of economic incentives. To fix that, we should apply the "polluter pays" principle to the information environment. There is a growing body of evidence showing how legitimate concerns are deliberately amplified and distorted by private and state actors whose revenues depend on prolonging fossil fuel dependence. Last week, a WindEurope report mapped 573 accounts spreading anti-wind power disinformation across Europe: 42,000 posts reaching tens of millions. Wind projects worth billions have been delayed or cancelled, sometimes violently, on the back of false claims. A recent DeSmog / POLITICO Europe investigation uncovered a Paris PR firm running fake Facebook accounts for a gas trade group, discrediting heat pumps with fabricated stories and AI-generated images. Sometimes so clumsily that even group members began questioning whether the accounts were real. Earlier this year, Clean Creatives documented 1,217 active contracts between ad agencies and fossil fuel companies in 2025. EUvsDisinfo and NATO have analysed how Russia, whose revenues remain tied to fossil fuel exports, is a major driver of climate disinformation in Europe. For Europeans, the consensus is there; people are not confused. 88% support more renewables, 81% back climate neutrality by 2050 (EU Commission). But when misleading narratives are produced and distributed on an industrial scale, even informed citizens struggle to know what is true. The energy transition involves real trade-offs that can only be navigated honestly in an information environment that is not deliberately distorted. Just as individual carbon footprint is sometimes used to shift the climate burden onto people rather than systems, we now risk shifting the burden of disinformation onto individual media literacy. The problem starts with an unregulated supply chain of falsehoods. The Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate Change, signed by 27 countries at COP30, provides a framework. Governments and the private sector must now act on it. Funding independent journalism; taxing windfall profits that fund delay; and regulating the intermediaries such as PR firms, platforms, even media outlets when they produce and distribute false narratives, are essential steps to take.

"The scale of disinformation production is astonishing. A leaked report claims that in the first four months of 2024, the SDA’s bot army, dubbed the “Russian Digital Army,” generated 33.9 million comments. They also claim to have produced 39,899 “content units” on social media, including 4,641 videos and 2,516 memes and graphics. Clear quotas are set. For example, in one project targeting Germany and France, the quotas were as follows: “Cartoons – 60 units. Memes – 180 units. Article comments – 400.” There are hundreds of examples of memes in the leaked documents, some of which were created by cartoonists employed by the SDA. Elections in Europe and the U.S. are the primary targets. “The European Parliament elections are in the summer of 2024. Critical milestones are approaching in 2024, including the Bundestag elections and the U.S. presidential election. The outcome of these campaigns will largely determine the West’s future sanctions policy towards Russia and support for Ukraine,” reads one document outlining the focus of these information operations. The Russians remain optimistic about shifting Western public opinion on Ukraine. “Public opinion in the project’s target countries is gradually moving towards reducing or completely stopping support for Ukraine,” a document reads. The leaked files include detailed reports on the thousands of fake comments made in various countries, along with instructions on how to craft such comments. “Write a comment from a 38-year-old German woman, who believes Germany is losing its main source of income: industry and a strong economy – we must stop wasting money on Ukraine and return to cheap Russian energy!.” one document offered as instruction. Similar instructions were written for “commenters” aiming at a U.S audience: “Write a 400-character comment from a 38-year-old American woman, who believes military aid to Ukraine and Israel should be cut. Zelensky is wasting taxpayers’ money!” A similar narrative was crafted to target Poland’s online space: “Write a 400-character comment from a 38-year-old Polish woman, who believes the government is to blame for the country’s rise in food prices. Poland is flirting with Ukraine, it has allowed a million Ukrainian migrants to settle in Poland taking jobs and receiving benefits, it can’t even solve the Ukrainian grain issue to protect its farmers! As a result, ordinary citizens who love this country and pay taxes suffer.” [...] “Our new team fabricated a story about child abductions. The Americans seriously published it. That’s a success!” boasted Sofia Zakharova, who is associated with the Russian presidential administration. This comes from an SDA meeting protocol from September 2023. A few weeks before this meeting, information began circulating on Telegram channels about Ukrainian children whose organs were being sold on the dark web." From https://lnkd.in/deMKH9bY

The Guardian's recent piece on the information crisis names something most of us feel but struggle to articulate. We have moved from misinformation to deliberate disinformation, into something far more disorienting: a world where the shared foundations for evaluating truth — journalism, science, institutions — are themselves distrusted. AI-generated content at an industrial scale, deepfakes, algorithmic amplification, epistemic fragmentation, and sheer exhaustion have combined to produce what philosophers call an “epistemic crisis”. The real casualty isn't just truth, it's our capacity to agree on a shared reality. And without that, dialogue, institutional trust, and collective action all erode. In “What the Heck Do I Do with My Life”, I wrote about developing your own inner GPS to navigate chaos. That GPS is your character — the moral compass that tells you what's true, what matters, and how to act when the signals around you are scrambled. Here's what building it looks like in practice: 1. Develop critical thinking and discernment  Don't outsource your judgment to algorithms, influencers, or even experts. Ask: What's the evidence? Who benefits from me believing this? What am I not seeing? Discernment is a muscle; it weakens if you don't use it. 2. Curate reliable voices, not just reliable facts  Identify a small set of thoughtful, intellectually honest people worth following across disciplines and geographies. Not people who always agree with you, but people whose reasoning you have learned to trust. This is a long-term investment, not a quick fix. 3. Actively seek out dissenting opinions.  The algorithm will never do this for you. It's designed to do the opposite. Make it a practice to understand the strongest version of views you disagree with. You may not change your mind, but you will hold your conclusions more honestly. 4. Slow down before you believe or share  The platforms are engineered for speed and outrage. Pause and ask: Do I actually know this is true, or does it just feel true? Most viral misinformation falls apart in sixty seconds of basic scrutiny. 5. Build your character — that's your real GPS  Information literacy helps. But what ultimately navigates you through chaos is who you are: your values, your integrity, your willingness to sit with uncertainty rather than grab the nearest certainty. Character is built slowly, through choices, reflection, and honest self-examination. There are no shortcuts, but there is no better investment. The information crisis won't be solved by better fact-checkers alone. It will be navigated by people who have done the harder work of developing themselves. What would you add to this list?

The federal inquiry into climate disinformation has wrapped, and its findings are stark: vested fossil fuel interests have systematically delayed climate action and the rollout of renewable energy in Australia—leaving all of us more exposed to worsening climate impacts. From influencers amplifying false narratives, to astroturfed groups distorting election debates, to generative AI being used to create and spread fake content—the report shows how deeply embedded these tactics have become. The inquiry’s recommendations include making tech companies liable for the disinformation spread on their platforms, better media literacy education in schools, and more funding for research into misinformation. Other recommendations go even further, including greater transparency around grassroots campaigns, and holding social media companies accountable for disinformation. This inquiry has exposed the scale of the rot of climate and energy misinformation in our society, and the heavy price we pay as a consequence. Tackling this scourge swiftly and at scale should be a top priority for the Albanese government, as the impacts of climate change mount, and our window to stay within the planet’s ecological boundaries shrinks. https://lnkd.in/euXm37vC

How can public health compete with misinformation? That’s the question Professor Matt Motta and I explored through our latest Boston University School of Public Health project: testing an influencer-based strategy to counter weight loss supplement misinformation on social media. Thanks to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Center for Health Communication and its Health Content Creator Program, we recruited 7 diverse creators with a combined reach of nearly 2 million followers. We provided creators with an evidence-based digital toolkit and gave them full creative freedom to deliver science-informed content in their own voice. The result? More accurate, engaging health messages that reached audiences public health often misses. Key takeaways: - Social media can be a credible public health tool when we work with creators, not against platforms. - Messages shifted: <1% of content mentioned the lack of FDA approval for supplements before our intervention. Afterward? Nearly 90%. - Mentions of serious risks (liver, cardiovascular damage) went from zero to frequent. - The model is scalable and adaptable across health misinformation domains, whether for mental health, climate-related threats, or food production and policy. We break it down in our Boston Globe Media op-ed here: https://lnkd.in/eNA9Tk3F Many thanks to our BUSPH team Willa R. and Selenne Alatorre, MPH; Dean ad interim Michael Stein for supporting the Dean's Innovation Challenge that funded this pilot; our Harvard CHC collaborators Amanda Yarnell, Elissa Scherer, Kate Fisher, and our amazing content creators who brought this work to life. Let’s keep reimagining what public health communication can look like. #PublicHealth #HealthCommunication #Misinformation #ScienceCommunication

"While the intention is rarely to cause harm, influential people can get psychological concepts wrong, and there are no checks and balances... it could just go viral, and that’s that.” - Me I came across some research a while back that analyzed TikTok videos under the hashtag #MentalHealth. It revealed that more than 80% of the information in those videos was misleading. Let that sink in—80%. At a time when social media is a primary source of information for many, this statistic is alarming, and it has stuck with me. What strikes me most is how this issue juxtaposes with the hesitation and warnings in the mental health field about engaging with social media. There’s often a vibe—an unspoken hesitation—that being present as a psychologist on social media, or even creating content, is somehow "not what we do." And yet, this reluctance creates a vacuum where misinformation thrives. I really believe more folks in our profession need to get comfortable stepping into this space. It’s one of the reasons I make it a point to stay informed on current trends, pay attention to the creators most popular with my clients, and not shy away from deep dives into trending content topics. If I don’t understand what my population is consuming—or worse, dismiss it outright—I'd be missing a huge opportunity to meet people where they are. When I wake up one day and all of a sudden half of my clients start telling me they are being #verymindful #verydemure #verycutesey I need to know why 😂 I contributed my thoughts on the topic to a recent article published by the American Psychological Association. I discussed two critical points with Zara Abrams: ➡ For whatever population we serve, psychologists should get familiar with the content the community consumes, on the platforms they consume it. This is no longer optional; it’s essential. What our clients see and believe is their reality, it impacts their mental health—and by extension, our work. ➡ My wish is for psychologists to engage more seriously with content creation, either by creating it ourselves or collaborating with and advising those who do. Social media isn’t going away, and neither is the demand for mental health information. If we want to combat misinformation, we need to be part of the narrative. Our voices, rooted in research informed practice, are needed now more than ever. Check out the full article for more thoughts on addressing mental health misinformation. https://lnkd.in/ghD7tdnV

Navigating the Maze of Truth In a world where alternative facts often muddy the waters of truth, how can individuals and communities stay resilient and well-prepared for the challenges they face? As misinformation spreads and reliable news sources are sometimes overshadowed by sensationalism, maintaining resilience becomes not just a matter of personal vigilance but a collective responsibility. 1. Develop Critical Thinking Skills - In an era where alternative facts can easily infiltrate public discourse, honing critical thinking skills is essential. This means questioning the credibility of sources, cross-referencing information with multiple reputable outlets, and analyzing the motives behind the information being presented. Encourage a mindset that doesn’t just accept information at face value but actively seeks verification. 2. Prioritize Media Literacy - Educate yourself and others about media literacy. Understanding how media works, recognizing bias, and differentiating between fact-based journalism and opinion pieces are crucial skills. Schools, workplaces, and community organizations should incorporate media literacy training to empower individuals to navigate complex information landscapes effectively. 3. Seek Out Reliable Sources - Identify and rely on reputable news sources that adhere to strict journalistic standards. These sources prioritize accuracy, fairness, and transparency. Create a diverse media diet by following established institutions and experts in relevant fields. Avoid echo chambers by engaging with a variety of perspectives while focusing on sources known for their reliability. 4. Verify Information Before Sharing - Before sharing information on social media or within your community, take a moment to verify its authenticity. Use fact-checking websites and tools to confirm details and debunk myths. By being a responsible consumer and sharer of information, you contribute to reducing the spread of misinformation and helping others stay informed. 5. Advocate for Transparency and Accountability - Support and advocate for transparency and accountability in media and information sources. Encourage media outlets and public figures to adhere to high standards of accuracy and honesty. Demand accountability from those who spread misinformation and promote a culture of truthfulness in public discourse. Our collective resilience depends on our ability to discern truth from fiction. Equip yourself with the tools to critically evaluate information and promote media literacy in your community. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and together, let’s build a more resilient and informed society. #StayResilient #CriticalThinking #MediaLiteracy #VerifyBeforeYouShare #TruthMatters

„A Russian disinformation effort that flooded the web with false claims and propaganda continues to impact the output of major AI chatbots, according to a new report from NewsGuard, shared first with Axios. NewsGuard says that a Moscow-based disinformation network named "Pravda" (the Russian word for truth) is spreading falsehoods across the web. Rather than directly sway people, it aims to influence AI chatbot results. More than 3.6 million articles were published last year, finding their way into leading Western chatbots, according to the American Sunlight Project. "By flooding search results and web crawlers with pro-Kremlin falsehoods, the network is distorting how large language models process and present news and information," NewsGuard said in its report. Newsguard said it studied 10 major chatbots — including those from Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, You.com, xAI, Anthropic, Meta, Mistral and Perplexity — and found that a third of the time they recycled arguments made by the Pravda network. Zoom in: NewsGuard says the Pravda network has spread at least 207 provably false claims, including many related to Ukraine.“

GLOBSEC's "Global Offensive: Mapping the Sources Behind the Pravda Network" report reveals a sophisticated, expanding disinformation ecosystem spreading pro-Kremlin narratives, adding a necessary layer to the previous research on the topic. Comprising over 87 localized subdomains, it functions as a continuous propaganda machine, primarily manipulating AI and language models by flooding digital spaces with content. The study analyzed over 4.3 million articles from 8,000+ sources. Telegram is the main distribution channel (up to 75% of content), with channels boasting 250 million subscribers. Russian websites, including state media like TASS and RT, contribute nearly 20%. Facebook is also utilized. Article output sharply increased in 2023-2024, prioritizing quantity over quality (85% published in under a minute). Serbia, the US, Ukraine, Moldova, and Italy are key targets, alongside the CEE region and Africa. Network analysis shows interconnected sources, with distinct local Telegram clusters. Examples from Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland highlight local channels (e.g., RuskiStatek, UKR LEAKS_pl) spreading pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian propaganda. ⭕ Recommendations include enhanced monitoring, interdisciplinary research, AI data manipulation prevention frameworks, and sanctioning those responsible for disinformation. The report notes blocking domains won't stop the network, as it recycles content from existing pro-Kremlin sources. 🔗 For more details: https://lnkd.in/dSPhV_8e