The article considers various aspects of the 1C system.
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This article will explore the main dangers that misinformation can pose to your business, and highlight key points why it’s important to be careful with the information you share or consume in a business environment.
Misinformation is information that is false or misleading, but is spread without malicious intent or a conscious desire to deceive anyone. It can be rumors, unconfirmed data, or distorted facts that people spread, believing them to be true. Most often, misinformation arises from insufficient fact-checking or an emotional reaction to a particular news item.
An example of misinformation is reports of “miracle cures” for diseases that spread rapidly on the Internet and social networks, although their effectiveness has not been proven. People often share such information with the intention of helping, not knowing that it may be false.
Misinformation as a phenomenon has existed since the emergence of oral transmission of information. People have always sought to share news and knowledge, but due to the subjectivity of perception and incompleteness of information, some facts were distorted. For example, in the Middle Ages, gossip and misconceptions about the causes of diseases or natural phenomena spread very quickly, since people did not have access to scientific knowledge.
With the development of printing in the 15th century, misinformation gained new dimensions, because books and leaflets containing false information could be printed and distributed en masse. In the 20th century, with the increasing influence of mass media (newspapers, radio, television), the amount of false information increased significantly, especially during wars and political crises. In the modern era of digital technologies, the spread of misinformation has become even faster, because social networks allow you to instantly share information with millions of people.
Disinformation is false information that is deliberately created and intentionally disseminated with the aim of deceiving, manipulating, or misleading a specific audience. Unlike misinformation, which can be spread through ignorance, disinformation is always part of a targeted campaign with specific intentions.
Disinformation is used to achieve a variety of goals, including:
Political – influencing elections or public opinion.
Economic – manipulating stock prices, market competition.
Social – creating panic or distrust in society.
An example of disinformation is the creation of fake news sites that publish false materials to discredit political opponents or foreign governments. Another common example is propaganda campaigns aimed at undermining trust in official institutions or the media.
Disinformation as a method of manipulating information dates back to ancient times. Even in ancient Rome and Greece, rulers used false rumors to discredit their opponents. For example, during military conflicts, false data about the number of troops or the strategic plans of the enemy were often spread.
In modern times, one of the first examples of an organized disinformation campaign was the distribution of false letters and messages with the aim of manipulating political processes. For example, during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), disinformation was actively used to influence the morale of enemies.
In the 20th century, disinformation became an important tool during the Cold War. The Soviet Union and the United States of America actively used information warfare, spreading fake news and materials aimed at undermining confidence in the opponent. One of the most famous operations was the Soviet disinformation campaign about the alleged artificial origin of the AIDS virus, which was carried out in the 1980s to discredit the United States.
In the 21st century, disinformation has moved to the digital plane. In particular, during the 2016 US elections, numerous cases of the spread of fake news through social networks and websites created with the aim of manipulating the opinion of voters were discovered. Such campaigns have become a common tool for interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, which has forced many governments to create special units to combat disinformation.
As we’ve discussed before, misinformation has been around for a long time. It’s hard to even tell if misinformation has increased in recent years. So why is this such an important issue today?
A study by the German Marshall Fund Digital found that Facebook engagement with articles from news outlets that often spread misinformation nearly tripled between 2016 and 2020.
While false/misinformation is as prevalent as ever, a single piece of news — intentionally incorrect or not — can spread much faster than ever. Why? Mainly thanks to the internet and social media platforms, and the ease of sharing information today.
A study by Tom Buchanan, a professor of psychology at the University of Westminster, analyzed why misinformation is so prevalent on social media platforms. The biggest contributing factors were simply these:
The user believed the information to be true.
The user held beliefs that were consistent with the views expressed in the information.
The last factor describes confirmation bias, which is the tendency to seek out information that aligns with one’s own beliefs. Thus, people tend to believe what they want to be true rather than what is actually true.
The saying “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” can be great for teens looking to build confidence. But while misinformation may just be “words,” those words can have dire consequences for organizations, individuals, and the world at large.
Below are five examples of the dangers of disinformation:
Cyberwarfare is a strategy that is actively used by various countries and groups to influence the activities of other organizations and national security. Those involved in such conflicts use a variety of tools. For example, during the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, the government hacked the passwords of the entire population of the country, which was a serious violation of privacy and security.
Disinformation is another powerful tool in this arsenal. Information manipulation can be used to change public opinion, discredit governments or political leaders, and divide society along ideological or political lines.
In recent years, we have witnessed numerous examples of the use of cyberwarfare, including by Russia. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a huge number of fake publications and pages appeared on social media, promoting pro-Russian narratives and disinformation to support Russia’s military efforts.
Some experts suggest that the goal of such disinformation campaigns may be not only to influence public opinion, but also to create an atmosphere of inaction among the population. Former KGB Major General Oleg Kalugin explained that the main task of such campaigns is to weaken the target, sow doubt and discord in society, split alliances and create chaos.
Online misinformation can lead to real-world violence that can threaten not only your business, but also your employees and physical assets. Here are just a few real-world examples of misinformation and disinformation:
Threats to election officials: Lies about fraud in the 2020 US election have led some people to threaten violence against election officials in 2022. These threats have led government officials to recommend additional emergency funding to increase security costs for these individuals.
Pizzagate and QAnon: A man was arrested for entering a pizza restaurant armed with an assault rifle. He was there to investigate claims that the restaurant was running a pedophile ring from its basement, a lie spread by QAnon, an anonymous message board on 4Chan. The conspiracy theory has gained incredible traction, leading to protests and countless online debates.
COVID-19 vaccinations: Misinformation may even lead some people to put their lives at risk. The general public’s inability to discern between what may be true about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines has led many to forgo vaccinations, while others have chosen to avoid all vaccinations altogether — even those that have successfully eradicated diseases like polio and smallpox that ravaged the world decades ago.
5G and COVID-19 disinformation campaigns
The conspiracy theory linking the spread of COVID-19 to 5G technology claimed that 5G signals had a negative impact on human health. Although this idea seemed absurd, it nevertheless led to serious consequences. In the UK, several people convinced of the truth of this theory set fire to 5G towers in the hope of stopping the spread of coronavirus.
This conspiracy theory became so popular that government agencies were forced to create special units to combat disinformation. They intensified pressure on social media to stop the spread of such false information and prevent the growth of panic among the population.
Although this conspiracy theory was later debunked, some experts found that some of the accounts actively spreading such information were part of an organized disinformation operation. This indicates that disinformation is often the result of deliberate and strategic actions aimed at manipulating public opinion.
Most people tend to trust their favorite news sources, whether they are print or prime-time news. However, sometimes these sources can be intentionally misleading. This can happen for a variety of reasons: to sow distrust, to push a particular political agenda, or even to elevate certain individuals or organizations to a pedestal of glory.
In many cases, media manipulation can be seen as part of a propaganda tactic. A prime example is the situation in 2021, when state-run media in Russia and China began spreading fake news about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines developed in Western countries. Such manipulation is not only misleading, but can also endanger the health and safety of the population by affecting trust in important medical initiatives and technologies
Hackers understand that some people cannot resist sensational news, and this is the basis for the strategies to spread misinformation that includes malicious links. This can be the key to gaining access to users’ personal information.
Many malware distribution methods, such as phishing attacks, rely on users clicking on links and downloading malware onto their devices. When these links arrive via email, people are usually wary of them and try to avoid opening attachments. However, when such links are accompanied by sensational news or attractive headlines, curiosity can get the better of them and users may click on them without thinking. As a result, their curiosity becomes the reason for malware infection on their computers.
If you are concerned that your company could fall victim to such attacks due to human curiosity, you should consider implementing digital risk mitigation platforms, such as Constella Dome Brand Protection. This platform will help protect your employees, leaders, and your brand reputation from the effects of misinformation. While it can’t prevent the spread of false information, it allows your organization to effectively respond to potential threats by continuously mapping and tracking your digital footprint. This allows you to detect threats faster and ensure proper protection.
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