Introduction Fake news, more specifically known as disinformation, is a major problem that shows no sign of going away. If anything, it’s evolving in new ways to become more nefarious than before. Elections are always major flashpoints for fake news, and the US presidential election of 2020 is no exception. Many individuals and organizations are…
After spending almost a year tracking coordinated inauthentic behavior on behalf of Facebook and Google, I’ve developed a good sense of how an inauthentic social media user looks and acts online. Each platform has its own nuances. But many universal patterns indicate the likelihood of coordinated activity. Here I’ll discuss three common indicators – and…
What’s the difference between disinformation and misinformation? (I get asked this question a lot, so I thought it was time to write about it). The difference between disinformation and misinformation lies in the presence of intent. The Difference Between Disinformation and Misinformation Let’s look at a couple of examples to understand the difference between disinformation…
Much social unrest has emerged amid COVID-19, such as anti-lockdown protests, attacks on 5G masts, and violent reactions when asked to wear masks. As I write this, a murky far-right group called ‘UK Freedom Movement’ is organising a new spate of anti-lockdown protests around the UK. This month I’ve been reviewing Russia-aligned news sites. I’ve…
Dopamine and disinformation are intrinsically linked. In this article, I’ll explain how this works, and look at some ways to lessen the effects. I used to spend a lot of time arguing with strangers on the Internet. It normally went like this: I would post something political and the trolls would arrive. I’d get stuck…