The rise of social media and messaging apps has empowered connection and mobilization, while also enabling the spread of unreliable information that erodes trust in institutions and fuels tension. To explore disinformation on social networks, hear from CSO Center member Ivica Zvonko Miljak, MsC, CIA, on what you need to know as a senior security executive.
Misinformation on Social Networks
The past ten years have been marked by the proliferation of social media and messaging applications. This has empowered people to be more informed, connected and able to mobilize resources, especially during emergencies. The rapid spread of digital communication has caused a number of consequences that pose significant challenges to community well-being and security. An enormous amount of information constantly bombards individuals, often from unreliable sources. It is increasingly difficult to distinguish verified facts from opinion, speculation and outright misinformation. Constant exposure to a large number of contradictory messages can erode trust in institutions and official sources and exacerbate community tensions. Today, AI can modify anything and everything. It can create realistic images, deepfakes, audios, write articles that look like real information.
Fake News and Misinformation
Fake news is news or headlines that are made to mislead or manipulate the reader. This includes news that has been fabricated, or distorted versions of real events, with the aim of deceiving. The term "fake news" became popular in 2016, though the term been around since the 19th century.
Misinformation is false or inaccurate information, whether shared intentionally or not. Often, misinformation is spread because people believe it to be true, not realizing they are passing along false information.
Why Recipients Fall
People often fall for misinformation when they view it through the lens of emotion rather than logic, and many creators of misinformation exploit exactly this, crafting content designed to trigger emotional reactions. Herd mentality compounds the problem: when a story is widely shared, that sheer volume of sharing can make it feel true, regardless of its accuracy.
According to a study by OFCOM (the British regulator for electronic media, telecommunications and mail), around 45% of adults in the UK believe that they encounter fake news every day. Given the decline in the number of adults accessing news via television and the increase in the use of social media for news, fake news is gaining momentum. Created from inaccurate information and often deliberately published in the media and social networks, fake news is a dangerous way of informing. The danger lies in the ease of dissemination, at the touch of a button.
In a 2019 study by Loughborough University, 42.8% of people who share news admitted to sharing both inaccurate and fake news. The study notes that “those who share news on social media are mostly motivated to inform others and express their feelings.”
Social Media Manipulation
Primarily, misinformation on social media concerns the deliberate creation and spread of misinformation and fake news, content carefully crafted to sow fear and confusion. The use of bots and fake accounts is equally effective in amplifying certain messages, manufacturing a false sense of widespread agreement, or hijacking online conversations to steer them in a particular direction. Another sophisticated tactic involves microtargeting and psychological profiling. Misinformation succeeds largely by exploiting users' own vulnerabilities—anxiety, insecurity, and fear.
How to Stop Manipulation
Check whether the news is confirmed across multiple channels, including reliable ones — if it is, it's less likely to be disinformation. A quick Google search can help verify this.
For information circulating on social media, solution requires a multi-pronged approach. First, I recommend tracing information back to its original source. This is one of the most effective ways to combat the spread of misinformation. Additionally, users' media literacy and the ability to think critically about information on the Internet must be strengthened, as do social media regulations.
"A lie will go around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” - Bernard Shaw
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