A typology of disinformation intentionality and impact

Abstract

In contemporary society, the increased reliance on social media as a vital news source has facilitated the spread of disinformation that has potential polarising effects. Disinformation, false information deliberately crafted to deceive recipients, has escalated to the extent that it is now acknowledged as a significant cybersecurity concern. To proactively tackle this issue, and minimise the risk of negative outcomes associated with disinformation, this research presents a typology of disinformation intentionality and impact (DII) to understand the intentionality and impact of disinformation threats. The typology draws upon information manipulation theory and risk management principles to evaluate the potential impact of disinformation campaigns with respect to their virality and polarising impact. The intentionality of disinformation spread is related to its believability among susceptible consumers, who are likely to propagate the disinformation to others if they assess it to be believable. Based on the dimensions of intentionality and impact, the DII typology can be used to categorise disinformation threats and identify strategies to mitigate its risk. To illustrate its utility for evaluating the risk posted by disinformation campaigns, the DII typology is applied to a case study. We propose risk mitigation strategies as well as recommendations for addressing disinformation campaigns spread through social media platforms.

Diving into the divide: a systematic review of cognitive bias-based polarization on social media

“…Misinformation pertains to the unintentional spread of false information, whereas disinformation refers to deliberate attempts to manipulate public opinion through the systematic use of false information (Barfar, 2019; Neyazi et al ., 2021). By exploiting cognitive biases, misinformation capitalizes on cognitive deviations that bias truth-seeking behaviors, thereby solidifying the consumer’s convictions and fostering polarization (French et al ., 2023a, b; Miller et al ., 2022). Disinformation exhibits a more calculated approach to targeting and leveraging these biases (French et al ., 2023a; George et al ., 2021).…”

“…By exploiting cognitive biases, misinformation capitalizes on cognitive deviations that bias truth-seeking behaviors, thereby solidifying the consumer’s convictions and fostering polarization (French et al ., 2023a, b; Miller et al ., 2022). Disinformation exhibits a more calculated approach to targeting and leveraging these biases (French et al ., 2023a; George et al ., 2021). Our research examines misinformation in online polarization.…”

“…Overall, prior studies have not strived to comprehensively investigate the interactions among the many topics that are linked to polarization. French et al (2023a) proposed a typology that is based on intentionality and impact to categorize disinformation threats and identify strategies to address risk. The work is motivated by the need to assess the potential virality and polarizing effects of disinformation.…”

Social media‐induced polarisation

“…It highlights the imperative for further inquiry into the relationship between misinformation and polarisation, examining diverse misinformation types and cultural contexts. French et al (2024) present a comprehensive examination of 'disinformation', emphasising its pivotal role in societal polarisation and proposing strategies for its mitigation. Introducing the innovative Typology of Disinformation Intentionality and Impact (DII), this paper offers a framework to classify disinformation threats based on their intentionality and impact, specifically emphasising virality and polarisation.…”

Disinformation and health: fact-checking strategies of Spanish health public institutions through YouTube

“…Burgueño (2018) reminds us that the dissemination of false information with the purpose of deceiving and manipulating to achieve certain goals has been a common practice since Roman times. French et al (2023) recall us that the term "disinformation" derives from the Russian word dezinformatsia, used by the Soviets in the 1920s to refer to the false information intentionally spread by KGB officials to control public opinion. It appears in S. Ozhegov's dictionary of the Russian language in 1949, "defined as the "action of misleading by means of false information, " and it gained popularity in 1980, when during the trial in Paris against Pierre Charles Pathé, commentator and publisher of a confidential bulletin, the testimony of an agent of the Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire (DST) made KGB techniques widely known" (Burgueño, 2018).…”