“Fake” as an Information Security Threat in the Conditions of Distribution of COVID-19

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the current state of the spread of fake information in the context of the spread of the coronavirus. The analysis of the definition of "fake" is carried out, its characteristic features are revealed, including: complete or partial deliberate falsity of information; based on real information, relevant in a certain period of time; intentionally distributed through various sources; the goal is mass misinformation of the population; used to conduct information wars. Given the current situation, the authors provide various examples of inaccurate information. It is noted that the problem of fake content is global, almost all countries pursue a certain policy to suppress its distribution (Germany, Italy, France). The paper presents the data of a survey, which made it possible to establish that the majority of citizens trust the ordinary sites, and are rather skeptical about sites that publish official information. The article identifies the main directions for maintaining the required level of information security considering the spread of fake news about COVID-19.