[🇵🇰-Land] Disinformation

[Ghazi52]

Source : https://crestresearch.ac.uk/comment/osint-vs-disinformation-the-information-threats-arms-race/

Summary
Disinformation is a major problem, with studies showing its influence on public understanding and political decision-making. It is intentionally misleading communication that misleads and is related to propaganda, conspiracy theories, and misinformation. Our information environment allows highly persuasive communication to be transmitted and received at an unprecedented pace and scale, making disinformation a crucial component of hostile state information operations and influence campaigns. Despite this, little attention has been paid to the interplay between disinformation and OSINT or open-source intelligence used to unveil or reinforce it. OSINT can also often act as disinformation in disguise.

Exploring the relationship between open-source intelligence (OSINT) and disinformation, and how they influence each other: OSINT vs Disinformation: The Information Threats ‘Arms Race’ (crestresearch.ac.uk)

 

[Ghazi52]

The issue of authenticity and reliability of information is becoming increasingly important, mainly due to the rise of misinformation and disinformation. These two phenomena are not new, but they have adapted to cyberspace, primarily social media platforms, accelerating their impact. The ability to quickly share information has made filtering out credible sources from fake news even more challenging.

Although numerous steps have been taken internationally and nationally in recent years to combat these issues, users still struggle to distinguish between accurate and false information on social media sites and other internet platforms. This presents a significant challenge even for organizations specialized in information collection, analysis, and evaluation.

 

[Ghazi52]

When OSINT is bad, it's awful. It's important to note that having more information doesn't always lead to accurate conclusions. In the world of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), it's easy to get distracted by sensationalized topics rather than focus on mundane details that matter. Unfortunately, the increase in people who claim to be OSINT analysts since February 24, 2022, hasn't necessarily added value to our collective knowledge.

It's only contributed to the already overcomplicated information space, potentially leading to even more misinformation. For example, during recent events in Russia, many analysts jumped to conclusions about Yevgeny Prigozhin's mutiny, spreading false information widely.

Additionally, there has been a surge in so-called "counteroffensive experts" who provide updates on maps and social media. Unfortunately, much of this information is based on flawed assessments and unreliable.