Disinformation campaigns are deliberately designed to spread false information on a given topic. The goal of these highly effective campaigns is to affect people’s perceptions or choices, like whether to get a COVID-19 vaccine. These rumors and lies primarily circulate on social media and pose a serious threat to public health.
Studies show that just 12 people, referred to as the “disinformation dozen,” are responsible for 65% of misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines on social media. These individuals benefit financially by pushing these claims at the expense of their victims’ lives.
A Georgetown Center for Security report makes it clear that the rise of artificial intelligence, which can quickly and easily generate disinformation, only makes disinformation campaigns more likely to continue.
We all play a role in combatting this issue. One example is educating youth about disinformation tactics, making them capable of detecting and rejecting false claims online.
Learn more about disinformation and what you can do to stop it by reading this article.