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Why do people create disinformation?
Disinformation is typically spread by people with an agenda. That might be political, to fit racial biases, or simply to make money. Disinformation is sometimes spread by religious leaders, or through religious communities.
People who spread disinformation on one topic are likely to do it on others. You can see that by following some of the links above. For example, many of the sites responsible for COVID vaccine disinformation on Twitter also shared slanted news stories or even conspiracy theories about Muslims, immigrants, crime, inflation and the war in Ukraine, among other things.
All of this is less about lying than it is about creating a truth of one's own, sometimes by force. (Fair warning: that link goes to a partisan analysis, but one that makes some very useful points.)
Why do people believe disinformation?
Generally, people entertain disinformation for the same reasons they believe in conspiracy theories:
- It fills an information vacuum
- It provides an easy framework for understanding the world
- It provides a moral framework for understanding the world, dividing it up into good and evil
- It promises to fulfill a desire for emotional and social fulfillment
Simply put, the sellers of disinformation are skilled at making information "what we know," as opposed to what "they" are telling you. Believing disinformation confers an identity and a way of knowing opposed to the dominant narrative.
How does disinformation work?
This section gets kind of list-y, so forgive me. Katelyn Jetelina identifies seven methods used to make disinformation go viral:
- Leverage social media
- Exploit information gaps early
- Fail to provide context
- Kernel of truth
- Sowing doubts about scientific consensus
- Exaggerate partisan grievances
- Presenting fringe views as mainstream
She expands on these, so do read her post.
That's the technical details. But what about the content of disinformation? Researchers looked at that question in 2021. They identified five narrative patterns very common in vaccine disinformation:
- Corrupt Elites
- Vaccine Injury
- Sinister Origins
- Freedom Under Siege
- Health Freedom
The study's authors also identified four rhetorical strategies used frequently:
- The Brave Truthteller
- Do Your Own Research
- Mountains and Molehills
- A Global Movement/Sleeping Giants
I think these are mostly self-explanatory. The article is quite long, but I very much encourage you to look at the full lists and the individual definitions. It's like an encyclopedia of bad-faith arguments. Understanding them is extremely helpful in knowing how to counteract them.
How can I take on disinformation?
Make no mistake: you should work to counteract these narratives and strategies. It's important for more than just COVID. People usually spread disinformation because they have an axe to grind. And if they'll do it with COVID or vaccines, they'll do it with other things. That includes politics, or racial equity, or the right of transgender people to live in peace. You will see the narrative patterns and rhetorical strategies used time and again, usually to evade an argument based on facts. It's important to find ways not to let disinformation take over the public square.
Doing so is easier than you might think.
First, do a good prebunk. Think about the kind of information your community needs. Think about where people are likely to mislead them. Then build a "truth sandwich." Send a message that starts with the truth and warns the audience that they're going to hear a lie. Show them why it's false, and expose the tactics used to manipulate them. Finally, restate the truth so it sticks in your listeners' heads.
Along the same lines, identify one of the narrative patterns or rhetorical strategies mentioned above and debunk it. This doesn't have to be mechanical. When you notice an example, find a way to talk about it in a sermon or a newsletter article. That's all. The best part is that it doesn't much matter which one you choose. Debunking one inoculates against all of them.
As you prebunk and debunk, understand that emotions are essential. Facts are not. Facts are important, of course. You should know them and insist on them.
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