State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Misinformation, Disinformation and What Government Can Do About Them

Governing: The challenges of misinformation and disinformation are everywhere and, because they are so often spread via electronic communication, they are as much of a cybersecurity risk as anything that a hacker trying to steal network passwords or plant ransomware might attempt. But while Russian misinformation campaigns to distract American voters and the ongoing conspiracy theorizing about COVID-19 and vaccines are front and center, they are only the most visible. In many cases, cyberespionage exploits disinformation to manipulate data and take advantage of government organizations.

“Misinformation” is simply false information, while “disinformation” is the intentional spreading of misinformation. Disinformation is the greater challenge today because social media has created vast opportunities for sharing information that didn’t exist just 10 or 20 years ago.

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