Dissemination of False Information Abroad
By: Felix Wiebrecht
Nov 02, 2022
Reliable information is key for democracy allowing citizens to hold leaders accountable. This week’s graph shows the worsening levels of dissemination of false information distributed abroad by China, Iran, Russia, and Turkey as denoted by the Digital Society Project.
China and Iran have been active in the spread of false information the longest. China has primarily targeted Taiwan while Iran predominantly spreads its propaganda in the Middle East, including Israel in an attempt to stir polarization. Russia’s disinformation campaigns abroad intensified between 2007 and 2014. The country’s strategy of manufacturing information and sources is palpable on social media as well as TV channels such as Russia Today. Turkey is increasingly engaging in the spread of disinformation abroad since Erdogan came to power, and especially after the watershed Gezi protests in 2013. Combating the dissemination of false information remains a fundamental challenge for all democracies.
