Editor’s note: Molly McKew has been reporting on Russian disinformation for years and her scholarship has been noted by us and others. Using the recent unrest in the US, she has outlined exactly how and why the Russians use dis- and mis-information to deepen divides and weaken western democracy.
Summary:
Evaluating current information operations: The 2020 information environment is challenging, riddled with cascading disinformation campaigns that grow more targeted and complex over time, and which are increasingly tied to offline events and advanced via new techniques. It is vital that we have a clear perspective on events relating to the elections, coronavirus, and now protests and civil unrest, but we know that disinformation and malign influence campaigns seek to distort those perceptions. Now is when it’s most vital to be a better information citizen in a highly connected world, and to be vigilant about the new campaigns that seek to influence us.
Read the whole thing here.