Manipulation of minds is a well-studied science that has been used for centuries but is continually becoming more sophisticated. Have you ever wondered how a herd of sheep is driven to their slaughterhouse? For instance, Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's Minister of Propaganda from 1933 to 1945, made a number of poignant claims, such as "if you repeat a lie enough times, it becomes the truth" and "if you make people believe that an enemy threatens them, they will do your bidding" as well as "divide and polarize them, destroy their solidarity, and they follow your command." Sound familiar?
We have advanced in sophistication today. We have digitally observant media, algorithms, and robots that focus on your thinking, how you react and deal with social media, or what websites you consult, as well as where and what you shop for, even though fear is still the go-to weapon (imagine an invisible enemy that everyone is scared of). This is just a brief summary of some facts. These days, there are typically 200 of these types of data that can be electronically computed to influence your thinking and lead you to believe the most egregious lies.
Sources:
The Saker
PsychCentral
Wonderful Mind