Disinformation

"These things are as endemic to Russia as vodka, the ballet, and long winters."

In this episode, host Paul Brandus discusses the pervasive issue of disinformation, particularly focusing on Russian efforts and the impact on global security. He interviews Nina Jankowicz, founder of the American Sunlight Project, who emphasizes the importance of building societal resilience and promoting information literacy to combat false narratives. The conversation delves into the role of government in addressing disinformation and the upcoming challenges in the 2024 election. Meredith Wilson from Emergent Risk International provides insights on the evolving landscape of disinformation, emphasizing the need for ethical considerations and high-quality information sources in business decision-making.

[00:01:18] Russian information warfare efforts

[00:07:21] American Sunlight Project.

[00:12:30] Media literacy education in Finland.

[00:18:01] Russian weaponizing societal divisions.

[00:26:15] People defending dishonesty from power.

[00:33:04] Challenges of disinformation and AI.

[00:40:15] Importance of quality information.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guest Nina Jankowicz, and the NATO-Stratcom Center in Latvia, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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"Journalism is the only profession that is protected by the First Amendment... but private equity and hedge funds have been involved with disastrous consequences."

In this episode, host Paul Brandus delves into the issue of the decline of local print journalism and news deserts, focusing on the impact of hedge funds and private equity firms acquiring newspapers. Guest Margot Susca, an assistant professor of journalism, sheds light on how these financial entities prioritize profit over responsible journalism, leading to the decline of local news coverage. There is also a correlation between news deserts, voter apathy, and susceptibility to disinformation, particularly in marginalized communities. The episode also explores the alarming spread of disinformation and Islamophobia in India, where the government's control over media exacerbates the dissemination of false narratives. Along with insights from Pearl D'Souza on the challenges faced by Indian citizens in accessing unbiased and factual information amidst a landscape dominated by propaganda and disinformation.

[00:01:40] Hedge funds and journalism industry.

[00:07:06] Hedge fund ownership in journalism.

[00:10:38] Hedge funds impact on journalism.

[00:13:28] Pink Slime journalism.

[00:17:45] Misinformation in immigrant communities.

[00:24:12] Crackdown on media and dissent.

[00:30:10] Islamophobia in political narratives.

[00:32:25] Islamophobia and population growth.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guests Margot Susca and Pearl D'Souza , our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael Dealoia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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"You have a direct pipeline, particularly with social media and with individuals. Essentially, all you're doing is figuring out who you want to target"

In this podcast episode, host Paul Brandus discusses the growing concerns surrounding the upcoming presidential election, focusing on the threats posed by disinformation, false narratives, and foreign interference. He interviews Marek Posard, a military sociologist, and Brady Roberts, the COO of Emergent Risk International, to delve into the potential perfect storm of risks facing the election infrastructure. The challenges of combating disinformation, the impact of AI on spreading false narratives, and the need for critical thinking and media literacy education is needed to empower individuals to discern fact from fiction. Brandus underscores the importance of proactive measures, scenario-based planning, and a whole-government approach to safeguard against the influence of disinformation in the upcoming election.

[00:02:36] A potential perfect storm.

[00:05:06] Election system vulnerabilities.

[00:08:56] Adversaries exploiting division in elections.

[00:14:09] Impact of artificial intelligence.

[00:17:17] Deepfakes and election influence.

[00:19:35] Election falsehoods in narrow-margin states.

[00:25:54] Education on critical thinking.

[00:31:02] Teaching media literacy to youth.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guests Marek Posard and Brady Roberts, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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"Open-source intelligence is a critical way of helping not just governments, but the private sector form judgments about critical issues."

This episode is the second in a series covering Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). Here, we focus on Bellingcat's investigative work into the 2014 shooting down of a passenger jet in Eastern Ukraine, the interest of the U.S. Department of Defense in OSINT, and the nuances of using investigations over intelligence. Guest Noemi Macero and host Paul Brandus discuss the impact of OSINT on forming judgments for governments and the private sector, and how uncovering open-source methods can enhance traditional journalism and combat disinformation.

[00:03:36] Democratization of intelligence analysis.

[00:04:39] Open source data investigation.

[00:12:03] OSINT-related tools.

[00:16:39] Balancing speed and accuracy.

[00:19:26] Handling fast-moving incidents.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guest Noemi Macero , our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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"The silence in these fields is that of a tomb, like sorrow and loss have isolated it from the war around it."

In this episode, host Paul Brandus delves into the world of open source intelligence (OSINT), He discusses its importance in verifying information, especially in the digital era. The episode explores various tools within OSINT, such as social media, geospatial intelligence, and blockchain analytics. Additionally, he discusses the potential risks and pitfalls of over-reliance on OSINT, and the need for careful verification processes.

[00:04:09] Open-source intelligence in investigations.

[00:10:02] YouTube as Google Street View.

[00:19:22] Open source intelligence verification.

[00:26:27] Geospatial intelligence.

[00:36:16] Disinformation campaigns by nation states.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guest Noemi Maciero, our Sound Designer and Editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and Executive Producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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"The United States government works at a great disadvantage because we tell the truth."

In this episode, we refocus our sights on Russia's information warfare efforts in Africa, particularly spreading false claims about U.S. biological testing surrounding COVID-19. The Africa Initiative, backed by Russian intelligence, is highlighted as the source of these conspiracy theories. Despite limited traction, the disinformation campaign poses risks to Western health programs and humanitarian efforts in Africa. The episode also delves into Russia's broader presence in Africa, including military support and mining interests. Strategies to counter Russian disinformation include media literacy initiatives, fact-checking organizations, and promoting Western economic investments and democratic values in the region and the complex dynamics of information warfare and geopolitical competition in Africa.

[00:02:06] Russia's information warfare efforts.

[00:07:28] Russian disinformation in Africa.

[00:11:06] Russian disinformation in Africa.

[00:14:16] The disinformation angle.

[00:18:22] Russian military efforts in Africa.

[00:20:09] Countering Russian disinformation tactics.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Special thanks to our guest Cameron Evers , our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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"It's a kind of information that we find particularly appealing that people looking to fool us will use, but it can lead to innocent spreading"

Host Paul Brandus explores the concept of truth bias and its implications in today's society with guests Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris, authors of the book "Nobody's Fool, Why We Get Taken In and What We Can Do About It." They discuss how our innate trust in familiar sources can make us vulnerable to misinformation and the importance of skepticism in evaluating information. The conversation delves into the challenges of focusing on only what is directly in front of us, potentially overlooking crucial context. Meredith Wilson, CEO of Emergent Risk International, joins the discussion to provide insights on how trust and skepticism play a crucial role in navigating the complex landscape of information consumption. The episode highlights the need for critical thinking and awareness in an age where information is constantly at our fingertips.

[00:02:06] Truth bias and deception.

[00:05:47] Calibrating trust and skepticism.

[00:09:50] Familiarity and trust on social media.

[00:12:25] Focusing on selective information.

[00:17:07] Trust in societal systems.

[00:21:29] Familiarity and trust in information.

[00:24:27] Human nature and information consumption.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Special thanks to our guests Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael Dealoia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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"This information is polluting the entire ecosystem under which we operate."

In this episode of "Disinformation," Paul Brandus delves into the pressing issue of information pollution in the 21st century. With the rise of social media and artificial intelligence, discerning between truth, misinformation, and deliberate falsehoods has become increasingly challenging. We also discuss how information pollution exacerbates existing systemic risks like global conflict and climate change, making it a critical issue to address for progress and solutions in the modern world.

[00:01:26] Information pollution.

[00:06:08] Disinformation and its elements.

[00:09:30] Information pollution and swatting.

[00:15:29] Companies navigating information dangers.

[00:17:50] Cybersecurity and company vulnerabilities.

[00:22:17] Swatting and disinformation.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guest Alan Jagolinzer, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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"The problem in America isn't so much what people don't know, the problem is what people think they know that just ain't so"

In this episode of Disinformation, Paul Brandus discusses the prevalence of false campaign narratives and disinformation in elections around the world. He highlights the upcoming presidential election in the United States and the numerous elections taking place in other countries, including Taiwan. We delve into China's extensive use of disinformation campaigns targeting Taiwan, with the goal of sowing discontent and mistrust among the Taiwanese people. This episode also explores the effectiveness of these efforts and their potential impact on Taiwan's relationship with the United States. The conversation then shifts to the 2024 U.S. election, the radicalization of the population, the rapid development of technology, and the lack of oversight and regulation in the information environment.

[00:03:23] Disinformation in Taiwan.

[00:04:48] China's influence in Taiwan.

[00:09:25] Misinformation in Taiwan elections.

[00:13:35] Oversight of social media platforms.

[00:18:27] AI-generated disinformation in elections.

[00:22:45] Social media and micro-targeting.

[00:26:58] Educating people about media.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guest Dr. Simona Grano, CEO of Emergent Risk Meredith Wilson, sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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"The most common threat that the dark web poses for a disinformation point of view, however, is ...the fact that many marketplaces on the dark web host tools which can be used for disinformation. Manufacturing it, spreading it, monitoring it, so on and so forth."

On this episode, host Paul Brandus explores the hidden parts of the Internet known as the deep web and the dark web. The deep web refers to the unindexed parts of the Internet, such as databases and private networks, while the dark web is a subset of the deep web that requires specific software and authorization to access. The dark web provides anonymity and heavy encryption, making it attractive for those seeking to manufacture and distribute false information, or disinformation. The dark web has been used to spread conspiracy theories and false information during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the sale of fake vaccines and forged health certificates. It also facilitates criminal scams, such as pump and dump schemes and ransomware attacks. Tune in to learn about the involvement of state actors like Russia and China in spreading disinformation on the dark web, as well as the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in combating these activities.

[00:04:20] Dark web and disinformation.

[00:11:28] Russian and Chinese dark web activities.

[00:15:55] Policing the dark web.

[00:20:18] The dark web and ransomware attacks.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guest Neil Thompson, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.

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