Understanding Disinformation in the Modern Era: Expert Insights from Czech Philosopher

Disinformation is far more than just casual falsehoods shared in passing conversation. According to Tomáš Koblížek, a philosopher of language at the Czech Academy of Sciences, it’s a complex phenomenon with specific defining characteristics that make it particularly dangerous in today’s media landscape.

“What makes it disinformation? First, it is part of mass communication, so disinformation is not when I tell somebody something at the bus stop,” explains Koblížek. “It’s something that happens on radio or television or via the internet. The second thing is that you are trying to manipulate the masses with that information.”

Koblížek points to Russian claims about the Bucha massacre in 2022 as a clear example. While deception is one form of manipulation, disinformation campaigns often have broader aims beyond simply convincing people of falsehoods.

“Sometimes you can have the aim that people will just get confused, that they lose interest in the topic; they get contradictory information so they fall into apathy,” he notes. This strategy of overwhelming audiences with contradictory information serves to undermine confidence in determining what’s actually true.

This distinction is crucial for measuring the impact of disinformation. “You should not measure the impact of disinformation only by measuring how many people are deceived – you should also measure how many people got bored by the information,” Koblížek emphasizes.

The philosopher also highlights a technical term from academic literature – “bullshit” – as distinct from lying. When lying, someone is trying to convince others of something they know is untrue. Bullshitting, a term drawn from philosopher Harry Frankfurt’s work, describes communication where the speaker simply doesn’t care about truth.

“When you are bullshitting you just do not care if what you are saying is true or false. You’re just saying anything that fits with your aims,” he explains, citing former U.S. President Donald Trump as a frequent practitioner of this approach. “Trump says anything – part of it is true, part of it is not and that’s bullshitting.”

Public interest in disinformation surged following the 2016 elections and Brexit referendum, and has intensified during Russia’s war against Ukraine. The conflict, just “a one-day drive” from Prague, has brought disinformation campaigns closer to home for Czech citizens.

The digital media landscape has fundamentally altered how disinformation spreads. Unlike traditional media with editorial standards, social platforms often lack effective gatekeeping mechanisms. “With social media you don’t have any editors, you don’t have any standards,” Koblížek says. “We are trying to push Facebook and X to adhere to some standards, but they resist.”

In the Czech Republic, disinformation targets multiple issues. Climate change misinformation is prevalent, often driven by economic interests resistant to adaptation. War-related disinformation flows heavily from Russia. Particularly concerning to Koblížek is targeted disinformation about minority communities.

“One thing that really interests me is disinformation about minorities, about LGBT people or Roma people, which makes the lives of these people really difficult,” he says.

Much of this content combines international narratives with locally produced material. Climate disinformation often originates in the United States but gets adapted to Czech contexts, while Russia actively targets green energy initiatives that would reduce European dependence on Russian resources.

The motivations behind spreading falsehoods vary widely. Some genuinely believe misinformation they’re sharing, while others knowingly spread disinformation for strategic purposes. Some extreme conspiracy theories, like flat earth claims, are sometimes promoted by people who don’t actually believe them but use them as provocative statements against established institutions or as profitable business models.

Despite the challenges, Koblížek remains optimistic about combating disinformation. He emphasizes the importance of media literacy education, particularly for younger generations who are increasingly targeted by disinformation campaigns.

“Already kids around nine or 10 years of age become the target of disinformation campaigns,” he warns. “There are lots of elementary schools in the Czech Republic that do not have programmes of media literacy.”

Finland serves as a model of effective resistance through education, teaching children from an early age to verify sources and understand disinformation tactics.

Koblížek advises against labeling individuals who believe disinformation, suggesting this approach only hardens divisions and prevents productive dialogue. “Perhaps we should talk about disinformation but we should stop labelling people,” he suggests.

As a philosopher, Koblížek believes in maintaining open discourse and presenting strong arguments rather than dismissing those with whom we disagree. This approach might prove increasingly valuable as Czech society navigates the complex information landscape ahead, especially with potential political changes on the horizon that may reduce rather than enhance regulation of disinformation.