Disinformation Rising: Understanding How It Spreads and Functions

In an age of information abundance, disinformation continues to spread at an alarming rate across social media platforms, news outlets, and private messaging services. This troubling trend has experts increasingly concerned about its impact on democratic institutions, public health initiatives, and social cohesion worldwide.

Disinformation—false information deliberately created and shared to cause harm—differs from misinformation, which is inaccurate content shared without malicious intent. This distinction matters as researchers track how falsehoods travel through digital ecosystems and influence public opinion.

“What makes modern disinformation particularly dangerous is its scale and speed,” explains Dr. Claire Wardle, a leading researcher in the field. “False narratives can reach millions within hours, often before fact-checkers have a chance to respond.”

The mechanics of disinformation campaigns have grown increasingly sophisticated. Adversaries frequently employ a multi-platform approach, seeding false content on fringe websites before amplifying it through coordinated networks of accounts across mainstream platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. This creates an illusion of widespread discussion around manufactured topics.

Recent research from the Oxford Internet Institute found that professional disinformation operations are active in at least 81 countries, with government agencies and political parties spending over $500 million annually on computational propaganda tools and campaigns.

Russia’s Internet Research Agency exemplifies this approach. During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the organization created thousands of fake social media accounts to amplify divisive content, reaching an estimated 126 million Americans on Facebook alone. Similar tactics have appeared in elections across Europe, Asia, and South America.

Social media algorithms inadvertently accelerate this problem. “These systems are designed to maximize engagement,” notes technology ethicist Tristan Harris. “Unfortunately, emotionally triggering content—often false or misleading—tends to generate the most clicks and shares.”

The psychological aspects of disinformation make it particularly resilient. People tend to accept information that confirms existing beliefs (confirmation bias) and remember false claims even after they’ve been corrected (continued influence effect). When audiences encounter the same falsehood repeatedly across different sources, they’re more likely to perceive it as true—a phenomenon called the “illusory truth effect.”

Economic incentives further complicate matters. Websites publishing sensational false content can generate substantial advertising revenue. A notable example was the cluster of websites run from the town of Veles, North Macedonia, where entrepreneurs earned thousands of dollars monthly during the 2016 U.S. election by publishing politically divisive false content that attracted millions of views.

The consequences of disinformation extend beyond politics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, health misinformation contributed to vaccine hesitancy and resistance to public health measures. The World Health Organization has described this as an “infodemic” that directly impacts public health outcomes.

Social media platforms have responded with varying approaches. Twitter (now X) and Facebook have implemented fact-checking programs, added labels to questionable content, and removed accounts linked to coordinated inauthentic behavior. However, critics argue these efforts remain insufficient against the scale of the problem.

“Platform policies tend to be reactive rather than proactive,” says Joan Donovan, Research Director at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center. “They’re constantly playing catch-up to new disinformation tactics.”

Media literacy initiatives represent one promising countermeasure. Programs teaching critical thinking skills and source evaluation have shown effectiveness in helping people identify misleading content. Finland, which began implementing digital literacy in primary education, has demonstrated greater resilience against disinformation campaigns.

Ultimately, addressing disinformation requires a multifaceted approach involving technology companies, governments, educators, and citizens. Technological solutions like improved content moderation algorithms must work alongside regulatory frameworks that increase platform accountability while preserving free expression.

As one researcher noted, “Disinformation exploits the very features that make our information ecosystem valuable—openness, connectivity, and speed. The challenge is preserving these benefits while mitigating the harm.”