FIGHTING DISINFORMATION –
FROM INDIVIDUAL LEVEL TO STATE STRATEGY

PART FIRST  /  PART SECOND

In all spheres of social life without exception, the presence of disinformation is obvious – from communal, urban and regional frameworks to the scale of whole globalized world. Disinformation appeared a long time ago, but in modern media and in the process of telecommunications development it has become total. Television, radio, and the Internet today spread disinformation in all corners of the world. There's nowhere to hide.

It suppresses and forces you to believe what you don't want to believe, knowing that it's a lie.

Disinformation causes serious damage to all segments of society, the organization of economic activity and the process of policy implementation, since it is directly related to the daily life of citizens, society, the business environment, and the government. National damage includes a threat to national values, welfare and security of citizens.

This paper touches not only on the rules for recognizing disinformation and combating it at the individual level, but also on the draft "Strategy for Combating Disinformation 2023-2025", presented by the Freedom of Information Center (FOICA) in March 2022 to the Administration of the RA Prime Minister for consideration. The project defines the strategic directions of fight against disinformation, which should guide the Government of the Republic of Armenia in its interaction with the public, the media and civil society.

It considers the rules of successful struggle against potential disinformation:

1. To highlight the most important.
2. To pay attention to authoritative quotes and references.
3. To remember the tendency to twist arguments and emphasize personal qualities.
4. To remember that many special cases need confirmation.
5. To remember that "after" does not mean "due to".
6. Do not rely on false balance and inappropriate pluralism.
7. Intuition is often misleading.
8. Doubt your own objectivity.
9. Observe game rules and note violations.
10. Use the methods of scientific thinking.

Published: 30/01/23