Disinformation does not simply emerge randomly; it follows a calculated sequence designed to manipulate public perception, distort truth, and ultimately control narratives. The infographic illustrates how five interconnected strategies – Divide, Distract, Discredit, Disinform, and Dominate – work together to weaken trust in institutions, polarise societies, and shape opinions. Understanding these tactics is essential for recognising how falsehoods spread and for strengthening resilience against manipulation.
- Divide: Misleading news often exploits and deepens existing social and political rifts. The architects of falsehoods create echo chambers that intensify polarisation and escalate societal conflicts. Social media provides the digital environment where this unfolds, with serious effects on real-world events. This was evident in 2023 when French President Emmanuel Macron enacted a controversial law raising the retirement age by two years. Following the announcement of the law, civil unrest erupted in the country, leading to major disruptions in public transport and protests marked by violence and strikes organised by unions (Al Jazeera, 2023). Amidst this turmoil, various videos depicting chaos in Paris circulated online, with some clips taken out of context. According to France24, viral videos on social media purportedly show police officers in France lowering their helmets, which has been interpreted as a gesture of solidarity with those opposing the government’s pension reforms. Research indicates that user groups deliberately circulated narratives, with a central group of accounts gathering and distributing key messages related to the protest, alongside peripheral users who enhanced and legitimised these narratives. This organised dissemination enables protest-related communication and the divisive rhetoric within it to extend far beyond its initial audience (Ng & Carley, 2023).
- Distract: Once divisions are established, disinformation shifts focus away from important truths. By flooding the media space with irrelevant or sensational stories, attention is diverted from pressing issues and accountability is weakened. A case of relevance is Turkey’s 2023 earthquake, which resulted in the deaths of over 42,000 people. As his government’s disaster response quickly became a focal point in the political arena, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was preparing for re-election that same year, sought to reassure the public by claiming that the situation was under control (BBC, 2023. Meanwhile, Turkey’s broadcasting authority imposed fines on four television stations for airing content critical of the government’s earthquake response. The move has largely been seen as an attempt to curb unfavourable coverage ahead of the June 18 elections. According to Ilhan Taşcı, a council member representing Turkey’s main opposition party, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) penalised Halk TV, Tele 1, and Fox TV, and further ordered Halk TV and Tele 1 to suspend broadcasting for five days (Agence France-Presse, 2023; Gurel & Fraser, 2023). This demonstrates how the second strategy is utilised to mould or reinterpret reality in alignment with the interests of those in power, thereby seeking to manage public perception.
- Discredit: A common tactic is to undermine the credibility of truth-tellers, be it experts, independent journalists, or legitimate institutions. Casting doubt on reliable sources erodes trust and weakens the voice of factual information. For instance, in Poland, historical sensitivities around patriotism and foreign influence were strategically weaponised to portray foreign-owned media as untrustworthy and “anti-Polish”. Once this framing took hold, political leaders amplified the hostility, using official platforms to discredit journalists and encourage harassment from supporters. This orchestrated pressure eroded public trust in independent outlets, paving the way for restrictive measures that weakened their presence and replaced critical voices with government-aligned narratives. The International Press Institute has further highlighted how online abuse, often triggered by sensitive issues such as refugees, Polish-Jewish history, or gender, has pushed many journalists into self-censorship, silencing watchdog reporting and narrowing the space for pluralistic debate.
- Disinform: At the core of the strategy lies the intentional spread of falsehoods. Misleading and fabricated claims are circulated to manipulate public opinion, create confusion, and distort reality. In Italy, anti-vaccine networks became fertile ground for the spread of falsehoods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demonstrations in 2021 were fueled not only by grassroots scepticism but also by the organised efforts of trade unions, far-right groups, and decentralised online communities. Figures like Mauro Rango – without medical credentials – gained influence through viral messages and platforms such as IppocrateOrg, which regularly circulated memes and videos filled with misleading claims. At the centre of this ecosystem stood the page Informare x Resistere, warning its massive audience that vaccines were part of a government scheme to control citizens (Broderick, 2021). Narratives about vaccines being deadly or causing infertility took root, despite lacking scientific evidence, and helped amplify mistrust in public health guidance. In this way, fabricated information was weaponised to erode confidence, mobilise protests, and deepen resistance to vaccination efforts (Alfano et al, 2023).
- Dominate: Finally, disinformation campaigns seek to consolidate control over the information space. By saturating media channels and overpowering alternative narratives, they silence opposition and shape public perception. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has consolidated an extensive media empire, turning press freedom into a casualty of political control. Since 2010, public broadcasters have been transformed into government propaganda channels, while private outlets have been gradually bought out or silenced through economic pressure and regulatory manoeuvres. Today, nearly 80% of the country’s media is aligned with the ruling party Fidesz, creating an environment where alternative voices struggle to be heard. Regulatory bodies, firmly under party control, have facilitated this process by blocking independent stations like Klubrádió and allowing pro-government oligarchs to dominate ownership. Independent journalists face systematic smear campaigns, online harassment, and even state surveillance through spyware like Pegasus, further reinforcing a climate of fear and self-censorship. As watchdog journalism weakens, the ruling party’s narratives saturate the public sphere, exemplifying how domination of the information space cements political power (Reporters Without Borders).
REFERENCES
Al Jazeera. (2023). Macron signs France pension reform into law despite protests. Al Jazeera.
BBC News. (2023). Turkey quake: President Erdogan accepts some problems with response.
Reporters Without Borders. (2025). Hungary. RSF.
Disinformation does not simply emerge randomly; it follows a calculated sequence designed to manipulate public perception, distort truth, and ultimately control narratives. The infographic illustrates how five interconnected strategies – Divide, Distract, Discredit, Disinform, and Dominate – work together to weaken trust in institutions, polarise societies, and shape opinions. Understanding these tactics is essential for recognising how falsehoods spread and for strengthening resilience against manipulation.
- Divide: Misleading news often exploits and deepens existing social and political rifts. The architects of falsehoods create echo chambers that intensify polarisation and escalate societal conflicts. Social media provides the digital environment where this unfolds, with serious effects on real-world events. This was evident in 2023 when French President Emmanuel Macron enacted a controversial law raising the retirement age by two years. Following the announcement of the law, civil unrest erupted in the country, leading to major disruptions in public transport and protests marked by violence and strikes organised by unions (Al Jazeera, 2023). Amidst this turmoil, various videos depicting chaos in Paris circulated online, with some clips taken out of context. According to France24, viral videos on social media purportedly show police officers in France lowering their helmets, which has been interpreted as a gesture of solidarity with those opposing the government’s pension reforms. Research indicates that user groups deliberately circulated narratives, with a central group of accounts gathering and distributing key messages related to the protest, alongside peripheral users who enhanced and legitimised these narratives. This organised dissemination enables protest-related communication and the divisive rhetoric within it to extend far beyond its initial audience (Ng & Carley, 2023).
- Distract: Once divisions are established, disinformation shifts focus away from important truths. By flooding the media space with irrelevant or sensational stories, attention is diverted from pressing issues and accountability is weakened. A case of relevance is Turkey’s 2023 earthquake, which resulted in the deaths of over 42,000 people. As his government’s disaster response quickly became a focal point in the political arena, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was preparing for re-election that same year, sought to reassure the public by claiming that the situation was under control (BBC, 2023. Meanwhile, Turkey’s broadcasting authority imposed fines on four television stations for airing content critical of the government’s earthquake response. The move has largely been seen as an attempt to curb unfavourable coverage ahead of the June 18 elections. According to Ilhan Taşcı, a council member representing Turkey’s main opposition party, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) penalised Halk TV, Tele 1, and Fox TV, and further ordered Halk TV and Tele 1 to suspend broadcasting for five days (Agence France-Presse, 2023; Gurel & Fraser, 2023). This demonstrates how the second strategy is utilised to mould or reinterpret reality in alignment with the interests of those in power, thereby seeking to manage public perception.
- Discredit: A common tactic is to undermine the credibility of truth-tellers, be it experts, independent journalists, or legitimate institutions. Casting doubt on reliable sources erodes trust and weakens the voice of factual information. For instance, in Poland, historical sensitivities around patriotism and foreign influence were strategically weaponised to portray foreign-owned media as untrustworthy and “anti-Polish”. Once this framing took hold, political leaders amplified the hostility, using official platforms to discredit journalists and encourage harassment from supporters. This orchestrated pressure eroded public trust in independent outlets, paving the way for restrictive measures that weakened their presence and replaced critical voices with government-aligned narratives. The International Press Institute has further highlighted how online abuse, often triggered by sensitive issues such as refugees, Polish-Jewish history, or gender, has pushed many journalists into self-censorship, silencing watchdog reporting and narrowing the space for pluralistic debate.
- Disinform: At the core of the strategy lies the intentional spread of falsehoods. Misleading and fabricated claims are circulated to manipulate public opinion, create confusion, and distort reality. In Italy, anti-vaccine networks became fertile ground for the spread of falsehoods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demonstrations in 2021 were fueled not only by grassroots scepticism but also by the organised efforts of trade unions, far-right groups, and decentralised online communities. Figures like Mauro Rango – without medical credentials – gained influence through viral messages and platforms such as IppocrateOrg, which regularly circulated memes and videos filled with misleading claims. At the centre of this ecosystem stood the page Informare x Resistere, warning its massive audience that vaccines were part of a government scheme to control citizens (Broderick, 2021). Narratives about vaccines being deadly or causing infertility took root, despite lacking scientific evidence, and helped amplify mistrust in public health guidance. In this way, fabricated information was weaponised to erode confidence, mobilise protests, and deepen resistance to vaccination efforts (Alfano et al, 2023).
- Dominate: Finally, disinformation campaigns seek to consolidate control over the information space. By saturating media channels and overpowering alternative narratives, they silence opposition and shape public perception. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has consolidated an extensive media empire, turning press freedom into a casualty of political control. Since 2010, public broadcasters have been transformed into government propaganda channels, while private outlets have been gradually bought out or silenced through economic pressure and regulatory manoeuvres. Today, nearly 80% of the country’s media is aligned with the ruling party Fidesz, creating an environment where alternative voices struggle to be heard. Regulatory bodies, firmly under party control, have facilitated this process by blocking independent stations like Klubrádió and allowing pro-government oligarchs to dominate ownership. Independent journalists face systematic smear campaigns, online harassment, and even state surveillance through spyware like Pegasus, further reinforcing a climate of fear and self-censorship. As watchdog journalism weakens, the ruling party’s narratives saturate the public sphere, exemplifying how domination of the information space cements political power (Reporters Without Borders).
REFERENCES
Al Jazeera. (2023). Macron signs France pension reform into law despite protests. Al Jazeera.
BBC News. (2023). Turkey quake: President Erdogan accepts some problems with response.
Reporters Without Borders. (2025). Hungary. RSF.
Disinformation does not simply emerge randomly; it follows a calculated sequence designed to manipulate public perception, distort truth, and ultimately control narratives. The infographic illustrates how five interconnected strategies – Divide, Distract, Discredit, Disinform, and Dominate – work together to weaken trust in institutions, polarise societies, and shape opinions. Understanding these tactics is essential for recognising how falsehoods spread and for strengthening resilience against manipulation.
- Divide: Misleading news often exploits and deepens existing social and political rifts. The architects of falsehoods create echo chambers that intensify polarisation and escalate societal conflicts. Social media provides the digital environment where this unfolds, with serious effects on real-world events. This was evident in 2023 when French President Emmanuel Macron enacted a controversial law raising the retirement age by two years. Following the announcement of the law, civil unrest erupted in the country, leading to major disruptions in public transport and protests marked by violence and strikes organised by unions (Al Jazeera, 2023). Amidst this turmoil, various videos depicting chaos in Paris circulated online, with some clips taken out of context. According to France24, viral videos on social media purportedly show police officers in France lowering their helmets, which has been interpreted as a gesture of solidarity with those opposing the government’s pension reforms. Research indicates that user groups deliberately circulated narratives, with a central group of accounts gathering and distributing key messages related to the protest, alongside peripheral users who enhanced and legitimised these narratives. This organised dissemination enables protest-related communication and the divisive rhetoric within it to extend far beyond its initial audience (Ng & Carley, 2023).
- Distract: Once divisions are established, disinformation shifts focus away from important truths. By flooding the media space with irrelevant or sensational stories, attention is diverted from pressing issues and accountability is weakened. A case of relevance is Turkey’s 2023 earthquake, which resulted in the deaths of over 42,000 people. As his government’s disaster response quickly became a focal point in the political arena, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was preparing for re-election that same year, sought to reassure the public by claiming that the situation was under control (BBC, 2023. Meanwhile, Turkey’s broadcasting authority imposed fines on four television stations for airing content critical of the government’s earthquake response. The move has largely been seen as an attempt to curb unfavourable coverage ahead of the June 18 elections. According to Ilhan Taşcı, a council member representing Turkey’s main opposition party, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) penalised Halk TV, Tele 1, and Fox TV, and further ordered Halk TV and Tele 1 to suspend broadcasting for five days (Agence France-Presse, 2023; Gurel & Fraser, 2023). This demonstrates how the second strategy is utilised to mould or reinterpret reality in alignment with the interests of those in power, thereby seeking to manage public perception.
- Discredit: A common tactic is to undermine the credibility of truth-tellers, be it experts, independent journalists, or legitimate institutions. Casting doubt on reliable sources erodes trust and weakens the voice of factual information. For instance, in Poland, historical sensitivities around patriotism and foreign influence were strategically weaponised to portray foreign-owned media as untrustworthy and “anti-Polish”. Once this framing took hold, political leaders amplified the hostility, using official platforms to discredit journalists and encourage harassment from supporters. This orchestrated pressure eroded public trust in independent outlets, paving the way for restrictive measures that weakened their presence and replaced critical voices with government-aligned narratives. The International Press Institute has further highlighted how online abuse, often triggered by sensitive issues such as refugees, Polish-Jewish history, or gender, has pushed many journalists into self-censorship, silencing watchdog reporting and narrowing the space for pluralistic debate.
- Disinform: At the core of the strategy lies the intentional spread of falsehoods. Misleading and fabricated claims are circulated to manipulate public opinion, create confusion, and distort reality. In Italy, anti-vaccine networks became fertile ground for the spread of falsehoods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demonstrations in 2021 were fueled not only by grassroots scepticism but also by the organised efforts of trade unions, far-right groups, and decentralised online communities. Figures like Mauro Rango – without medical credentials – gained influence through viral messages and platforms such as IppocrateOrg, which regularly circulated memes and videos filled with misleading claims. At the centre of this ecosystem stood the page Informare x Resistere, warning its massive audience that vaccines were part of a government scheme to control citizens (Broderick, 2021). Narratives about vaccines being deadly or causing infertility took root, despite lacking scientific evidence, and helped amplify mistrust in public health guidance. In this way, fabricated information was weaponised to erode confidence, mobilise protests, and deepen resistance to vaccination efforts (Alfano et al, 2023).
- Dominate: Finally, disinformation campaigns seek to consolidate control over the information space. By saturating media channels and overpowering alternative narratives, they silence opposition and shape public perception. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has consolidated an extensive media empire, turning press freedom into a casualty of political control. Since 2010, public broadcasters have been transformed into government propaganda channels, while private outlets have been gradually bought out or silenced through economic pressure and regulatory manoeuvres. Today, nearly 80% of the country’s media is aligned with the ruling party Fidesz, creating an environment where alternative voices struggle to be heard. Regulatory bodies, firmly under party control, have facilitated this process by blocking independent stations like Klubrádió and allowing pro-government oligarchs to dominate ownership. Independent journalists face systematic smear campaigns, online harassment, and even state surveillance through spyware like Pegasus, further reinforcing a climate of fear and self-censorship. As watchdog journalism weakens, the ruling party’s narratives saturate the public sphere, exemplifying how domination of the information space cements political power (Reporters Without Borders).
REFERENCES
Al Jazeera. (2023). Macron signs France pension reform into law despite protests. Al Jazeera.
BBC News. (2023). Turkey quake: President Erdogan accepts some problems with response.
Reporters Without Borders. (2025). Hungary. RSF.
