Crisis-Time Disinfo: Exploiting Collective Stress
In a crisis, attention spikes.
So does confusion.
That’s when disinfo hits hardest.
In a crisis, attention spikes.
So does confusion.
That’s when disinfo hits hardest.
Comments
#EUDisinfo2021 #CognitiveSecurity #Disinformation
Disinfo is not random.
Campaigns are often timed to crises — moments when public attention is high, trust is low, and information flows are unstable.
– False or distorted narratives released during emergencies
– Mimicking urgency, insider knowledge, or leaked info
– Framed to provoke emotion before facts can catch up
– People seek answers fast
– Institutions take time to respond
– Fact-checking lags behind virality
– Emotional narratives spread fastest under stress
The result: a false story becomes first truth.
– Pandemic misinformation
– Protest-related disinfo
– Migration “crisis” framing
– Election-week manipulation
– Terror attacks and armed conflict reporting
🔹 Cognitive overload
🔹 Institutional silence or ambiguity
🔹 The need for certainty in chaos
🔹 The emotional power of first impressions
By the time correction arrives, the damage is done.