With Russia once again being in the news for spreading disinformation regarding COVID-19, cyber threat intelligence advisor commented below.
With Russia once again being in the news for spreading disinformation regarding COVID-19, cyber threat intelligence advisor commented below.
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Misinformation and psychological media operations related to the coronavirus pandemic are being conducted all over the world right now. Historically, Russia has taken advantage of crises like this to amplify hoaxes and lies that are being told. This time, they are amplifying messages about COVID-19 being a state-sponsored biological weapon, being spread by US soldiers in Eastern Europe, and false information to instill fear and panic among the global population. Currently, the observed patterns are similar to past Russia state-sponsored disinformation campaigns: sharing existing lies and deception in order to avoid attribution and taking blame.
Russia is not the only culprit though. Many leaders, including President Trump, have minimised the COVID-19 problem initially, only to later acknowledge its seriousness. This type of publicity is confusing for the public and further sows distrust in governments, healthcare systems, and media.