When we observe the weaponization of disinformation by governments and bodies like the WEF and the WHO, it becomes quite obvious that disinformation is all about power, and because of the harmful and far-reaching influence that disinformation exerts, it cannot achieve much without power.
For instance, in order to impose itself as an expert of disinformation, the CDC during the plandemic gave itself power in the form of a false monopoly on science and truth. Anything that Fauci and his team labelled as disinformation was therefore widely publicised, despite the fact that they were the chief disinformants! And so, as a tool for shaping public perceptions, disinformation can be used by authoritarian regimes and bodies and even so-called democracies alike. However, the dissemination of false information is not a new practice in human history.
Over the last few decades, it has become professionalized and has taken on exorbitant proportions at both national and international levels. And so today, let’s talk about the weaponization of disinformation; from its origins to present manifestations.
THE GRIM HISTORY OF DISINFORMATION: THE COLD WAR & THE AIDS EPIDEMIC
Generally, disinformation is understood as misleading information, intentionally produced and deliberately disseminated, to mislead public opinion, harm a target group, or advance political or ideological objectives. This understanding of disinformation in part has its roots in Soviet Russia and also the Cold War Era. More specifically, on January 11th, in 1923, the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union decided to create a Department of Disinformation. Its mission was “to mislead real or potential adversaries about the true intentions” of the USSR. From then on, disinformation became a tactic of Soviet political warfare known as “active measures,” a crucial element of Soviet intelligence strategy involving falsification, subversion, and media manipulation.
In addition, and during the Cold War, from 1945 to 1989, this tactic was used by numerous intelligence agencies. The expression “disinformation of the masses” came into increasing use in the 1960s and became widespread in the 1980s. Former Soviet bloc intelligence officer Ladislav Bittman, the first disinformation professional to defect to the West, observed in this regard that ”The interpretation [of the term] is slightly distorted because public opinion is ONLY ONE of the potential targets. Many disinformation games are actually designed only to manipulate the decision-making elite, and receive no publicity.” – This is what we often associate with the works of the deep state or cabal. These are individuals who try to take power with intrigue, and what that ultimately entails, is the use of disinformation to manipulate those who make policies.
