This article is via the NATO website: NATO views disinformation as the deliberate creation and dissemination of false or manipulated information with the intent to deceive or mislead. The word “disinformation” is commonly used as an umbrella term to represent a wide range of tactics, techniques and procedures, which are described by NATO as “hostile information activities.” These activities seek to deepen divisions within and between member countries and ultimately weaken the Alliance.

 

“NATO has been dealing with the challenge of disinformation since its creation in 1949 and has been actively countering a significant increase in hostile information activities since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014”

 

Disinformation is false or inaccurate information that a hostile actor uses deliberately to deceive people. Usually, disinformation seeks to stir up a particularly strong emotion (anger, fear, disgust) and override rational and critical thinking in the intended target. “Disinformation” is just one element of a broader set of hostile information activities, which can include many tactics, techniques and procedures.

 

Why does NATO care about disinformation?

NATO’s success as a collective defence alliance depends on the strength and resolve of its member countries. Any foreign information manipulation and interference that attempts to weaken Allied societies – and thereby degrade our ability to protect its members – is therefore of interest to NATO.

Furthermore, as an alliance of democratic countries, NATO derives its legitimacy from the ongoing trust and support of Allied citizens. This is why NATO itself faces disinformation campaigns from malicious actors – including Russia and China – who seek to diminish public trust and undermine the Alliance’s solidarity. These actors deploy a wide range of disinformation against NATO (see NATO-Russia: Setting the record straight for some specific examples).

 

How do we counter disinformation?

We follow a twin-track model of countering disinformation: Understand and Engage.

Understanding the information environment

We must understand the information environment in order to respond effectively to disinformation. To that end, NATO continually tracks and analyses information relevant to the Alliance, including monitoring and identifying sources of disinformation and analysing hostile narratives as they emerge and propagate. NATO’s  Information Environment Assessment capability is a combination of skilled people, repeatable processes and technology aimed at leveraging publically available information to guide communications planning and execution and shape the Alliance’s response to information threats. In addition to analysing disinformation, it also enables us to evaluate the effectiveness of its own public communications. As an organisation, it also enhances its understanding of the information environment through regular media monitoring and analysis.

Engaging with the public

NATO’s most powerful means of countering disinformation is by proactively sharing accurate information. Through open, transparent and clear public communications, NATO is able to “pre-bunk” potential disinformation, anticipating hostile narratives and getting out ahead of their spread.

The Alliance engages with the public through a wide variety of channels, including social media, media relations with journalists and the NATO website. NATO is fully committed to transparency and regularly publishes information about its activities and plans, for example, by sharing a schedule of NATO and Allied exercises well in advance. All of NATO’s communications activities are in line with the Alliance’s core democratic values, including freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

In addition to its digital and media communications, we also engage directly with people from NATO members (Allies) and non-member countries (partners) to promote a better public understanding of the Alliance’s purpose, values, policies and activities. Through these engagements, we builds relationships and helps strengthen resilience against disinformation among audiences who may be targeted by hostile actors. These stakeholders can then share the tools and knowledge they acquire through these interactions, expanding resilience to disinformation through their own networks. NATO provides grants to non-governmental organisations, universities and think tanks to fund projects that contribute to better understanding of the Alliance in their home countries.

In order to reach audiences that are less likely to follow the Alliance’s activities, NATO also runs specific communications campaigns. For example, under the Protect the Future campaign, NATO has been working with young content creators from across the Alliance, helping them go behind the scenes at NATO Headquarters, meet the experts and discover what we do – and giving young people a voice in telling NATO’s story in their own way. Communications campaigns are also a key tool for NATO to ”pre-bunk” against disinformation.

Exposing major cases of disinformation

Disinformation is often deliberately sensational and provocative, trying to increase its reach by triggering a response that will amplify the falsehoods. As such, in many cases, the best way to deal with disinformation is to recognise it as such and refuse to engage with it. But in some cases, especially when a hostile narrative has already spread far and wide, it’s worth directly addressing and debunking the myths that hostile actors are pushing. In those cases, NATO sets the record straight with its public communications on our website, social media and through statements to media and the public from the NATO Secretary General or other high-level officials. For example, NATO has directly and repeatedly called out the Kremlin’s litany of lies in regards to its war of aggression against Ukraine and continues to debunk Russian myths directed against NATO.

Coordinating with Allies and partners

NATO’s work to counter hostile information activities is bolstered through its close cooperation with Allies and partners. First and foremost, we work with the Allied national governments to counter disinformation. The Alliance also cooperates with the governments of partner countries and other international organisations like the European Union, the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism and the United Nations. We also connect with private companies, media organisations, social media platforms, civil society organisations and academic institutions to learn more about disinformation and to develop strategies to stop its spread. All actors in the information environment – from large organisations like NATO to individual people in member and partner countries – have a part to play in countering disinformation.