Disinformation: A Multi-Disciplinary Analysis
Top Insights
Cham: Springer (2026), xvi, 654 pp.
Contains 20 illustrations
ISBN 978-3-032-00480-2 (ebook), 978-3-032-00479-6 (print)
"This volume provides a multidisciplinary analysis of disinformation and strategies for tackling it. Authored by a diverse group of scholars and experts, chapters in this volume are divided into three thematic sections. The first section delves into disinformation from various disciplinary perspectives including philosophy, social psychology, economics, international law, data science, anthropology, political science and history. By examining the underlying factors behind disinformation and analyzing its impact on democratic processes, this section sheds light on its complexities, and reminds us that different policy responses are always grounded in different explanatory angles of the phenomenon. The second section focuses on the information ecosystem, investigating the processes, technologies, and actors involved in the spread of disinformation. By examining real-world examples and the roles played by different actors and technologies, this sheds light on the intricate workings of disinformation in different thematic and regional contexts. The book culminates in the third section, which focuses on crafting effective responses to disinformation. Chapters in this section explore policy efforts aimed at ensuring information integrity across the world, and highlight the importance of fundamental rights and evidence-based policy responses, encompassing self and co-regulation, quality journalism, fact-checking organizations and the pivotal role media literacy initiatives." (Publisher description)
UNDERSTANDING DISINFORMATION
Disinformation and its Sociopolitical Context / Aqsa Farooq and Claes de Vreese, 3
A Philosophy of Disinformation / Daniel Innerarity, 23
Manipulating Minds: The Psychological Underpinnings of Misinformation / Sylvain Delouvée and Pascal Wagner-Egger, 31
Disinformation Economics / Marco Delmastro and Antonio Manganelli, 57
International Human Rights Law and the Legal Regulation of Disinformation / Lisa Ginsborg, 71
Detecting Misinformation and Disinformation in Digital Media / Jessica Gabriele Walter, 95
Anthropology and Disinformation / Maxime Polleri, 117
Journalism and Disinformation / Martin J. Riedl, 137
From The Protocols to Pizzagate (and Beyond…): Conspiracy Theories and Disinformation in US History / Kasper Grotle Rasmussen, 155
Disinformation and Trust in Media and Institutions / Matteo F. N. Giglioli, 171
THE DISINFORMATION ECOSYSTEM
Informational Power and Disinformation: Actors, Messages, Incentives, and Techniques of Disinformation Campaigns / Philipp Darius and Michael Urquhart, 187
Disinformation and Elections / Ramón Salaverría, Jordi Rodríguez-Virgili, and Aurken Sierra, 213
Foreign Influence Operations and Their Proxies / Teija Tiilikainen, 227
Follow the Money: Understanding Economic Incentives Behind Online ‘Disinformation’ / Chantal Joris and Maria Luisa Stasi, 243
Generative Artificial Intelligence and Disinformation Noémie Krack, Lidia Dutkiewicz, and Jean De Meyere, 259
How Health Disinformation Hijacks Health Narratives to Make Profit, Erode Trust, and Score Political Points, and What to Do About It / Tina D. Purnat and Elisabeth Wilhelm, 293
Climate Change Disinformation / Paula Gori, 323
Uncovering Networks of Cross-Platform Information Operations / Rolf A. Nijmeijer and Jan Erik Kermer, 339
The Russo-Ukrainian Information War / Christiern Santos Okholm, 355
Weaponizing the Issue of Ukrainian War Refugees for Political and Geopolitical Gain: The Romanian Case / Alina Bârgăoanu and Loredana Vladu, 377
Case Study on Social Media Analysis of Elections in Kenya / Caleb Gichuhi, 403
RESPONDING TO DISINFORMATION
Media Literacy as a Policy Response to Disinformation / Emma Goodman, 427
Independent Fact-Checking: Ex Post Response to Disinformation / Giovanni Zagni and Tommaso Canetta, 445
Using AI to Tackle Disinformation: Methods and Tools from the vera.ai Project / Kalina Bontcheva, Symeon Papadopoulos, Denis Teyssou, Danae Tsabouraki, Jochen Spangenberg, Ivan Srba, Patrick Aichroth, Luca Cuccovillo, and Luisa Verdoliva, 465
Multilateral Efforts on Information Integrity: Why a Clear Definition Is Needed / Kamya Yadav, Alicia Wanless, and Samantha Lai, 489
Freedom of Expression and Its Limits: Constitutional Dilemmas and Regulatory Conundrum Related to the Fight Against Disinformation / Oreste Pollicino, 513
Disinformation in Africa: Overview and Responses / Alphonce Shiundu, 533
The EU Policy Framework to Counter Disinformation: Enabler or Inhibitor of Freedom of Expression? / Paolo Cesarini, 551
Disinformation in the US: Overview and Responses / Daniel Kreiss, Lorcan Neill, and John Wihbey, 577
Disinformation in Japan: Overview and Response / Kyoko Kuwahara, 601
Disinformation in Brazil: Overview and Responses / Fábio Siqueira, 621
Blurring the Bright Lines: Australia’s Failed Attempt to Regulate Misinformation / Derek Wilding and Tim Dwyer, 639
Disinformation and its Sociopolitical Context / Aqsa Farooq and Claes de Vreese, 3
A Philosophy of Disinformation / Daniel Innerarity, 23
Manipulating Minds: The Psychological Underpinnings of Misinformation / Sylvain Delouvée and Pascal Wagner-Egger, 31
Disinformation Economics / Marco Delmastro and Antonio Manganelli, 57
International Human Rights Law and the Legal Regulation of Disinformation / Lisa Ginsborg, 71
Detecting Misinformation and Disinformation in Digital Media / Jessica Gabriele Walter, 95
Anthropology and Disinformation / Maxime Polleri, 117
Journalism and Disinformation / Martin J. Riedl, 137
From The Protocols to Pizzagate (and Beyond…): Conspiracy Theories and Disinformation in US History / Kasper Grotle Rasmussen, 155
Disinformation and Trust in Media and Institutions / Matteo F. N. Giglioli, 171
THE DISINFORMATION ECOSYSTEM
Informational Power and Disinformation: Actors, Messages, Incentives, and Techniques of Disinformation Campaigns / Philipp Darius and Michael Urquhart, 187
Disinformation and Elections / Ramón Salaverría, Jordi Rodríguez-Virgili, and Aurken Sierra, 213
Foreign Influence Operations and Their Proxies / Teija Tiilikainen, 227
Follow the Money: Understanding Economic Incentives Behind Online ‘Disinformation’ / Chantal Joris and Maria Luisa Stasi, 243
Generative Artificial Intelligence and Disinformation Noémie Krack, Lidia Dutkiewicz, and Jean De Meyere, 259
How Health Disinformation Hijacks Health Narratives to Make Profit, Erode Trust, and Score Political Points, and What to Do About It / Tina D. Purnat and Elisabeth Wilhelm, 293
Climate Change Disinformation / Paula Gori, 323
Uncovering Networks of Cross-Platform Information Operations / Rolf A. Nijmeijer and Jan Erik Kermer, 339
The Russo-Ukrainian Information War / Christiern Santos Okholm, 355
Weaponizing the Issue of Ukrainian War Refugees for Political and Geopolitical Gain: The Romanian Case / Alina Bârgăoanu and Loredana Vladu, 377
Case Study on Social Media Analysis of Elections in Kenya / Caleb Gichuhi, 403
RESPONDING TO DISINFORMATION
Media Literacy as a Policy Response to Disinformation / Emma Goodman, 427
Independent Fact-Checking: Ex Post Response to Disinformation / Giovanni Zagni and Tommaso Canetta, 445
Using AI to Tackle Disinformation: Methods and Tools from the vera.ai Project / Kalina Bontcheva, Symeon Papadopoulos, Denis Teyssou, Danae Tsabouraki, Jochen Spangenberg, Ivan Srba, Patrick Aichroth, Luca Cuccovillo, and Luisa Verdoliva, 465
Multilateral Efforts on Information Integrity: Why a Clear Definition Is Needed / Kamya Yadav, Alicia Wanless, and Samantha Lai, 489
Freedom of Expression and Its Limits: Constitutional Dilemmas and Regulatory Conundrum Related to the Fight Against Disinformation / Oreste Pollicino, 513
Disinformation in Africa: Overview and Responses / Alphonce Shiundu, 533
The EU Policy Framework to Counter Disinformation: Enabler or Inhibitor of Freedom of Expression? / Paolo Cesarini, 551
Disinformation in the US: Overview and Responses / Daniel Kreiss, Lorcan Neill, and John Wihbey, 577
Disinformation in Japan: Overview and Response / Kyoko Kuwahara, 601
Disinformation in Brazil: Overview and Responses / Fábio Siqueira, 621
Blurring the Bright Lines: Australia’s Failed Attempt to Regulate Misinformation / Derek Wilding and Tim Dwyer, 639
