Disinformation, information manipulation, media narratives: approaches and challenges

Disinformation is the talk of the town. But the phenomenon has become so pervasive and intricate that the traditional fake news/fact-checking paradigm seems no longer adequate. New approaches focused on inauthentic behaviour, influence operations and information manipulation have caught on, shaping the agenda of policy-makers and researchers alike. After reviewing the evolution of these concepts and the policy actions they inspired, we will highlight some key challenges on the way ahead: the weaponisation of the fake news language, the broader socio-economic arrangements underlying digital disinformation, and what we call the content-vs-behaviour dilemma. Drawing on our experience as analysts and policy actors, we will advance the claim that effective and meaningful information manipulation policy requires the ability to ‘take the pulse’ of the information environment, by focusing on media narratives and a critical understanding of the context of disinformation production.