ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief background to the concept of reflexive control (RC), discussing its mechanism and mode of operation. It reviews the analytical contributions and limitations of the concept to understanding patterns of disinformation, especially in a digital context. The chapter suggests a four-layered funnel of digital RC by which the scope, reach and effectiveness of the strategy could be assessed and influenced. Informational control for either “constructive or destructive” purposes is the most common form of propaganda, and it has been used for centuries in various manifestations. The theory predicts well the varying impact of disinformation as the more active the response to disinformation, the weaker the reflexive effect as suggested by the case of the UK and Baltic states. From an analytical perspective, the funnel offers a coherent framework for disentangling conventional forms of online political engagement from potentially strategic uses of digital platforms by foreign actors for RC purposes.
