Open-Source Information for Intelligence Purposes: The Challenge of Disinformation

Intelligence analysts have historically been primed to expect adversaries to deploy methods of deception, including the use of disinformation. Open sources during the Cold War were mostly controlled by media and publishing organizations, but today through the Internet anyone can become a content creator and distributor. New forms of open-source information have become available at great volumes, leading to an overall change in the nature of open source information. For intelligence professionals, this new information environment of the 21^st century presents new challenges not only in collection, but also in processing and analysis of open-source information. The methods and distribution channels of disinformation have equally adapted to the new world, utilising for example the viral effects enabled by social media. This chapter examines the evolution of open-source information available for intelligence, and how the new forms and methods of disinformation are challenging the intelligence production process. Mitigation strategies against disinformation are also discussed.