ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 dives into the realm of digital manipulation and disinformation, an increasing threat to journalism worldwide. The chapter helps the reader with techniques to discern suspicious accounts online and outlines some motivations that actors have for making use of digital manipulation online. Recognising that journalists are often targets for disinformation campaigns, scams, hacking and other forms of abuse, it elucidates why manipulating journalists can be invaluable for any bad actor. It also explains techniques for modern media manipulation such as Google bombing. The chapter further suggests how journalists should best use and contribute to Wikipedia, as well as its lesser-known project Wikidata that provides structured data and facts. It also sheds a light on the role outrage displayed online and “social media rows” have in journalism today, and why these often lead to bad source-critical practices. It also explains phenomena like troll factories and click farms and provides examples of how journalists have been fooled by such actors or have made questionable editorial choices with online sources. Possible solution and methods to unearth bad actors and their networks are suggested. The chapter concludes with reflective questions and exercises.
