The Lawfare Podcast Thomas Rid on 'Active Measures,' Part 1
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Apr 29, 2020 Thomas Rid, a Professor of Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins University and author of 'Active Measures,' delves into the intriguing history of disinformation. He discusses the evolution of misinformation tactics, highlighting the powerful KGB strategies during the Cold War and the impact of rumors, such as the AIDS bioweapon myth. Rid also examines the ethical dilemmas of using covert operations in geopolitics and the lessons we can draw from past events to understand contemporary influence campaigns.
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Active Measures Purpose
- Active measures aim to activate emotional or political responses rather than just spread false information.
- The truthfulness of information is less critical than the effect it produces.
Importance of Source in Disinformation
- Verifying factual accuracy does not eliminate the importance of source origin in influence operations.
- Journalists should expose operational sources to preserve the full context of disinformation.
How Journalists Should Handle Leaks
- Publish accurate information from influence operations only if the news value is very high.
- Always disclose the involvement of adversarial intelligence in shaping the story.
