TRAINING
Disinformation: Detecting, Collecting and Analysing
In an increasingly volatile and contested information environment, it is more important than ever to understand how, where, and why disinformation spreads online.
A course designed to build practical skills in analysing disinformation campaigns and ecosystems
Identify tactics and techniques used to disseminate and amplify disinformation online.
Understand how trust in democratic institutions can be undermined, extremist ideologies promoted, or social cohesion disrupted.
Identify the strategic objectives that actors seek to achieve through information warfare.
Identify and deconstruct
Disinformation refers to false or misleading information that is deliberately spread with the intent to deceive or manipulate an audience. It can take many forms, including propaganda, hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and fake news.
In this course, students will investigate different types of disinformation, and explore the tactics and techniques used by actors to achieve strategic objectives through information operations.
Key learning objectives
Understand definitions and types of inauthentic content, including disinformation, misinformation, malinformation, and propaganda.
Identify tactics and techniques used by state and non-state actors to disseminate and amplify disinformation online, such as bot networks, deepfakes, “fake news” stories, and astroturfing.
Explain the impact of social media on the impact, scale and reach of disinformation.
Identify the strategic objectives that actors seek to achieve through information warfare and influence operations.
Apply open-source collection methodologies, tools, and techniques to collect and classify inauthentic content from social media platforms and websites.
Use Excel functions and formulas to analyse and identify patterns and trends in large disinformation data sets.
Evaluate the reliability and credibility of online sources, and make judgements about the provenance, agenda, message, and medium of sources.
Use data visualisation software to visualise online disinformation networks and campaigns
Who is it for?
This course is designed to build students’ practical skills in analysing disinformation campaigns and ecosystems, which will enable them to conduct more effective disinformation investigations and analysis.
The course is aimed at a broad range of professionals who seek to understand and counter disinformation online.
Intelligence Analysts and law enforcement who investigate and report on the information environment and influence operations.
Journalists and media professionals who need to identify and report on disinformation campaigns and protect the public from harmful narratives.
Communication and marketing professionals who seek to mitigate the impact of disinformation through communication strategies and counter-narratives.
Educators who develop resources and strategies to help students become informed, responsible consumers of information.
Policy makers in government and non-government organisations who develop policies or legislation to combat disinformation campaigns.
13- 16 June 2023
Format and cost
This is a three-day instructor-led course with a focus on practical activities. Due to the hands-on nature of the course, groups are limited to 12. We will provide course resources and further reading to maximise learning outcomes and underpin students’ ongoing professional development.
Please contact us for further information.
As an alternative to the in-person instructor-led offering a self-paced virtual course, Applied Disinformation Investigations with OSINT, can be completed through the OSINT Combine Academy.