This is a very good video essay about the use of disinformation as a weapon by the KGB. Especially interesting, needless to say, given what's happening around the world in the last couple of years.
Everytime I hear someone I know who's reasonably smart and educated say something along the lines of "you don't know who to believe anymore"* regarding the news media, I am filled with a sense of dread over the effectiveness of these campaigns.
- Of course the answer is: "You should believe the news organizations that have been around for decades, have a staff of proffesional journalists, and excellent track record; not the crap you receive over WhatsApp or Facebook from questionable sources".
Fun little video about Cambridge Analytica.
The human mind is feeble and easy to manipulate, and the tools and techniques to do it are ever more powerful.
“This dashboard displays data about Russian propaganda efforts on Twitter in near-real time. Our analysts use the dashboard and other sources to discover Russian propaganda themes.”
It doesn't border on dishonest, it goes well past that. They're a joke.