Operation Infektion
Fake news is a real phenomenon. While deception and disinformation are nothing new, they seem to be infecting our media and public discourse like never before. It now has the ability to undermine democracy, influence government policy, and control large swaths of the population. Russia has perfected the art of this new type of warfare more than any other country. Operation Infection, produced by The New York Times, examines Russia’s involvement in this fake news “virus,” why we’re increasingly vulnerable to it, and what it all means for the future of facts.
The film begins by summarizing one of the earliest and most effective deceptions in history. In 1983, a New Delhi tabloid ran an article spreading the rumor that AIDS was an American invention to kill African-Americans and gays. Within a few years, this disgusting misrepresentation of the facts was reported as fact on the US nightly news programs. This one, like many other stories circulating in mainstream media today, was the work of a Soviet spy chief. According to one former KGB agent, as much as 85 percent of their agency’s efforts are devoted to spreading these false stories.
Drawing from flimsy sources, focused on compelling apocalyptic language, and hosted by the internet’s global reach, these alternative factual campaigns are changing the public’s perception of reality faster and more successfully than ever before. They undermine trust, inspire doubt and instil a sense of indifference to fact-based narratives.
Russian President Vladimir Putin — himself a skilled KGB spy — has wholeheartedly embraced the approach, hoping to reshape the Western world in his favor. The film delves into their insidious tactics, including their recruitment of “useful idiots” to lend legitimacy to false claims. We’re seeing more and more publicly their efforts, from spreading anti-Muslim sentiment to the absurd Pizzagate controversy to influencing US political elections.
Despite its sombre content, the tone of InFektion’s action is surprisingly lively and energetic. The film contains informative interviews with experts from the fields of politics, espionage and Internet communications.
Directed by: Adam B. Ellick, Adam Westbrook
