Countering Disinformation: Concepts and Institutions

Abstract

Disinformation activities, which are a relatively new phenomenon and whose impact on national and international security have increased in the last decade, do not receive sufficient attention in the literature and practice. This study analyzes combating disinformation in the literature and in practice. In this context, the disinformation literature was systematically surveyed and related studies were classified under three groups. These groups are; the conceptual framework of disinformation, the (social and political) consequences of disinformation and disinformation and cognitive processes. As a result of the analysis, it has been determined that the literature will expand on the formation of the conceptual framework of disinformation and its derivatives, the analysis of the disinformation activities of authoritarian regimes and the examination of the technical dimension of disinformation. Then, the practices of combating disinformation were examined at national and international level. Firstly, the practices of fighting against disinformation of Armenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Czechia and France, which were targets of Russian-originated disinformation activities, were examined and it was determined that there were differences in terms of perception and capacity in combating disinformation. Secondly, the methods of combating disinformation of the NATO, the EU and ASEAN were analyzed comparatively. As a result of the comparative analysis, it has been determined that the EU is the most successful and institutional international organization in combating disinformation. It has been concluded that the two main reasons for this are the EU's handling of disinformation in a wider framework and the fact that it has started the fight against disinformation relatively earlier. As a result of NATO's limited use of the definition of disinformation at the military level, it has been determined that it is relatively less institutionalized compared to the EU. Finally, it has been determined that ASEAN has followed a more proactive way in combating disinformation compared to the other two international organizations.

Keywords

• Disinformation
• Misinformation
• NATO
• EU
• ASEAN

Dezenformasyonla Mücadele: Kavramlar ve Kurumlar

Abstract

Göreceli olarak yeni bir olgu olan ve son on yılda ulusal ve uluslararası güvenliğe olan etkisi giderek artan dezenformasyon faaliyetleri literatürde ve pratikte yeterli ilgiyi görmemektedir. Bu çalışma, dezenformasyonla mücadelenin literatürde ve uygulamadaki durumunu analiz etmektedir. Bu bağlamda, dezenformasyon literatürü sistematik olarak taranmış ve ilgili çalışmalar üç grupta toplanmıştır. Bu gruplar; dezenformasyonun kavramsal çerçevesi, dezenformasyonun (sosyal ve politik) sonuçları ve dezenformasyon ve bilişsel süreçlerdir. Yapılan analiz sonucunda literatürün, dezenformasyon ve türevlerinin kavramsal çerçevesinin oluşturulması, otoriter rejimlerin dezenformasyon faaliyetlerinin analizi ve dezenformasyonun teknik boyutunun incelenmesi hususunda genişleyeceği tespit edilmiştir. Ardından, dezenformasyonla mücadele uygulamaları ulusal ve uluslararası düzeyde incelenmiştir. İlk olarak, Rusya menşeili dezenformasyon faaliyetlerine hedef olan Ermenistan, Bulgaristan, Ukrayna, Çekya ve Fransa’nın dezenformasyonla mücadele pratikleri incelenmiş ve dezenformasyonla mücadele konusunda algı ve kapasite yönünden farklıklar olduğu tespit edilmiştir. İkinci olarak, NATO, ABD ve ASEAN’ın dezenformasyonla mücadele yöntemleri karşılaştırmalı olarak analiz edilmiştir. Gerçekleştirilen karşılaştırmalı analizin sonucunda, dezenformasyon ile mücadelede AB’nin göreceli olarak en başarılı ve kurumsal uluslararası örgüt olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu durumun temel iki sebebinin ise AB’nin dezenformasyonu daha geniş bir çerçevede ele alması ve dezenformasyon ile mücadeleye göreceli olarak daha erken başlamış olması olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. NATO’nun ise dezenformasyon tanımını askeri düzlemde sınırlayarak kullanmasının sonucu olarak AB’ye oranla göreceli olarak daha az kurumsallaşmış olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Son olarak, ASEAN’ın ise dezenformasyon ile mücadele konusunda diğer iki uluslararası örgüte oranla daha proaktif bir yol izlediği tespit edilmiştir.

Keywords

• Dezenformasyon
• Mezenformasyon
• NATO
• AB
• ASEAN

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