Naureen Kabir is a Managing Director at Teneo. This post is based on her Teneo memorandum.
Election-related disinformation campaigns have become a staple of modern election cycles, both in the U.S. and globally. Whether driven by foreign influence operations or domestic political or extremist groups, disinformation efforts are now an election mainstay.
While the effect of disinformation efforts on voters is difficult to assess, trends reveal how tactics leveraged in recent campaigns – from polarizing false narratives on mainstream and fringe social media platforms to coordinated bot attacks and deepfake videos – can be used to target organizations, brands and leaders long after the polls close.
Disinformation can be a powerful weapon to undermine trust, painting organizations and executives as politically compromised or unethical. False narratives can not only tarnish reputations, but also spark protests, civil unrest and cyberattacks, exposing organizations to real security risks. This analysis identifies five key disinformation trends to watch, along with strategies for staying ahead of these growing threats and related developments in the lead-up to the November 5 U.S. elections and beyond.
