BUILDING PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENCES AGAINST MISINFORMATION

Abstract

On November 20, 2024, Dr. Sander van der Linden presented Building Psychological Defences Against Misinformation for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were that misinformation can drive public confusion, spark social discord and weaken trust in legitimate sources. Debunking falsehoods after they spread may not reverse deep-seated beliefs, so priming individuals to spot the techniques behind misinformation is a more robust safeguard. Lastly, as new tactics like deepfakes and AI-driven distortions emerge, countermeasures must stay flexible and creative to maintain an effective defence.

_{Received: 12-14-2024}

_{Revised: 01-20-2025}