The Politics and Profit of Disinformation in Public Health

Abstract

Disinformation is a coordinated or deliberate effort to knowingly circulate misinformation (i.e., false information) to gain money, power, or reputation. While most public health research has focused on misinformation, disinformation can have particularly pernicious direct and indirect public health effects, including a growing impact on public health policy and the reputation of public health evidence and institutions. This review focuses on the role of disinformation for profit among multinational corporations, antiscience policy, and how and why disinformation is increasing. It also examines approaches to addressing disinformation in public health and social policy, such as a greater focus on the nature and power of framing, strategies for “prebunking” of predictable narratives, and denormalization and countermarketing.