Developing Counter Strategy for Information Warfare in Health Sector – sifting ‘Real’ from ‘Fake’ News The document discusses counter strategies for dealing with the spread of misinformation ("infodemic") in the health sector. It defines different types of information warfare like electronic warfare, cyberwarfare and psychological operations. It also explains the burden of health misinformation and how false beliefs can spread. Several counter strategies are proposed, including strengthening health journalism, enforcing laws against spreading fake news, improving digital health literacy, using fact-checking organizations, and building public capacity through education.

1. Developing Counter Strategy for
Information Warfare in Health
Sector – sifting ‘Real’ from ‘Fake’
News
Speaker: Dr Tanveer Rehman
Moderator: Dr Sonu Goel
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2. Content
• Information warfare – meaning & types
• Infodemic
• Types of fake news
• Burden
• Pathogenesis
• Counter strategies
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3. Information Warfare
• Actions aimed at achieving information
superiority without the target's awareness –
target will make decisions against their
interest*
• Example: Radio transmission(s) can be
jammed
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4. Information Warfare
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Access to
tactical
information
Assurance
that one's own
information is
valid
Manipulation
of information
trusted by the
target
Disrupt/destroy/
steal data to
change its
context or its
perception
Deny access to
information

5. Electronic
Warfare
Cyberwarfare
Psychological
operations
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Information Warfare

6. Electronic
Warfare
Cyberwarfare
Psychological
operations
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Information Warfare

7. Electronic Warfare
Communications lean heavily on internet or via
communications using various parts of the electromagnetic
spectrum (such as radio or microwaves)
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8. Electronic
Warfare
Cyberwarfare
Psychological
operations
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Information Warfare

9. Electronic
Warfare
Cyberwarfare
Psychological
operations
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Information Warfare

10. • Ransomware - malware that
infects systems and files
• Critical processes are slowed
or become completely
inoperable – cancelled
surgeries, medical
appointment, lab results
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Cyber Attack

11. • Malware (using PACS)
automatically add realistic,
malignant-seeming growths to
CT or MRI scans
• Remove real cancerous
nodules and lesions without
detection
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Cyber Attack

12. Electronic
Warfare
Cyberwarfare
Psychological
operations
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Information Warfare

13. Electronic
Warfare
Cyberwarfare
Psychological
operations
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Information Warfare

14. Psychological Operations
• Aimed at degrading the morale and
well-being of a nation’s citizens
• Include spreading false information,
rumour and fear through social media
and news outlets – fear spreads
rapidly, resulting in panic
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15. Infodemic
• An overabundance of information – some accurate and
some not – that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy
sources and reliable guidance when they need it*
• Include “deliberate attempts to disseminate wrong
information”
• Second disease accompanying the pandemic
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16. Misinformation Disinformation
Propaganda Satire
False / fabricated information –
look credible – spread through
word of mouth / traditional
media / digital forms of
communication
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17. Misinformation Disinformation
Propaganda Satire
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18. Burden in Healthcare
• In 2012-18, most extensively studied topics involving
misinformation – vaccination, Ebola and Zika Virus, nutrition,
cancer and smoking1
• 40% of the most frequently shared links contained fake news. More
than 20% of dangerous links was generated by a single source.2
• Doctored messages on range of issues such as fake diagnosis and
treatment, falsified quotes by celebrities with their photos, false
notifications and lockdown guidelines.3
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19. 19

20. Pathogenesis
False but
commonly held
beliefs
Ginger can kill
coronavirus
Cultivation theory
Advertisement in
TV
Social learning
theory
New behaviours
developed
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21. Pathogenesis
Theory of
negativity bias
Decreased
consumption of
chicken
Confirmation
bias
Herbal remedies
are effective
Fear reasoning
Humans fear the
“unknown”
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22. 22

23. Counter
Strategies
Journalism
Law
Digital
health
literacy
Technological
Fact
checking
organization
Capacity
building
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24. Counter
Strategies
Journalism
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25. Journalism
1. Quantity and quality of health news appearing in mass media || health
communication
2. Focus on health and science journalism in training schools & workshops
a) Evidence based news along with benefits and risks of new therapies
b) Without giving rise to sensationalism
c) Fear mongering should be avoided at all the times
d) Greater communication with researchers and policy makers
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26. Counter
Strategies
Law
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27. Law enforcement
1. Free publication of news under Article 19 of the Constitution –
guarantees freedom of speech
2. No provision in Indian law specifically deals with “fake news”
3. One can file a complaint – News Broadcasters Association,
Broadcasting Content Complaint Council & The Press Council of
India
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28. Indian Penal Code (IPC)
• Section 153A: Promoting enmity
among different groups and doing
acts prejudicial to maintenance of
harmony
• Section 499: Defamation (person)
• Section 505: Statements
conducing to public mischief
• Section 505A: Prohibit speech
that causes fear, alarm, or
provocation of violence
Disaster Management Act, 2005 -
Section 54 - “Whoever makes or
circulates a false alarm or warning
as to disaster or its severity or
magnitude, leading to panic shall be
punished with imprisonment which
may extend to one year or with fine”
Disaster Management Act
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29. 30

30. Information Technology Act (IT Act), 2000
1. Primary law in India dealing with cybercrime and
electronic commerce – Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology
2. Intermediaries Guidelines Rules, 2011: “intermediary” –
telecom/network service providers, search engines,
online sites – publish their regulations, filter unlawful
content and provide for the traceability of users
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31. Information Technology Act (IT Act), 2000
1. Section 66A
a. struck down by Supreme Court
b. violation of freedom of speech
2. Section 69A
a. Intercept, monitor, and decrypt communications & ability to block
content
b. Internet shutdowns
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32. Counter
Strategies
Digital
health
literacy
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33. Digital Health Literacy
Consider the source: Site, mission & its contact info
Is it a joke? It might be a satire – research the site and author
Read beyond: Headlines can be outrageous
Click link & determine if info given actually support the story
Check dates: Reposting old stories doesn’t mean they are relevant
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34. Digital Health Literacy
Check your biases – consider if own belief could affect judgement
Report fake news
Read the entire piece before you decide whether or not to share
Video conferences and webinars
Live platforms for awareness campaigns
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35. Counter
Strategies
Technological
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36. Technological
1. CAPTCHA
2. The unmet needs: Social (media) listening
3. “Worldometer”
4. Featured Snippets
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37. Counter
Strategies
Fact
checking
organization
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38. Fact Checking Organizations
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39. Info-warriors
• Country wide network of info-warriors battling infodemic of fake news
• Google news initiative India training network led by DataLEADS
• Indian Scientists’ Response to Covid-19 (ISRC): support evidence
based action by government & provide science based resources for
NGO
• Press Information Bureau - portal - COVID 19 Fact Check Unit
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40. 41

41. Counter
Strategies
Journalism
Law
Digital
health
literacy
Technological
Fact
checking
organization
Capacity
building
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42. Capacity building
• Need to develop a system – funds local, independent & deeply
researched journalism
• Training and health communication between tertiary and
primary health care
• School curriculums || promoted through government-sponsored
computer
• Mental health crisis intervention
• Overall || In built mechanism: Precautionary measures –
Identify – Provide relevant facts & community awareness
campaigns
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43. THANK YOU
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