Malinformation, Misinformation, Disinformation

What’s the difference?

By Deane Barker

Here’s one definition from How Spies Think:

Note that disinformation can become misinformation. If someone makes a claim that they know is not true, that instance is DISinformation. If someone else then repeats that, thinking it’s true, that instance is MISinformation.

Why I Looked It Up

The terms have come up a lot, and I was aware there are different definitions, but I wasn’t sure what they were. I found this delineation in How Spies Think and it looked like a good starting point.

I’m leaving this question open, just so I can accumulate answers here.

Links from this – How Spies Think: Ten Lessons in Intelligence
I abandoned this a ways in. It just didn’t hold my attention. From the praise quotes on the back, I gather the author is something of a legend of British intelligence. Weirdly, that becomes a weakness. Despite the subtitle, the book bogs down under stories. The author has an anecdote and a story...