DISINFORMATION AS A TOOL OF INFORMATION WARS AND A THREAT FACTOR TO NATIONAL SECURITY

Abstract

This article examines disinformation as one of the key instruments
of information and hybrid warfare, exerting a significant influence on public
consciousness, political stability, and the national security of states. In the context
of digital transformation and the rapid development of social media, algorithmdriven
platforms, and artificial intelligence technologies, disinformation has
acquired a systemic character, enabling fast and large-scale audience reach and
amplifying the destructive potential of informational influence.
The aim of the study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of
disinformation and propaganda disseminated through digital technologies, to
identify methodological approaches to the study of manipulative informational
influence, to assess its social and political consequences, and to develop directions
for countering disinformation practices that pose threats to national security. The
object of the research is disinformation as a tool of information warfare, while the
subject of the research includes the mechanisms of its creation, dissemination,
and impact in the digital environment.
The methodological framework of the study is based on an interdisciplinary
approach that integrates methods of analysis and synthesis, systemic and comparative analysis, content analysis of media materials, case studies of specific
disinformation campaigns, and normative-legal analysis of strategic documents
of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The study substantiates the hypothesis that the
effectiveness of disinformation is determined by the combination of deliberate
content distortion, algorithmic amplification by digital platforms, and insufficient
legal regulation of responsibility for its dissemination.
The scientific novelty of the research lies in the proposal of a structured
model of disinformation, the formulation of an author’s definition of the concept,
and the substantiation of the necessity of its legislative consolidation. The study
concludes that effective counteraction to disinformation requires комплексные
legal, institutional, and educational measures aimed at strengthening the resilience
of the information space and national security.