Can you outsmart a troll (by thinking like one)? - Claire Wardle

譯者: Kelly Jin 審譯者: Helen Chang

Your town is holding a mayoral election and the stakes have never been higher:

你所在的小鎮正在舉行市長選舉， 其風險從未如此之高：

the outcome will decide the fate of a local movement

選舉的結果將會決定 一個當地運動的結果，

to rely on 100% renewable energy.

即是否完全使用可再生能源。

One mayoral nominee, Joanna B. Greene, is a champion of this movement,

其中一位競選者

喬安那·B·葛琳恩

倡議這運動；

while the other, Stannis Quo, staunchly opposes it.

而另外一位

斯丹尼斯·克奧則堅決反對。

He’s announced he’ll use whatever tactics are necessary to win the election.

他聲稱將使用一切 能讓他贏得選舉的對策。

As the municipal cybersecurity expert, you’re on high alert.

身為市政網絡安全專家， 你對其高度警惕。

Election day is near and you suspect that Quo

選舉日即將到來，

而你懷疑克奧將散佈虛假信息 操縱選舉使其對他有利。

will begin pushing false information to swing the election in his favor.

Your job is to inoculate the townspeople against false information

你的工作是在選舉之前，

讓小鎮居民不受虛假信息的影響。

before the election.

One of the most effective ways to tackle disinformation

其中一個壓制虛假信息有效的方法

is to encourage people to think about the strategies

是鼓勵人們思考

信息的製造者和散佈者 所使用的策略。

used by those who create and spread it.

This might seem counter-intuitive— and potentially dangerous—

這可能與直覺相反，而且有潛在危險，

but as long as you don’t create a “how-to manual,”

但只要你不發布「使用手冊」，

active inoculation is an effective option.

積極的預防是有效的選項。

A study conducted in 2019 used an online game to train people

一項在 2019 年開展的研究 使用線上遊戲訓練人們

to think like a disinformation producer.

像虛假信息散佈者一樣思考。

When the participants were next shown the disinformation,

當受試者在遊戲後看到虛假信息時，

their perception of its reliability dropped significantly.

他們對其的信任度大幅下降。

但在你教授小鎮居民之前，

But before you can teach your own townspeople,

you need to figure it out for yourself.

你要自己事先明白原理。

What strategies would you employ if you were Stannis Quo?

如果你是斯丹尼斯·克奧， 你會使用什麼方法？

In order to launch a successful disinformation campaign,

為了成功地散佈虛假信息，

you must use evocative, and convincing content that will spread quickly

你必須使用可以快速傳播 並造成恐慌的

and create confusion.

有感情、有說服力的內容，

It’ll also help to take advantage of confirmation bias.

那也會佔有認知偏差的優勢。

People are intuitively more inclined to believe information

人們會很自然地傾向於相信

那些符合其原有世界觀的信息。

that supports a worldview they already have.

Many young voters in your town are in favor

鎮上的很多年輕人

願意轉用可再生能源，認同葛琳恩。

of transitioning to renewable energy and sympathize with Greene.

Rather than trying to change their minds,

與其嘗試改變他們的想法，

Quo will likely focus on suppressing the youth vote.

克奧有可能著重於抑制年輕人的投票。

If you were him, how would you start?

如果你是克奧，你會如何開始？

You might create fake user accounts to spread disinformation

你可能會註冊假用戶帳號 來傳播假消息，

on popular social media platforms.

散播在流行的社交媒體上。

You could even make one that impersonates a trusted figure.

你甚至可以冒充一個可信賴的人。

From these accounts, you can deliver highly shareable, engaging visual content,

你可以從這些帳戶 傳遞可分享的、生動的圖畫，

like memes relating to the imminent election.

比如與即將到來的選舉相關的迷因圖。

That’s how you would like to go about spreading disinformation,

這就是你將如何散播虛假信息，

but what kind of disinformation would be effective

但是什麼類型的虛假信息能有效地

in manipulating young Greene supporters?

改變年輕的葛琳恩支持者？

First, you could direct people to vote via text, a webpage, or an app,

首先，你可以引導人們用短訊、 網路頁面，或手機應用程序投票，

none of which are viable voting platforms in your town.

而以上都不是小鎮的真實投票平台。

The claim isn’t too far-fetched.

這要求不太牽強。

An encrypted digital platform could actually seem safer to young people

年輕人認為比起傳統的投票系統

加密的線上平台更安全。

than the traditional ballot system.

Perhaps you could also tell them that the voting day

你也可以騙他們

is one day after it actually is.

投票日是真實日期之後的那天。

You could then pair this approach with a more emotion-driven one.

然後再用上感情牌。

How about vilifying Greene and appealing to the young voters’ values?

如果詆毀葛琳恩， 讓年輕人反對她的價值觀如何？

You want to share information that taps into people’s sense of civic duty

你會讓人民意識到自己的公民責任，

and makes them feel that the election depends on their sharing it

讓他們認為選舉得要 靠他們盡可能地廣傳信息。

as widely as possible.

Your fake accounts could circulate false accusations that Greene takes money

用假帳戶詆毀葛琳恩

利用新能源設施貪污 賺取公民錢財，

from local, somehow corrupt renewable energy facilities;

treats her staff poorly; or abuses stray kittens for fun.

不善待職工，或以虐待流浪貓取樂。

These inflammatory claims could lead people to question

這些煽風點火的言論

會讓人們懷疑葛琳恩的公信度， 甚至產生新的陰謀論。

Greene’s integrity as a leader and even initiate further conspiracy theories.

After you’ve introduced these disinformation campaigns,

在散佈假信息後，

your fake users should keep repeating them so they stick in people’s minds.

你建立的假帳戶會要不停地 重複這些信息來使群眾印象深刻。

Finally, media coverage would further spread your claims

最後，媒體報導更能散佈你的言論

and give them perceived legitimacy.

讓人們信以為真。

You could message a few local journalists

你可以問幾個當地記者 這些謠言是否為真，

asking whether these rumors are true and express your concerns.

傳達你的憂慮。

By the time an article comes out debunking the rumors,

但當揭穿謠言的文章發布時，

people’s experiences of the truth will have become so warped

人們對真相的認知已被扭曲到

that convincing them otherwise will be difficult.

無法被真實信息所說服。

A disinformation campaign like this would pit citizens against one another

這種假消息活動 會掀起民眾內部反目，

and exploit their values and fears.

利用他們的價值觀與恐懼感。

You can't personally protect each individual from disinformation,

你不能親自保護每個人 不被虛假信息影響，

but you can equip them with the insights you have—

但是你可以用你的見解武裝他們，

and encourage them to pass these tools further along.

鼓勵他們彼此傳授。

After all, community organizing is what elections often call for.

畢竟，社區建設是選舉的最終目標。