The man who tricked Nazi Germany: lessons from the past on how to beat disinformation

The story of the British man who took on Hitler’s information machine offers valuable insights into the fight against the rise of authoritarianism

Thirty percent of Americans claim, despite& all evidence to the ­contrary, that the last presidential elections were “rigged”. Millions are sure that the “deep state” is plotting to import immigrants to vote against “real ­Americans” in the future. Meanwhile in Russia, the& majority of& people claim that the Kremlin is the innocent party& in& its brutal invasion of Ukraine. When Ukrainians& call their relatives in Russia to tell them about the atrocities, all too often they hear their own kin parrot& the Kremlin’s propaganda lines: the atrocities& are faked,& or false flags, or necessary in order to impose Russia’s& greatness.

Across the world we see the growth of propaganda that promotes an alternative reality where black is white& and white is black, and where truth is cast away in favour of a sense of superiority and ever more murderous paranoia. How can we defeat it?& It’s easy to despair when& fact checking is rejected by the millions who don’t want to hear the truth in the first place; when& worthy journalism that preaches the virtues of “democracy” crumples in the face of suspicion, seeded purposefully for decades, that the media are actually “enemies of the people”.