When information is disseminated with the intent of manipulating public opinion, it is usually referred to as propaganda. The term has come to be associated with politics in particular, due to extensive government propaganda campaigns in the 20th century, but it was not in fact always negative. Examples of propaganda which are familiar to most people include posters put up during the First and Second World Wars which were designed to elicit public support, and advertisements for products in print and on the television. Both examples include the communication of information, both are intended to evoke a particular response, and both use misleading information to “sell” the viewer on the issue at hand.

The origins of propaganda can be found in the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide, the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, an organization founded by the Pope in 1622. The group was formed to spread Christianity to other nations, and initially, the term “propaganda” was fairly benign, suggesting merely the distribution of information. The idea of using posters and newspapers to spread information about important issues came to be known as propaganda, and up until the World Wars, many governments had a propaganda office and were quite open about what they were doing.

However, the World Wars brought about a change in the way people thought about propaganda. Both sides launched smear campaigns designed to malign the enemy, and often the actions attributed to the enemy were patently untrue. The use of numerous logical fallacies to sway popular opinion began to be widespread, and under Hitler, propaganda became an art form. After the Second World, most governments had an “Information Ministry” rather than a “Propaganda Ministry,” and the term began to acquire negative connotations.

When asked to visualize propaganda, most people think of a poster or advertising campaign which uses false information, oversimplification, and flawed logic to emotionally impact the viewer. Many government propaganda campaigns rely heavily on ideals of patriotism, faith, and country to suggest that people who do not agree with the political issue at hand are unpatriotic or even seditious. Numerous techniques are used in propaganda campaigns including greenwashing, quoting out of context, misinformation, junk science, buzzwords, and astroturfing. In addition, the material usually contains logical fallacies such as an appeal to ridicule or an ad hominem attack.

As a general rule, propaganda is broken up into three main types. Black propaganda uses patently false information which cannot be verified to manipulate the viewer into thinking a particular way about a certain issue. Gray propaganda involves the use of information which is difficult to attribute, and may be considered questionable. White propaganda is true, and is not usually intended to deceive. A number of techniques can be used to determine whether or not something is propaganda, but as a general rule, you should always examine the source of your information with care.

For example, you may find yourself reading a study which claims that the affects of oil spills on marine life are greatly exaggerated. Given the large amount of information to the contrary, you may want to see who is putting that information forward. It is highly probable in this example that the information is being provided by big oil, often through a front group which appears innocuous. By following the money, you may determine the true source of the information, which might have an impact on how you think about it.