Information Wars

How We Lost the Global Battle Against Disinformation and What We Can Do About It

By: Richard Stengel

Narrated by: Christopher Grove

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

During the final three years of the Obama administration, Richard Stengel, the former editor of Time magazine and an Under Secretary of State, was on the front lines of the new global information war. At the time, he was the single person in government tasked with unpacking, disproving, and combating both ISIS's messaging and Russian disinformation. Then, in 2016, as the presidential election unfolded, Stengel watched as Donald Trump used disinformation himself, weaponizing the grievances of Americans who felt overlooked. In fact, Stengel quickly came to see how all three players had used the same playbook: ISIS sought to make Islam great again; Putin tried to make Russia great again; and we all know about Trump.

In a narrative that is by turns dramatic and eye-opening, Information Wars walks listeners through this often frustrating battle. Stengel moves through Russia and Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, and introduces characters from Putin to Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, and Mohamed bin Salman to show how disinformation is impacting our global society. He illustrates how ISIS terrorized the world using social media, and how the Russians launched a tsunami of disinformation around the annexation of Crimea - a scheme that became the model for their interference with the 2016 presidential election.

©2019 Richard Stengel (P)2019 Kalorama

defining disinformation and how to fight it

thoughtful view of information, disinformation and US government role, describing success against ISIS, and Russia's continuing dominance.

A Great Dissection of Misinformtion

This book was great look at the real world consequences of misinformation. It explores the evolution of misinformation, going back as far as the fall USSR and explains in great detail how the U.S. lost the information wars. Toward the end, the author provides ideas on how we can move forward and dull the effects misinformation can have on us. It is an idea worth fighting for.

Good info but stilted narrator

The narrator spoke in a halting manner making it a less enjoyable listening experience. This is my view.

a real eye-opener

I will recommend to this to all of my friends and colleagues. good clear simple writing, and an excellent reading.

understand the information generation, good luck!

maybe can know better the complexity of information in this age of fast data. After reading, I believe I have a better idea of how to group data or information by categories. My categories are of my own understanding and use and so are good only for me. thus is the world today.

Disinformation or a story about his position?

I downloaded this book assuming it’s main focus was fighting disinformation. Instead, I think 60% of the book is a story about his position in government and what those positions are like in government. Pretty disappointed.

Insightful and revealing

This is an excellent account of how foreign powers attempt to conquer the information space, and the US Government’s successes and failures to counter those efforts.

chapter 13 and beyond are the good stuff

chapters 1 through 12 are a nice historical narrative with insights into the operation of the state department, but starting with 13, it covers the methods of disinformation, and methods and philosophies of how to fight it.

Absolutely a Must-Read for all Americans!!!

This book gets more critical and important as it goes on… I loved the stories about State Dept and the people he was dealing with having been in those places myself, but if you don’t have time to read the whole thing please read the last two chapters. Absolutely mandatory reading for all patriots

very good read

Great look at the information war going on around us. End is scary w/trump incharge