Sander van der Linden, a Professor of Social Psychology at Cambridge University, posits that we are currently navigating an era defined by a professionalized, high-velocity “industry of manipulation.” According to van der Linden, while the human tendency to fall for falsehoods is an ancient trait—rooted in limited cognitive processing power and a “truth bias” that prevents us from critically analyzing every piece of information we encounter—the digital age has fundamentally altered the landscape. Modern technology, characterized by the rapid dissemination of data, has outpaced our inherent psychological defenses, making us increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated influence campaigns that exploit both our cognitive shortcuts and our primal social motivations.
Central to this susceptibility is the “illusory truth effect,” where the brain mistakes the ease of processing repeated information for actual veracity. Van der Linden argues that this psychological vulnerability is increasingly weaponized by bad actors who view misinformation through the lens of supply and demand. By studying troll farms and extremist organizations, his research has identified the “six degrees of manipulation,” which include polarization, emotional baiting, identity impersonation, the cultivation of conspiratorial thinking, and the systematic use of denial to sow doubt. These techniques are no longer just fringe activities; they are now embedded in a massive commercial “disinformation-for-hire” market, supported by micro-targeting tools that allow malicious actors to exploit personal digital footprints.
The commodification of deception has taken on a new dimension in the era of artificial intelligence. Van der Linden notes that, historically, large-scale campaigns required the coordination of teams, such as the Russian troll farms or the long-standing efforts by the tobacco and fossil fuel industries to manufacture doubt regarding public health and environmental science. Today, however, AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) have democratized the ability to automate misinformation at scale. Deepfakes and AI-generated content mean that a single individual can now exert the same amount of persuasive influence that previously required an entire organization, further accelerating the information imbalance.
Regarding the denial of climate science, van der Linden explains that this isn’t solely a failure of information access, but a consequence of strategic “greenwashing” and shifting political landscapes. He highlights how industries have pivoted from straightforward climate denial to more subtle methods, such as casting doubt on the efficacy of green energy solutions or promoting ineffective responses—like focusing on individual recycling efforts—to deflect pressure away from corporate accountability. This climate-related misinformation is often successful because it aligns with a person’s group identity or their psychological resistance to the lifestyle changes implied by climate science, turning the issue into an ideological fault line rather than a factual one.
The professor identifies a critical mismatch between our evolved cognitive heuristics and the current digital environment. Humans evolved to detect deception through face-to-face social cues, mechanisms that are entirely bypassed or subverted by social media and AI. Because these technologies have proliferated at a pace that prevents society from adapting, we find ourselves in an era of unprecedented confusion. Van der Linden argues that current educational systems are failing to address this gap. Schools continue to prioritize classical critical thinking while ignoring the urgent need for “digital literacy” skills—such as identifying AI-generated deception—that should be taught as early as primary school.
Ultimately, van der Linden frames the current surge in misinformation as a global crisis that reflects our inability to match technological speed with cognitive preparation. He concludes that the infrastructure for digital safety is currently nonexistent and that society lacks the necessary investment to inoculate citizens against modern manipulation. As long as geopolitical, economic, and existential pressures remain high, the demand for and supply of malicious information will continue to thrive, leaving humanity in a state of cognitive vulnerability that requires an immediate, widespread, and modernized approach to education and digital policy.
