Information integrity concerns the reliability of the information people use to participate in democratic life. During elections, threats to this integrity can affect whether voters can access accurate, actionable information — about the mechanics of voting and about the choices in front of them. This guide introduces the concepts and the responsible investigative posture that follows from them.
The information disorder framework
A widely used framework distinguishes three phenomena by intent and truthfulness:
- Misinformation — false, but shared without intent to harm.
- Disinformation — false and deliberately deceptive.
- Malinformation — true information weaponised to cause harm (for example, leaks or doxxing).
This vocabulary, popularised by the Information Disorder report, matters because it shapes the scope of an investigation: you investigate behaviour and provenance, not whether a lawful opinion is "correct."
Threats around elections
- Coordinated inauthentic behaviour and influence operations that fake grassroots support.
- Manipulated and synthetic media, including deepfakes.
- False procedural claims — wrong dates, locations, or eligibility rules designed to suppress or confuse voters.
- Hack-and-leak operations that mix genuine documents with fabricated context.
The concept of coordinated inauthentic behaviour is central to understanding how these threats scale.
Building resilience
Resilience comes from strengthening the system, not suppressing lawful speech:
- Transparency from platforms and institutions.
- Media literacy so audiences can evaluate sources.
- Rapid verification and pre-bunking of predictable false narratives.
- Trustworthy institutions that communicate clearly and correct errors openly.
Research organisations such as the Digital Forensic Research Lab demonstrate how to study threats to information integrity rigorously and reproducibly.
Key takeaways
- Information integrity is the reliability of the information environment.
- The information disorder framework separates intent from truthfulness.
- Investigate behaviour and provenance, not the truth of every claim.
- Resilience is built through transparency and literacy, not censorship.
Next steps
Move from concept to method with investigating disinformation campaigns, and see how AI reshapes these threats in AI and Elections.
Frequently asked questions
What does information integrity mean?
Information integrity refers to the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of the information ecosystem people rely on to make decisions — including how, when, and where to vote, and about candidates and issues.
What is the difference between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation?
Misinformation is false information shared without intent to harm; disinformation is false information spread deliberately to deceive; malinformation is genuine information weaponised to cause harm. Together they form the "information disorder" framework.
How do you protect information integrity without censoring speech?
Through transparency, media literacy, rapid verification, and resilient institutions — and by focusing investigations on behaviour and provenance (such as coordinated inauthentic behaviour) rather than adjudicating the truth of every lawful claim.