ThisrevelatoryanddramatichistoryofdisinformationtracestheriseofsecretorganizeddeceptionoperationsfromtheinterwarperiodtocontemporaryinternettrollfarmsWeliveintheageofdisinformation--oforganizeddeception.Spyagenciespourvastresourcesintohacking,leaking,andforgingdata,oftenwiththegoalofweakeningtheveryfoundationofliberaldemocracy:trustinfacts.ThomasRid,arenownedexpertontechnologyandnationalsecurity,wasoneofthefirsttosoundthealarm.Morethanfourmonthsbeforethe2016election,hewarnedthatRussianmilitaryintelligencewas“carefullyplanningandtimingahigh-stakespoliticalcampaign“todisruptthedemocraticprocess.Butascraftyassuchso-calledactivemeasureshavebecome,theyarenotnew.Thestoryofmoderndisinformationbeginswiththepost-RussianRevolutionclashbetweencommunismandcapitalism,whichwouldcometodefinetheColdWar.InActiveMeasures,Ridrevealsstartlingintelligenceandsecuritysecretsfrommaterialswritteninmorethantenlanguagesacrossseveralnations,andfrominterviewswithcurrentandformeroperatives.Heexposesthedisturbingyetcolorfulhistoryofprofessional,organizedlying,revealingforthefirsttimesomeofthecentury’smostsignificantoperations--manyofthemnearlybeyondbelief.AWhiteRussianploybackfiresandbringsdownaNewYorkpolicecommissioner;aKGB-engineered,anti-SemitichatecampaigncreepsbackacrosstheIronCurtain;theCIAbacksafakepublishingempire,runbyaformerWehrmachtU-boatcommander,thatproducesGermany’sbestjazzmagazine.Ridtrackstheriseofleaking,andshowshowspiesbegantoexploitemerginginternetculturemanyyearsbeforeWikiLeaks.Finally,heshedsnewlightonthe2016election,especiallytheroleoftheinfamous“trollfarm“inSt.Petersburgaswellasamuchmoreharmfulattackthatunfoldedintheshadows.ActiveMeasurestakesthereaderonaguidedtourdeepintoavasthallofmirrorsoldandnew,pointingtoafutureofengineeredpolarization,moreactiveandlessmeasured--butalsoofferingthetoolstocutthroughthedeception.
