Reports recently surfaced of FBI personnel involving themselves with a prominent social media company to control the spread of “misinformation” and the squelching of “disinformation.” Catching and suppressing or eliminating speech spread on social media deemed false or inaccurate is an insurmountable goal, and one fraught with problems, for example, limited resources. But the largerContinue reading “Strengthening Your Ability To Identify Misinformation And Disinformation”
Category Archives: Analytical Failure
Strong, Neutral Sources: The Foundation of A Defensible Analysis
In 2023, an FBI intelligence product intended for internal use only was leaked to the public. The piece received criticism from some outlets for its content, but also for its sources. The problem with its sources came down to two issues: the product used popular magazines as a primary means of support for its premises;Continue reading “Strong, Neutral Sources: The Foundation of A Defensible Analysis”
Mindsets: Robert Hanssen Spy Case Shows They Are Difficult To Overcome
Major intelligence failures are usually caused by failures of analysis, not failures of collection. Relevant information is discounted, misinterpreted, ignored, rejected or overlooked because it fails to fit a prevailing mental model or mind-set. Richards J. Heuer, Psychology of Intelligence Analysis Focusing on a single scenario early in an analysis can lead to a mindsetContinue reading “Mindsets: Robert Hanssen Spy Case Shows They Are Difficult To Overcome”
The Robert Hanssen Spy Case: A Failure Of Analysis
This video shows a panel discussion of the Robert Hanssen investigation. Hanssen, a former FBI supervisor, was one of the most prolific spies in US history. However, an important side story—one that is critical from an analytical perspective—is that of CIA operative Brian Kelley, who was the FBI’s initial suspect based on a conclusion drawnContinue reading “The Robert Hanssen Spy Case: A Failure Of Analysis”