D4. Circular Reporting

Know what circular reporting is and suggest ways in which it can be avoided.

Circular reporting, also known as “echo”, is when a piece of information from a single source is repeated by multiple other sources without independent verification. This repetition misleads analysts by making them believe there is more evidence that supports a claim.

Example: A well-established media publishes a rumour about a company's financial instability. Other media publish the same rumour without even verifying the information's authenticity. Because of this repetition, the rumour is amplified and impacts the company’s stock price despite the unfounded original claim.

There are several strategies to utilise to avoid circular reporting.

Identify original sources: Analyst must do their best to trace back the information to the primary source, e.g. scrutinise citations, identify source bias and cross reference information with independent sources.

Scrutinise Information Dissemination Patterns: Be vigilant of information that spreads quickly across multiple sources, especially across sources that share similar biases or perspectives. Look for additional evidence that supports or confirms the original information but comes from a source that is not directly connected to or influenced by the original source.

Employ Source Evaluation Techniques: Evaluate the reliability, credibility, and biases of each source. Understand the source motivation, access to information and manipulation.

Documents information Provenance: Maintain records of where the information originated, how it was obtained, and any assessment of the source's reliability. This document will help to identify circular reporting instances and keep intelligence products transparent and defensible.

Understand the importance of managing sources effectively to prevent this occurring.

To prevent circular reporting from occurring, the analyst must manage their sources effectively. Here are the key aspects of Effective Source Management:

Source Diversification: To mitigate the risk of falling into circular reporting, analysts must have a diverse range of sources with varying perspectives, backgrounds and access to information.

Source Network Analysis: Now go beyond individual sources and map out the network of information flow. Identify key nodes, potential echo chambers (an environment where individuals are exposed primarily to information and opinions that confirm their existing beliefs e.g. social media groups, News websites, and Online communities) and information brokers who might manipulate the narrative.

Structured Information Management: Implement systems to capture, store, process and analyse information from different sources. This includes management of the reliability of the source, its details, and its biases.

Continuous Source Re-evaluation: Sources tend to be dynamic. Hence, their reliability, credibility, and access to information can change over time. The analyst must re-evaluate their sources based on new information, observed behaviours and changes in the information landscape.

Collaboration and information sharing: As the threat landscape is continuously evolving, organisations must foster collaboration and information sharing between them. The collective intelligence echo system can be strengthened by sharing insight about source reliability, potential biases and observed instances of circular reporting.

Conclusion

Addressing the challenge of circular reporting requires a multi-faceted approach of rigorous source evaluation, effective source management practices, and conscious effort to seek out diverse perspectives. With the adoption of these measures, analysts can significantly reduce the risk of falling prey to information echo chambers and produce more reliable and actionable intelligence.