Disinformation in Attacks against Industry 4.0 Systems

Electric Car Disinformation Traps on Extremist Social Media Platforms (Telegram, 4chan, Truth Social – Investigation of misleading content, Part 1

Abstract

The aim of the two studies was to showcase the role of disinformation in attacks against Industry 4.0 systems, with a particular focus on the sentiments appearing on extremist social media platforms surrounding the topics of climate change and electric vehicles. During the study, we provided a detailed explanation of the differences between misinformation, malinformation, and disinformation to better understand the mechanisms and consequences of these phenomena. We analyzed the disinformation uncovered by the European Digital Media Observatory that spread on social media, particularly concerning climate change and electric vehicles. In our investigations, we scrutinized extreme social media platforms such as 4chan, Truth Social, and Telegram to map the reach of disinformation content and its impact on the community. Special attention was given to analyzing the sentiment of comments to understand the emotional charge and polarization of user reactions. Our research highlights the extent to which disinformation affects the security of Industry 4.0 systems and public perception regarding climate change and electric vehicles, and it also offers recommendations for more effective measures against disinformation.