Global Economic Impact of Disinformation Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the economic impact of disinformation, focusing on its financial, social, and political costs. It addresses the lack of rigorous quantification of these costs since 2019 and presents updated estimates for the year 2024. The study identifies three major shifts that necessitate this update: the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of generative AI tools, and the intensification of hybrid warfare. The methodology employed draws on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's approach, utilizing three scenarios—conservative, median, and exploratory—to break down costs across the identified verticals. Financial costs include fraud and market manipulation, while social costs encompass the erosion of trust and social cohesion. Political costs relate to expenditures linked to threats against democratic integrity and countermeasures by public and private actors. The report aims to establish a reproducible protocol for annual quantification of disinformation costs, promoting transparency and an open methodology for ongoing assessment.