Abstract
When different information sources on a given topic are combined, they
interact in a nontrivial manner for a rational receiver of these information
sources. Suppose that there are two information sources, one is genuine and the
other contains disinformation. It is shown that under the conditions that the
signal-to-noise ratio of the genuine information source is sufficiently large,
and that the noise terms in the two information sources are positively
correlated, the effect of disinformation is reversed from its original intent.
That is, the effect of disinformation on a receiver of both information
sources, who is unaware of the existence of disinformation, is to generate an
opposite interpretation. While the condition in which this phenomenon occurs
cannot always be ensured, when it is satisfied, the effect provides an
effective way of countering the impacts of disinformation.