On Tue, 29 Oct 1996, Derek Bell wrote:
I don't think spreading false rumours is a good idea - it can discredit the spreader if anyone bothers to check any details.
Disinformation is a time-honoured weapon in political struggle. A rumour is called just that because it can't easily be checked - somebody heard from somebody, who heard from somebody etc. The spreader is hardly ever discredited since he does not guarantee the validity of the information. 'It's just a rumour, but...' Those arguing in favour of Big Brother - 'the needs of law enforcement' - frequently use (probably false) information that is hard to check, to impress the public: about terrorists stopped by wiretapping, pedophiles in great hordes lurking on the net, the infamous 'If you knew what I have been confidentially told' and so on. If you doubt that disinformation, including rumour campaigns, can be effective, read the book on CIA by the renegade Phillip Agee. Asgaard