What is Black Propaganda and how to counter it?
An unusual post about what BLACK PROPAGANDA is, how to recognize it, and how to fight it. The post will be useful for entrepreneurs and not only them.
What Black Propaganda Is and Why It Is Used
Black propaganda is, above all, deliberate defamation and lies aimed at a victim. The goal of whoever spreads black propaganda is to insult or discredit a business reputation. Why is this needed? It is needed to ultimately dehumanize an opponent in the eyes of the public that in one way or another supports the person being attacked. It can be an individual (husband/colleague/boss/partner/actor/official/politician/…), a company, a political force, a state, a country.
Why Black Propaganda Works
How is this possible, and why is life so unfair?
- First, going to court over every instance of defamation takes a long time. A judge does not take rumors and opinions into account, only facts, so justice can be restored in court. However, the human factor in our judicial system should be kept in mind 🙂
- Second, people who succeed in their business do not study public relations, and do not know how to fight propaganda attacks.
- Third, the person targeted by propaganda becomes disappointed in people, gives up and does not fight back.
And if the victim of an attack does not fight back, if the victim does not refute the gossip, the public starts to believe the slander. The attacker’s main action in this situation is to keep spreading gossip. Since there is essentially no other opinion, the public starts to believe the gossip
Want to check? Imagine the old ladies sitting by the entrance of an apartment building. Tell one of them that you summoned the devil yesterday, and by tomorrow the rest of them will be crossing themselves and cursing behind your back. This works both on the scale of a small group of people and on the scale of large groups.
Why Do Negativity and Gossip Spread Faster Than Good News?
Because a person passing on negativity reassures themselves that things are not as bad for them as in their bad news.
What to Do When Black Propaganda Appears
So: what should you do when black propaganda appears?
First of all, refute the false information used in the messages of propagandists/black PR people/other gossips.
Second, give the real and complete information that the public lacks to draw its own conclusion, and fully disarm the smear messages, thereby convincing the reader to no longer trust the source of black propaganda.
Black propaganda messages most often sound convincing and even indisputable. That is why it is hard for an ordinary person unfamiliar with PR technology to figure out where the truth is and where the lie is.
Examples of Black Propaganda
Black Propaganda on a National Scale
An example on a national scale: before the war began, we saw black propaganda against Ukrainians and the dehumanization of Ukrainians by media controlled by the aggressor. Unfortunately, this is still happening.
The propaganda said: Ukrainians crucify little Slavic boys! Remember? Well, this was done so that Russian soldiers and volunteers would drop everything and run to save Slavic boys, and kill Ukrainians, “because they are inhuman” (they crucify Slavic boys)! Do you understand?
Black PR Against Politicians
An example on the scale of politicians: they smear everyone and everything! And this is not only in our country. It is everywhere, although in more civilized countries politicians know how to deal with black PR, while here only a few do. Most politicians and officials hide from people. Black PR uses arguments that cannot be verified. The task of black PR is to impose an extremely negative opinion of a politician or party so that they can be easily “taken down”.
Information Attacks on Businesses
An example on the scale of a business: before a raider takeover of a company, an information attack is carried out in advance to discredit the company’s management, so that during the takeover no one wants to help those being attacked. Or, in unfair competition, when a dishonest competitor spreads negative rumors about a rival so that customers stop coming to them.
A Real Case: Black Propaganda Against Aladdin-Print
The reason for writing this article was yet another dump of smear (propaganda), which, by the way, mentions the Aladdin-Print printing house and accuses it of producing smear materials.
Cool?
Let’s go!
So, a quote:
“National TV channels have received enough information to start preparing their own investigations. Embassies have joined in no less actively, and are now studying everything thoroughly and preparing statements. At the same time, we remain true to our traditions and will continue to share the most interesting things with our readers. Let’s start with some facts about the activities of the “smear makers” from the criminal organization in the Kharkiv SBU.
ALLADIN-PRINT LLC. It is in this printing house that fraudsters order illegal printing of “smear” and various materials against businesspeople and politicians.
It is here that “leaflets” were printed against the deputy head of the regional council Volodymyr Skorobohach and members of parliament. Including from Servant of the People) It is here that products for billboards against Yuliia Svitlychna, who is also a vice-president at the Council of Europe, are illegally printed. In other words, the “local scale” turned out to be too small for the fraudsters and they were drawn to the international level. Well, well…)
It is in this ALADDIN that various computer and technical work on “smear” against Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova was carried out.
Provocative printed products against businesspeople for the purpose of later extorting money are also produced here.
Proving that this happens in this particular printing house will be easy. Any printing equipment has its own features and defects. So an examination will establish this elementarily. And yes, replacing the equipment urgently won’t work anymore, you “startuppers” of ours) A comparative examination of products printed at the same time will very easily confirm the identity of the equipment. A very simple criminal case.
The clients are the SBU regional department of Kharkiv Oblast and the regional administration, represented by Kucher and Skakun. Yes, friends, everything has become very petty) The contact is SBU officer Diahiliev. Moreover, it is DIAHILIEV who protects this printing house and regularly receives money from the owners.
Evidence? Of course there is. Namely: transfers of funds from this printing house to the “Pravoporiadok” fund and other funds linked to the SBU. But the main sums are handed to Diahiliev in cash. The owners of this printing house are the Nitsenko family. By the way, it is one of the elements of the criminal organization. But we will tell about them later.
All the finances for “smear” are managed by the deputy head of the regional SBU TELYCHENKO. He also manages a separate “budget” allocated for provocations. This is a separate topic that we will definitely hand over to NABU.
Lystivka LLC, sole proprietor “Yakovleva L.Yu”, Kapitan LLC are also linked to the criminal organization and illegal printed products ordered by the SBU.
As you can see, all the elements of a criminal organization are present: client – organizer – financier – executor – executors of local tasks – accomplices. The scheme was worked out almost perfectly.
❗️And so, comrade DIAHILIEV, all your calls to the district SBU offices demanding that “smear” be placed have been recorded. There are few people willing to answer for your stupidity and the stupidity of the regional department’s leadership. Nobody will go to prison instead of you, except maybe complete idiots.
Such are the fucking special service officers. You can’t even hang a billboard and print a leaflet without getting caught. The main thing is to hide behind Bakanov in front of subordinates. Well, well…”
End of quote.
Breaking Down the Fakes (Propaganda) Piece by Piece
Loud Statements Without Specifics
The first paragraph is full of “actions” and sounds grandiose, but for some reason there are no specific names of TV channels, no specific information, no specific investigations. Everything is very general. The “embassies” sound especially impressive, only it is unclear which embassies, which statements, and in general, what do embassies have to do with it?
Accusations of Printing “Smear”
Moving on:
About “Alladin-Print LLC”, where fraudsters order “illegal smear”, they did not specify what exactly, receipts, evidence, photos\videos. Moreover, Aladdin-Print has never printed full-color for billboards, it does not even have such equipment in its fleet.
Note:
Every “fact” must be accompanied by evidence, otherwise it is defamation and damage to business reputation, which should be responded to accordingly (either by legal or by informational means).
“Leaflets” Against Politicians
Next it says that, on behalf of Servant of the People, the Aladdin-Print printing house prints “leaflets” against Volodymyr Skorobohach, Yuliia Svitlychna, Iryna Venediktova. Interesting, isn’t it? The aim of this letter was, among other things, to smear the Aladdin-Print printing house. But apart from statements, they did not attach photos of the “leaflets”, or at least the ERDR number of a criminal case, or anything at all. But black PR is not about facts, it is about imposing an opinion and blackening a reputation. Some clients of Aladdin-Print know that Aladdin-Print does not print just anything, let alone smear, but the writer of this text does not care, the main thing is to mention a well-known company.
Note:
The absence of official facts does not bother black PR people, and for plausibility, 3% of truth that has nothing to do with the matter may be sewn into the text, although it makes the text more convincing.
“Equipment Examination”
Further in the text: it says that an examination of the equipment can be carried out to find out whether it was printed there or not.
Note:
It sounds serious, and in theory it might even be possible to determine, but again the question arises: where is at least the ERDR number? And we are not even considering the fact that a person is considered guilty only when their guilt has been proven in court and a corresponding decision/ruling has been issued. But let’s leave that for our legal department, since right now we are discussing PR.
Money, Funds and “Protection”
The text says that Aladdin-Print transferred money to an SBU fund and pays in cash.
Note:
Let’s look at the facts: where are the receipts, photos/videos? Besides, the author of this text, in this article and other messages, writes that Oleksii Kucher, Oleksandr Skakun and Oleksii Diahiliev protect Aladdin-Print.
Who are Oleksii Kucher, Oleksandr Skakun and Oleksii Diahiliev after these words? Right, scoundrels who protect Aladdin-Print. Here again is the dehumanization of the heroes of our text.
Separately, as the owner of the Aladdin-Print printing house, I declare that this article contains not a single reliable fact about Aladdin-Print, and this article in its entire content is nothing other than black propaganda
“The Nitsenko Family”
Next:
The Nitsenko family sounds good, almost a clan. We must understand that to achieve results you have to work, not engage in dark deeds, for example: by deceiving my ex-wife, fraudsters Anatolii Rodzinskyi, Andrii Telitchenko, Vadym Donde and Viacheslav Kabytskyi wanted to seize the company (ERDR 1201922049000351). The takeover failed, and the client of the takeover, the owner of the Zebra printing house, lost out (all the evidence is in the ERGR and EDRRR). In general, according to the writer, Andrian Nitsenko, that is me, “is an element of a criminal organization”.
“Recorded Calls”
End of the letter:
This brainwashing of the reader smoothly moves on to comrade Diahiliev, who calls the district SBU offices on an open line demanding that smear be placed. So there should be audio recordings, shouldn’t there?
Personally, I cannot comment on what does not concern Aladdin-Print, but if lies were written about Aladdin, then probably the “Diahiliev calls” and the rest of the nonsense are not true either.
Summing Up: Black Propaganda as a Form of Disinformation
Black propaganda is a form of disinformation and spreading false information with the aim of harming the reputation of individuals, businesses or organizations. Its main goal is to deceive and manipulate public opinion by spreading lies, rumors and made-up stories.
How to Fight Black Propaganda: 14 Steps
To counter black propaganda, the following steps should be taken:
- Factual refutation: Provide clear and well-grounded refutations of the false claims contained in black propaganda. Present verified facts and reliable sources to refute disinformation.
- Transparency and authenticity: Maintain transparency in communication and provide reliable information on the issue being discussed. Openly share relevant documents, data or evidence to support your arguments.
- Active communication: Be active in solving the problem and respond to false accusations. Quickly spread your point of view through various communication channels to reach a wider audience.
- Working with the media: Cooperate with reputable media to present your side of the story and counter the false narrative. Give interviews, press releases and other materials to ensure accurate coverage.
- Monitoring your online presence: Constantly monitor social media and online platforms for signs of black propaganda. Respond quickly to false statements or rumors to prevent them from spreading further.
- Legal measures: If black propaganda goes beyond legal boundaries, consult legal experts and consider taking appropriate legal action against the perpetrators.
- Educating the public: Raise awareness of black propaganda and its harmful impact on society. Educate the public about the importance of critical thinking and fact-checking before believing and sharing information.
- Building a positive reputation: Focus on building a strong and positive reputation through ethical business practices, community involvement and transparent communication. Show practical experience by solving problems and contributing to the development of society.
- Support from clients and partners: Gain support from your clients, partners and third-party organizations that know your true nature and ethical approach. Their active support can help counter black propaganda.
- Working with authorities and law enforcement: Cooperate with authorities and law enforcement if black propaganda has legal consequences. Turn to the competent bodies and prove your innocence through official channels.
- Professional PR and crisis management: Involve PR and crisis management professionals to run an effective communication campaign against black propaganda. They will help develop a response strategy and tactics.
- Control over the situation: Direct your efforts toward controlling the situation and influencing how events unfold. Collect data on the spread of black propaganda, analyze its impact and respond promptly.
- Engaging the public: Reach out to the public, share truthful facts and evidence with them, and draw attention to the negative impact of black propaganda. Public support can become an important part of the fight against disinformation.
- Don’t react to every provocation: Don’t fall into the trap of reacting to every negative remark or accusation. Choose your battles and respond only to those black propaganda campaigns that can seriously harm your reputation.
Overall, the essence of dealing with black propaganda is, on the one hand, to refute gossip (with a view to protecting business reputation not only from the legal side), and on the other hand, to provide information about how things really are.
Fighting black propaganda requires a strategic and comprehensive approach that includes active communication, factual refutation, legal action, public engagement and support from partners. These steps will help protect your reputation and handle the spread of disinformation responsibly.
Why Staying Silent During an Attack Is a Mistake
Staying silent and waiting during an attack is the wrong strategy.
The scale of the response depends on the situation. For example, if propaganda is spreading with great intensity, the response must be clear, well-calibrated and powerful, involving the media. If the propaganda is small-scale, it is not worth paying too much attention to it. For example, as in this case: a small hotspot of propaganda appeared, and for it, a text like this in an educational format on a Facebook page and in the blog is enough. If the scale were larger, the response should be symmetrical. The main thing here is not to overdo it.
Why Aladdin-Print Became the Target
Why did the author of the article choose Aladdin-Print as the producer of the leaflets and billboards?
It’s simple: Aladdin-Print is a leading and well-known urgent print run printing house in Kharkiv that everyone knows. And to look like an expert, the author added 3 more entities that most likely have nothing to do with printing.
At Aladdin, we periodically face such attacks and have some experience in fighting black PR, which we share with you. I think this article has given some understanding of the methods of fighting black PR, and I hope none of the readers will ever have to face such situations.
Andrian Nitsenko, owner of Aladdin-Print.
FAQ
What is black propaganda?
Black propaganda is deliberate defamation and lies directed against a person, company, political force or state. Its goal is to discredit a business reputation and dehumanize the opponent in the eyes of the public.
How can you recognize black propaganda?
The main sign is loud accusations without evidence. Such texts contain no specific names, documents, photos or videos, or criminal case numbers, and the wording is as general as possible. To make the lie convincing, a pinch of truth unrelated to the matter may be added.
What should a business do if it is hit by black PR?
Don’t stay silent. First refute the false claims, then give the public complete and reliable information. The scale of the response should match the scale of the attack, and if needed, involve lawyers, the media and crisis PR specialists.
