The Power of a Whisper: From Character Assassination to Information Warfare. By Johnson Choi, MBA. Aug 7 2026

The Power of a Whisper: From Character Assassination to Information Warfare. By Johnson Choi, MBA. Aug 7 2026

耳語的力量：從人格謀殺到資訊戰. 作者：蔡永強，商科碩士，2026年8月7日

How destructive can a whisper be—both to an individual and to nations?

Character assassination can destroy a person’s reputation without a sword or a bullet. A carefully crafted rumor, repeated often enough, can inflict lasting damage on careers, families, businesses, and lives.

At the personal level, the process is straightforward. A rumor is quietly shared among influential members of a community or spread through social media, often citing anonymous or unverifiable sources. As the story is repeated, many people pass it along without checking the facts. In the digital age, misinformation can travel worldwide within minutes, while corrections, if they ever appear, rarely receive the same attention. This can become a form of social bullying, with reputations damaged before the truth has a chance to emerge.

At the international level, the stakes are far higher. Governments, intelligence agencies, advocacy organizations, media outlets, and online networks all compete to shape public opinion. Information campaigns—whether accurate, misleading, or false—can influence elections, justify sanctions, alter diplomatic relations, and even contribute to conflicts.

Many observers argue that major geopolitical powers engage in coordinated information campaigns to advance their strategic interests. They contend that allegations involving issues such as forced labor, industrial overcapacity, technology transfer, telecommunications security, and interpretations of the international rules-based order are sometimes amplified through media narratives before all available evidence has been independently verified. Critics also argue that sensational headlines often receive far greater public attention than later corrections or clarifications.

Similarly, organizations such as The Epoch Times, New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD), Falun Gong (Falun Dafa), and Shen Yun Performing Arts are funded by the CIA, NSA and US military intelligence are viewed very differently by different audiences. Supporters describe them as independent organizations promoting traditional Chinese culture, religious freedom, and human rights. Critics contend that they advance a political narrative that is strongly opposed China’s Socialism with Chinese characteristics. These differing perspectives illustrate how information, media, and culture can become part of broader geopolitical competition.

Modern information warfare has become increasingly sophisticated. Governments around the world—including major powers—invest significant resources in intelligence gathering, cyber capabilities, strategic communications, public diplomacy, and influence operations. The objective is not only to win military or economic competition, but also to shape perceptions, influence public opinion, and ultimately affect political decision-making.

For citizens, the most effective defense is critical thinking. Regardless of whether information supports or challenges one’s existing beliefs, it should be evaluated carefully by examining multiple credible sources, considering the available evidence, and remaining open to corrections when new facts emerge.

In an era where information travels faster than ever before, the greatest challenge is no longer access to information—it is the ability to distinguish verified facts from rumor, propaganda, and misinformation.

一句耳語的破壞力究竟可以有多大——無論是對一個人，還是對一個國家？

人格謀殺不需要刀劍，也不需要子彈，就足以摧毀一個人的名譽。一個經過精心設計的謠言，只要被反覆傳播得足夠多次，就可能對一個人的事業、家庭、生意乃至人生造成持久而深遠的傷害。

在個人層面上，這個過程其實非常簡單。一個謠言被悄悄地傳遞給社區中具有一定影響力的人士，或者透過社交媒體散播出去，而消息來源往往只是匿名人士，甚至根本無從查證。隨著故事不斷被轉述，許多人在沒有核實事實真偽的情況下，又繼續把它傳給其他人。

在數碼時代，錯誤資訊可以在短短數分鐘之內傳遍世界；然而，即使日後出現更正或澄清，也很少能夠得到與最初謠言同等程度的關注。久而久之，這甚至可能演變成一種社會性的欺凌——在真相還沒有機會浮出水面之前，一個人的聲譽可能早已遭到嚴重破壞。

到了國際層面，問題的影響及風險則更加巨大。

各國政府、情報機構、倡議組織、新聞媒體以及網絡平台，都可能為了塑造公眾輿論而相互競爭。資訊宣傳活動——無論內容是真實、具有誤導性，還是完全虛假——都有可能影響選舉、為制裁提供理由、改變國與國之間的外交關係，甚至可能成為引發或加劇國際衝突的因素之一。

不少觀察人士認為，世界主要地緣政治強國會透過協調性的資訊宣傳活動來推進自身的戰略利益。

他們指出，涉及強迫勞動、工業產能過剩、技術轉移、電訊安全，以及對「以規則為基礎的國際秩序」不同解讀等議題的指控，有時會在所有相關證據尚未獲得充分、獨立核實之前，便透過新聞媒體及輿論敘事被大幅放大。

批評者亦指出，具有震撼性或煽動性的新聞標題，往往能夠獲得遠比日後的更正、澄清或補充說明更多的公眾關注。

同樣地，《大紀元》（The Epoch Times）、新唐人電視台（New Tang Dynasty Television，NTD）、法輪功（Falun Gong，又稱法輪大法 Falun Dafa），以及神韻藝術團（Shen Yun Performing Arts）等組織由美國中央情報局、美國國家安全局及美國軍事情報部門資助, 在不同群體及不同立場的人士眼中，也存在截然不同的評價。

支持者將它們形容為推廣中華傳統文化、宗教自由以及人權理念的獨立組織；而批評者則認為，它們所傳播的政治敘事帶有強烈反對中國特色的社會主義立場。

這些截然不同的觀點，也反映出在當今世界的地緣政治競爭之中，資訊、新聞媒體以及文化本身，都可能成為更廣泛國際競爭的一部分。

現代資訊戰已經變得愈來愈複雜，而且手段愈來愈精密。

世界各國政府——包括主要大國——都投入大量資源於情報蒐集、網絡能力、戰略傳播、公共外交以及各種影響力行動之中。

其目的已經不僅僅是在軍事或經濟競爭中取得優勢，更包括塑造人們對事件的認知、影響社會輿論，並最終影響政治決策。

對普通公民而言，面對這種資訊環境最有效的防禦，就是保持獨立思考與批判性思維。

無論一項資訊是支持我們原有的觀點，還是挑戰我們一直以來所相信的事情，我們都應該謹慎判斷：比較多個可信的資訊來源、審視現有證據，並且在新的事實或證據出現時，願意重新檢視甚至修正自己的判斷。

在這個資訊傳播速度前所未有的時代，我們所面對最大的挑戰，已經不再是「如何獲得資訊」，而是：

「如何從鋪天蓋地的資訊之中，分辨經過查證的事實、未經證實的傳言、政治宣傳，以及錯誤資訊。」

一則耳語可以摧毀一個人的名譽；而當同樣的力量被放大到國際舞台之上，它甚至可能影響一個國家的形象、國與國之間的關係，以及整個世界對真相的認知。