The Liar's Dividend: How Disinformation Erodes Trust and Shields Deceit

The liar’s dividend is a growing social phenomenon in which individuals exploit public awareness of disinformation and deepfakes to dismiss real evidence as fake, thereby avoiding accountability. This article critically examines the liar’s dividend through the lens of media and communication theory, exploring how it undermines public trust, corrodes democratic discourse, and empowers political actors to weaponise doubt. Drawing on interdisciplinary, evidence-based research from media studies, law, psychology, and global policy, we analyse how emerging technologies like generative AI contribute to this phenomenon and what can be done to counter it. The article calls for a coordinated response (combining authentication tools, legal reform, and widespread media literacy) to uphold shared reality and strengthen democratic institutions.