Typology of Informational Control Mechanisms

The note brings six mechanisms of informational control described in works of the MBM series into a single typology. Five mechanisms — parasitoid control, propaganda, advertising, algorithms, gaslighting — are described in "Informational Control: From Parasitoids to Propaganda" v1.6. The sixth — control through form — was introduced in "Control Through Form" v1.1. The note does not introduce new mechanisms; it builds a map of what has already been described. Six mechanisms are brought into a single table according to four parameters. Parameter 0 — level of matter: parasitoid control acts at F2 (biological matter); the other five — at F3 (civilizational matter). Parameter 1 — what the mechanism works with: behavioral program (parasitoid control), content (propaganda, advertising, algorithms, gaslighting), form (control through form). Parameter 2 — type of influence: overwriting, replacement, formation, selection, destruction, narrowing. Parameter 3 — visibility: invisible to the host, visible, partially visible, hidden, invisible. It is shown that the parameters are not orthogonal: they correlate and describe a single structure — the depth of influence. The lower the visibility, the deeper the influence: from overwriting a biological program (parasitoid control, F2) through replacement of content (visible propaganda, F3) to narrowing the field of the possible (invisible control through form, F3). A connection is established with the metrics of the series: SQ, HII, IDC, disinformology. The five mechanisms of F3 are partially covered; parasitoid control (F2) is connected to them more weakly; control through form is not covered by any. This is a gap. Open questions are formulated: is a seventh mechanism possible, is a unified metric needed, how to analyze combinations, are transitions between levels possible. The typology does not claim completeness. Version 1.4. License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-10-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23456260
Primary Topic
Misinformation and Its Impacts
Type
preprint
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Typology of Informational Control Mechanisms

Alexander Yourievitch Kotelnikov
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Misinformation and Its Impacts
preprint

Typology of Informational Control Mechanisms

Alexander Yourievitch Kotelnikov
preprint en

Abstract

The note brings six mechanisms of informational control described in works of the MBM series into a single typology. Five mechanisms — parasitoid control, propaganda, advertising, algorithms, gaslighting — are described in "Informational Control: From Parasitoids to Propaganda" v1.6. The sixth — control through form — was introduced in "Control Through Form" v1.1. The note does not introduce new mechanisms; it builds a map of what has already been described. Six mechanisms are brought into a single table according to four parameters. Parameter 0 — level of matter: parasitoid control acts at F2 (biological matter); the other five — at F3 (civilizational matter). Parameter 1 — what the mechanism works with: behavioral program (parasitoid control), content (propaganda, advertising, algorithms, gaslighting), form (control through form). Parameter 2 — type of influence: overwriting, replacement, formation, selection, destruction, narrowing. Parameter 3 — visibility: invisible to the host, visible, partially visible, hidden, invisible. It is shown that the parameters are not orthogonal: they correlate and describe a single structure — the depth of influence. The lower the visibility, the deeper the influence: from overwriting a biological program (parasitoid control, F2) through replacement of content (visible propaganda, F3) to narrowing the field of the possible (invisible control through form, F3). A connection is established with the metrics of the series: SQ, HII, IDC, disinformology. The five mechanisms of F3 are partially covered; parasitoid control (F2) is connected to them more weakly; control through form is not covered by any. This is a gap. Open questions are formulated: is a seventh mechanism possible, is a unified metric needed, how to analyze combinations, are transitions between levels possible. The typology does not claim completeness. Version 1.4. License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Misinformation and Its Impacts
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