Ever since the 2018 election, fake news has been catapulted into the spotlight as one of the biggest issues in society today. Hackers spread false information on social media and exposed the vulnerability of our information sharing systems. But marketers use these same systems to promote their own messages. So, who determines when these systems are used for harm versus good? What balance is necessary to protect user needs while promoting a service, business or belief?

Follow along the analysis to learn how Rand Walztman defined the weaponization of information and what enables it. Learn how access to big data, user targeting and the ability to communicate to the masses sets the perfect stage for this manipulation. Then, explore my own questioning of this definition and why marketers need to create their own ethical standards for the information they promote.