Abstract
This article delves into the prevalent forms of manipulation employed in quantitative sociological data. The authors highlight how the burgeoning volume of Big Data and the advancement of data processing technologies in the contemporary world have opened up new avenues for information manipulation. This manipulation often involves the active use of propaganda, disinformation, phishing, and other techniques, which exert a significant impact on society. It leads to the distortion of information through the dissemination of false and misleading data, eroding trust in authoritative sources and media outlets. Moreover, it directly impinges upon social stability, misrepresents the true picture of events, and triggers conflicts, social tensions, and mass unrest. The article expounds on the notion that manipulated data obtained from sociological research can be instrumental in crafting a fabricated reality, influencing people's thoughts and behaviors, and consequently, warping public opinion. The study of manipulative technologies has gained particular urgency in the context of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine, which has ignited an accompanying information war. The article also devotes considerable attention to a detailed analysis of sociological theories that comprehensively illuminate the issue of the implementation of data manipulation technologies, including «doublethink», «manufacturing consent», the «spiral of silence», «reality packaging», and the «nudge».
Published Version
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