For the English law definition of deception for the purposes of the deception offences and the Theft Act 1978, see criminal deception.

Deception (or mystification) is to intentionally distort the truth in order to mislead others. Deception is involved in propaganda and game theory (to deceive the opponents). Deception, rather than falsehood, is the essence of the lie. Thus, fiction is not true by definition, but is not taken as a lie or a deception. The reader of fiction has the duty to protect himself from deception. What one believes to be true is not a lie, though not true. Thus, freedom of speech gives the right to express statements that are in fact not true, and which may or may not have the intent to deceive.

In many cases it is difficult, even in hindsight, to distinguish deception by somebody or an organization from providing unintentionally wrong information. One of the reasons is that a person or an entire organization may be self-deceived. Deception is

There are two classes of deception: concealing the truth (dissimulate or gloss over) and exhibiting false information (simulate).

Dissimulation

Dissimulation consist in concealing the truth, like inconvenient or secret information. There are three dissimulation techniques: camouflage (blend into the background), disguise appearance (altering the model) and dazzle (obfuscate the model).

Camouflage

The camouflage of a physical object often works by breaking up the visual boundary of that object. This usually involves colouring the camouflaged object with the the same colours as the background against which the object will be hidden.

See also: glittering generalities and transfer within the techniques of propaganda generation

Example:

• Camouflage as a form of visual deception is an essential part of modern military tactics.

Disguise appearance

A disguise is an appearance to create the impression of being somebody or something else; for a well-known person this is also called incognito.

Example:

• The fictional Sherlock Holmes often diguised himself as somebody
  
  
  
  else to avoid being recognised.

In a more abstract sense, 'disguise' may refer to the act of disguising the nature of a particular proposal in order to hide an unpopular motivation or effect associated with that proposal. This is a form of political spin or propaganda. See also: rationalisation and transfer within the techniques of propaganda generation.

Example:

• Depicting an act of war as a "peace" mission.

Dazzle

See also: distraction by phenomenon within the article Media manipulation

Examples:

• The defensive mechanisms of most octopuses to eject a thick blackish ink in a large cloud to aid in escaping from predators.

Simulation

Simulation consist in exhibiting false information. There are three simulation techniques: mimicry (copying another model), fabricate (making up a new model), attract (offering an alternative model)

Mimicry

In the animal world this is via resemblance of one organism to another, or to a natural object. Animals often attempt to deceive predators or prey by their appearance or behavior.

Fabricate

To make something that in reality is not what it appears to be. For example, in WW2, it was common for allies to use hollow tanks made out of cardboard to fool German recon plans into thinking a large armor unit was on the move in one area while the real tanks were well hidden and on the move in a location far from the fabricated "dummy" tanks.

Attract

To get someone's attention from the truth by offering bait or something else more tempting to divert attention away from the object being concealed. For example, a security company publicy annouces that it will ship a large gold shipment down one route, while in reality take a complety different aleternate route.

See also

• Betrayal
• Communications deception
• Confidence trick
• Deception (evolutionary computation)
• Electronic deception
• Forgery
• Fraud
• Good cop/bad cop
• Hoax
• Lie
• Media manipulation
• Misdirection
• Newspeak
• Phishing
• Propaganda
• Psychological warfare
• Secrecy
• Selectivity
• Spin (public relations)
• Sting operation
• Theft Act 1968
• Theft Act 1978
• List of topics related to public relations and propaganda
• Media transparency

References

• Bruce Schneier, Secrets and Lies

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