In contemporary informational ecosystems, the phenomena of misinformation and
disinformation have become a growing and multifaceted challenge that necessitates
philosophical and scientific scrutiny. With the aim of understanding the nature and impact of
these phenomena, this paper examines their dimension across three main axes: First, the
historical evolution of strategic falsehoods is reconstructed, from Roman propaganda to
Deepfakes in the digital era. Next, by presenting a taxonomy based on intent, content, and
medium, key distinctions between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation are
clarified, addressing the dimensions of the content authenticity spectrum. Third, based on social
epistemology and cognitive psychology, the mechanisms through which false beliefs are
formed and become resistant to correction (such as motivated reasoning, culpable ignorance,
and epistemic injustice) are analyzed to explain the persistence of false beliefs and the enduring
impact effect. Finally, the article addresses the societal consequences of this informational
disorder on democratic deliberation, consensus reality, and trust in expertise. It offers multipronged
suggestions for safeguarding epistemic integrity by combining cognitive virtues,
psychological inoculation, and problem-solving based on information literacy. This analysis
identifies the epistemic crisis caused by disinformation as a threat to the health and
sustainability of society
