Mal-information is deliberate publication of private information about a person or company for personal gain, or making a deliberate change to the context, date, or timing of genuine content. Mal-information is based on the truth but is used to harm a person, organization, or a country. Compared to disinformation and misinformation, mal-information is the use of genuine not false information to cause harm, by moving information intended to stay private in the public sphere. Leaks, harassment or hate speech are examples of mal-information. During the 2017 presidential campaign in France, the private e-mail of Emmanuel Macron was leaked on the Friday before the vote on 7 May. The information was real, and by releasing private information into the public sphere, the leak was designed to cause maximum harm to Macron. Individuals are often targeted because of their personal history, affiliations or religion, using photo leaks, mail-leaks etc. Harassment and hate speech often the modus operandi. But mal-information can also target a bigger group, or even a country. For example, someone might use a picture of a dead child refugee to ignite hatred of an ethnic group they are against.
