The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a new graphic novel on National Superhero Day, but its superhero might not possess your typical superpowers. The fictional story Bug Bytes intends to educate the public on the dangers of dis- and misinformation campaigns, with cybersecurity and journalism skills saving the day.
Bug Bytes is the second graphic novel in CISA’s Resilience Series and tells the story of Ava Williams, a journalism graduate student who uncovers a disinformation campaign targeting the United States’ 5G critical communications infrastructure.
Williams finds a few allies along the way in her race to stop the dangerous spread of lies online regarding 5G and the COVID-19 vaccine. She works to help the public understand that although people may disagree on political, social, and economic issues – there is no place for disinformation online.
“Disinformation campaigns are a direct threat to our democracy and impact each and every one of us,” said CISA Acting Director Brandon Wales in a press release. “The Resilience Series is another way we raise awareness of the dangers and risks associated with the spread of false information online meant to disrupt our way of life and sow discord in our communities. You don’t have to be a superhero to stop the spread of disinformation, but as these graphic novels show, we all have a role to play.”
CISA released the first graphic novel in the Resilience Series, Real Fake, during the election cycle in October 2020. This story was used to combat misinformation about the election and show how cyber threat actors can undermine public confidence.
The Resilience Series allows CISA to tell fictional stories inspired by real-world events to raise awareness for the dangers and risks associated with mis-, dis-, and malinformation campaigns. CISA encourages everyone to practice media literacy to limit the effect of disinformation and to check out its new graphic novel here.
