On February 4, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) “abruptly” terminated operations of the CIA World Factbook, which provided political and military information on the countries of the world.
The CIA vaguely cited the move as representing “progress,” and that its core mission changed.
In 1975, the Factbook would become free to the public, having already been classified four years prior, providing readers with basic intelligence in one place. Up until its termination, it was widely used by students and researchers as a credible reference. It also had soft power use, showcasing the military information of the Soviet Union and other enemies, which demonstrated American intelligence capabilities. Foreign political actors could be boosted or degraded depending on their portrayal, or lack thereof, in the Factbook.
The Factbook was shut down during an age of rampant disinformation and misinformation, being driven by artificial intelligence (AI), social media, and the foreign intelligence of America’s adversaries.
