Pre-bunking is proactive messaging that warns people about likely false narratives before they appear at scale. Instead of waiting to debunk a rumor after it spreads, defenders explain the tactics, themes, and emotional tricks an attacker is likely to use. The goal is to make audiences more skeptical of manipulative content and better able to spot it quickly.
In cyber security, pre-bunking matters because many influence operations do not need to break into a network; they only need to shape what users believe. It is used in election defense, phishing awareness, and crisis communications, where fast-moving falsehoods can create confusion or panic. Effective pre-bunking can include short alerts, examples of common fake claims, and guidance on verifying official channels, helping reduce the impact of synthetic media, impersonation, and coordinated disinformation.