Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt

As Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (English for fear, uncertainty and doubt), usually abbreviated as FUD, an advertising or communications strategy is called, which serves the targeted control of a (usually economic or political ) competitors, especially when this date has a good image. Also for commenting on intimidation by companies, associations or government authorities, the formula will be used.

Is said to have coined this term Gene Amdahl after he left IBM to found his own company, Amdahl Corporation. He is said to have then said about IBM sales representative, be it fear, uncertainty and doubt they are mediated Amdahl potential customers.

Target

The goal is the information receiver (for example, customers, voters ) that fear, uncertainty and doubt over a competitor or its products cause ( propaganda ). This makes use of that anxiety in humans are irrational justified and even demonstrably false information may lead to uncertainties.

Procedure

It makes use of targeted, but rather subtle and subliminal disinformation, for example in press releases. About this apparently neutral sources ( "Third Party Strategy" ) are often distributed, their connection to the actual creator is not immediately apparent.

Scaremongering or misinformation which prohibit certain actions also belongs to the realm of FUD. Here are its competitor is the victim, the information recipient only means to an end. So sometimes items are announced too early, only to customers from buying competitors hold ( vaporware ).

Proponents of open content have occasionally alleged copyright holders, but famous is the special rights, according to intimidate users through a FUD strategy and discourage the use of free itself works.

Also in the Litigation FUD means can be used, especially in conjunction with high amounts in dispute and inexperienced opponents. Here form information receiver and sacrifice a unit, such as a warning wave against private operators of websites.

Defense

A possible defense against all of these types of attacks is the publication of the facts by the victim.

In German the names Hetz or smear campaign the importance of FUD come close and is classified in the business sector as unfair competition.

Documentary

The Swiss entrepreneur and programmer Michael Wechner turned 2005 a documentary entitled " FUD - Fear Uncertainty Doubt" in which a mood of open source scene is drawn on the example of the Apache Group.