A combination of the words “
lie” and “inflation.” “Lieflation” in any given context, refers to the dishonesty of an individual, group,
system, or process, of which the reported facts and figures expand or minimize in size,
scope, or depth despite a lack of definitive change in the original factually reported information.
The term refers to the expansion of a
lie’s scope, but can also refer to the minimization of the perpetrator’s
lie. Lieflation is a manipulation tactic used by dishonest actors who seek to inflate or deflate figures in order to cater or gaslight others who do not have readily available facts or figures to counter such disinformation. Perpetrators of lieflation carry out the practice as a means to
trick, obfuscate, and confuse other parties. The practice is a means to increase or decrease standing. Generally, the practice of lieflation can be detected when a figure or statistic sounds too large or
small within normal context about the topic at
hand. Outlandish claims or figures about information are usually an indicator of lieflation, and usually seem “too
good to be
true.” Lieflation can be disproven when the misinformation is referred back to the source of the original figures. Victims of this practice tend to be low-information individuals or groups, who may not have readily available figures on
hand in order to counter the manipulation.
Person One: Did you hear our
local politician talking about how much
money that new dam would cost again?
Person Two: A year ago, they said it would be forty million. What is the number now?
Person One: The politician said it would now cost over one-hundred million.
Person Two: Well the
local news agency got a response back from the engineering firm working on it, and the filed documents still say forty.
Person One: If it’s still forty million, why would the politician say over one-hundred million?
Person Two: It’s “lieflation.” They’re not being honest about the numbers because the politician can scrap the project and bring in one of their friend’s firms.