Double agent facts for kids
A double agent is a secret agent who works for two different countries or groups at the same time. They pretend to spy for one side, but they are actually working for the other side. Imagine someone who is supposed to be a secret agent for Country A, trying to get information from Country B. But Country B finds out about them and convinces them to switch sides. Now, this agent pretends to still work for Country A, but they are secretly sending information back to Country B.
Double agents are very tricky. They might be spies from one country who secretly join another country's spy team. Or, they might be agents who were loyal to one side but were convinced to switch. Sometimes, an agent might be caught by the other side and given a choice: work for them, or face serious consequences. This is how agents can be "turned" into double agents.
These agents are often used to spread false information. This is called disinformation. They might also help find other secret agents working against their new side. The original country often trusts these double agents a lot. This is because the other side will give them some true, but not very useful, information to pass along. This makes the double agent seem trustworthy.
Famous Double Agents
Some people throughout history have been known as double agents. Here are a few examples:
