Summary of the presentations and discussions on "Supporting the target audiences of disinformation campaigns" from the June 2021 GFMD IMPACT donor-practitioner-academic meeting on disinformation.
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"Aimed at improving citizens' media literacy and promoting critical thinking and verification in the context of online information consumption, as well as journalist training and tools aimed at helping journalists with fact-checking, verification, and debunking." (Source: )
Dennis Reineck, when presenting DW Akademie’s (Oct 2020) noted that their “strongest recommendation is to focus on critical attitudes and critical reflection particularly political disinformation and also look at the motivation and agenda behind this information”.
The research also recommends having MIL on the curriculum and running dedicated youth campaigns.
Challenge: The issue of reaching target audiences using local dialects/languages and platforms were also discussed, with many concerned that fact-checking and media literacy campaigns were not reaching the most vulnerable audiences.
Many participants emphasised the need for services to use a media literacy approach to target the most vulnerable and polarised communities on a micro-scale using trusted local leaders.
This was reinforced by the which found that discussions between audiences and experts were seen as significant in countering disinformation.
The following responses were not discussed at length during the meeting but will be addressed in future GFMD IMPACT meetings.
Dennis Reineck talks about DW Akademie’s (Oct 2020) . For background on the methodology, approach and guiding principles see:
This research by Media Matters for Democracy - Pakistan -- -- includes a survey of 546 journalists along with in-depth interviews of 10 senior reporters and editors in national and international newsrooms based in Pakistan.
Carried out on international, regional and local levels involving public condemnation of acts of disinformation or recommendations and resolutions aimed at thwarting these acts and sensitising the public to the issues. Impacting production and distribution mechanisms. (Source: )
Efforts around building content verification tools and web content indicators for a range of locations in the production and distribution chain, in order to empower citizens and journalists to not fall prey to online disinformation. (Source: )
