Research shows that social media users tend to engage more with extreme content. In turn, social media platforms’ algorithms further boost the salience of these contents. Both people’s behaviour and platforms’ business model thus contribute to polarisation. Unfortunately, both behaviour and algorithms can be “gamed” by our adversaries, who exploit polarisation to undermine our democracies, institutions and alliances.

While Defend Democracy is urging for platforms to be regulated and for collective countermeasures against our adversaries’ hybrid attacks, an underinvested opportunity for tackling information manipulation, disinformation, propaganda, conspiracy theories and other forms of harmful content and behaviour is building civil resilience. Many people are keen to help reduce disinformation and conspiracy theories, but they often don’t know how.

That’s why Defend Democracy launches Act On Disinfo: a series of interactive trainings on how to deal with online information manipulation, disinformation, conspiracy theories, propaganda and other harmful information activities. Defend Democracy is not only working to monitor, analyse and expose information manipulation and foreign interference, we are also experienced digital strategic communication practitioners and happy to share our skills.

Feedback from participants:

“Essential for the uninitiated in disinformation; an enhanced best practice guide for dealing with disinfo.”
“Empowering citizens and journalists; very practical; enriching exchange; excellent trainer.”
“Better understanding of challenges and inspiration for working on solutions.”
“Excellent discussions and a lot of food for thought.”
“Great ideas and energy; insight and connection.”

• Supported by: NATO‘s Public Diplomacy Division
• Started: 1 November 2021
• Status: ongoing. Interested in booking a training for your team or organisation? Get in touch!