Countering Disinformation and Misinformation

Americans, especially in disenfranchised communities, are constantly bombarded with lies and misleading information about our election system, public policies, and government actions. These falsehoods fuel attacks on voting rights and sow distrust in our democratic processes.

False narratives about our democracy continue to spread and require countering with trusted, factual information that does not repeat the falsehoods. Until we address the underlying narrative that is driving these falsehoods, we will continue to see attacks on voting rights and disinformation seeking to sow distrust in our election system and limit voter participation.

How Do We Combat Disinformation And Misinformation?

Never quote the bad information. This only helps to spread the bad messages wider, and studies show that repeating bad info -- even to debunk it -- makes people more likely to remember the bad info and not your good info.

Refer to the bad information without repeating it. Say, “Some bad actors are making false claims about the legitimacy of the 2020 election,” rather than, “Rep. XYZ says that thousands of ballots were stuffed at the election office. This isn’t true.”

Focus on providing the correct information and, if possible, include trustworthy sources for where to learn more.

Inoculation messaging: Think of GOOD information like a vaccine! You want to proactively inoculate against anticipated problematic content before it spreads.

The method of showing “myth” vs. “fact” only spreads the “myth” further. Find ways to call out the bad information without repeating it.

Want to know more about the media's role in presenting information? Visit the Interactive Media Bias Chart produced by Ad Fontes Media.