What We’re Doing About Disinformation
A healthy democracy requires conversation. We need to be able to discuss the problems that affect our lives in order to find solutions to them. Unfortunately, we are all being targeted with disinformation that’s designed to mislead us and make us unsure of what’s real. This is especially relevant on social media, where we know bad info abounds. As doctored photos and videos become more common, it’s getting even harder to tell what’s real. This is alarming—how are we all supposed to discern truth from fiction?
At Galvanize USA, we help our members separate out the truth from the lies every day. Our community loves sharing articles about current events and providing quality sources is baked right into the group rules. It’s also an intentional and thriving part of our culture! Members often remind each other to provide sources, challenge biased articles, and even gently hold the whole group accountable.
“We are all overwhelmed with the rise of fake news, misleading sources, satirical content, clickbait, and alternative facts on social networks and MSM. We need to work together to Keep. It. Out. of this group. We need to NOT amplify disinformation or misinformation. We need to NOT elevate conspiracies and falsehoods. We need to do better and CALL IT OUT when we see it in our group.”
Gals Together Michigan Member
Our incredible moderators help keep this culture alive by setting a good example and giving members the tools they need to thrive. The research-based training Galvanize USA provides prepares moderators to help evaluate information, resolve disputes, and keep the community on the right track. They call members in—not out—with grace and help them learn to evaluate sources even better. Our moderators use the Media Bias Chart™ from AllSides to help members investigate individual sources, but also to encourage them to always be critical of where they get their news.
Galvanize USA also develops our own research-based resources, like the cheat sheet below, to help one another determine whether sources are trustworthy and worthy of being shared with the group.
Our research tells us that there’s a lot of disinformation flying around online, especially on Facebook and in other Facebook groups. Galvanize USA is here to help guard against these pitfalls as community members grow together, share resources, and ultimately build up their civic knowledge and power. We’re using social media for good, and together, we’re strengthening our capacity to think critically, spot fakes, and call out disinformation when we see it.
