The NGO, media development and policymaking communities lack a unified vision for tackling disinformation. This session aims to provide that vision.

First, we outline how hostile disinformation works, then we outline solutions that stem from the analysis of the problem.

Problem analysis: Disinfo is designed to make target states weaker by destroying social cohesion – society works when we share narratives, values and truths. Disinformation works by splitting population segments away from these shared narratives.

The solutions therefore break down into 2 categories.

The first is technical and legislative, and involves preventing hostile content from entering the information eco-system.

The second is about strengthening the narratives that disinfo seeks to destroy. This includes media literacy building, as well as rebuilding consensus around democratic, rights and fact-based narratives. This will be the focus of the rest of the session.

Even without disinformation, cohesion around these narratives has been severely weakened by algorithmic distribution and the fact that people are only served content that they’re already interested in. The model works to connect businesses with interested consumers, but it’s been a disaster for the ideas that should be underpinning our societies.

We will share case studies (produced with the help of AI tools) that show how pro-rights media creators can expand traction for their ideas outside their echo chambers by rethinking targeting and content strategy to bring more people with them and rebuild mainstream consensus.

This strategy – to expand mainstream backing for pro-rights and pro-democracy narratives – is what we see as a key component in the fight against disinformation, as well as in securing future progress on human rights.