Well before the COVID-19 global pandemic, long before Russian misinformation efforts, long before Donald Trump, anyone working in development or relief efforts, or working in government organizations, needed to be acutely aware of the power of rumor and myth-sharing, and to be prepared to prevent and to counter such. Unfortunately, too many programs ignored this as a priority over the years, or if they acknowledged there was a problem, thought a simple, quick approach and lots of facts would counter the problem.
These web pages are an 11-part guide on preventing folklore,
rumors (or rumours), urban myths and organized misinformation
campaigns from interfering with development & aid/relief
efforts, and government initiatives regarding public health,
the environment, etc. It offers no simple solutions.
I no longer update this section of my web site. I stopped
updating this section in early 2023. I spent more than 20 years
researching and writing about misinformation campaigns meant to
derail community health initiatives. I've stopped that research,
because I'm semi-retired, I'm unfunded for this work, and quite
frankly, I'm overwhelmed with the onslaught of misinformation
now. As someone who has been watching this since the early days
of Internet mainstreaming - whose early materials talked about
how fax machines were used to spread misinformation - I am
utterly overpowered.
This guide is an effort to help those aid, development and government workers
This guide features methods I've seen reported as being effective in preventing and countering rumors and myth from interfering with development or relief activities, or government initiatives, as well as activities I've undertaken myself. However, please note that this is not a comprehensive list of every strategy (I'm sure there are more out there), nor are all of these communications activities appropriate for every development/aid or government effort in any part of the world. Also, many of these activities should happen simultaneously and continuously.
I have broken up each section into its own page to make it more accessible for all readers. Also, on another page, I list situations where rumors, myth-spreading and misinformation campaigns have interfered with development, aid or relief efforts, including post disaster situations, and government initiatives - including elections. The consequences of such have sometimes been dire - and have included people being murdered.
Based on my experience as a researcher and practitioner, and everything I've read (and I read a LOT on this subject), rumors and misinformation that interfere with development and aid/relief efforts and government initiatives get their fuel from:
It is that last reason, the desire of an individual or
community to believe an alternative narrative, a desire that
is stronger than the facts, that is the hardest to
overcome, and the one that organized misinformation campaigns
exploit the most - and that's why I have highlighted it in
this guide. Some research has shown that conspiracy theories,
rumors and alternative media sources are shared much, much more often
on Facebook than mainstream news sources, and it's fueled by
this strong desire by many to believe in an alternative
narrative despite facts. And when a person feels part of a
community or a movement that is "standing up" to authority, an
opinion or position can feel brave.
Part of establishing credibility before misinformation breaks
out is ensure information on your program's web site and other
online information are accurate and up-to-date. This should be
true of the web sites of partner programs as well. Your social
media accounts should be active as well - if you haven't
posted in a year, and then suddenly start posting in order to
try to counter misinformation, it can actually fuel more
rumors and myths. Misinformation, lack of information and lack
of activity on your web site and social media accounts can
fuel the spread of misinformation. And during a public health
crisis, that may mean updating your online communications,
including your web site, every day, maybe even every hour.
If your program is actively working to counter misinformation, say so, openly, publicly, and say how you are doing it. Provide opportunities for the public to see the activity, either firsthand or on TV, in a way that allows them to see and understand whatever process or activity is being undertaken. Talk openly and repeatedly about you are trying to do, via media interviews or your own video on YouTube.
Partner with researchers and media outlets to detail and
publish information about deliberate attempts to promote
misinformation and sow discord. For instance, this commentator
specializes in secession
movements within the U.S. that, sometimes unknowingly, are
supported by foreign players. Local newspapers and radio
outlets, as well as major regional and national media, may be
happy to do a story specifically about misinformation efforts
in a particular region, provided you can give them all of the
information they need to verify that such is happening.
Nothing recommended in any section of this
guide will work in addressing rumors, myths, misinformation,
fake news, etc., unless your initiative has built trust and
credibility with other organizations, the press and the
general public. If those audiences don't trust the staff at
your initiative already and don't see your staff as a credible
sources of information, all of your outreach efforts to try to
counter misinformation are going to fail. This section of the guide is at
the heard of this entire guide. In addition, teaching
critical thinking in schools and to adult groups in formal
learning environments is a proven inoculation against
conspiracy theories.
People often make the choice of what to believe based on what
their gut tells them, what their emotion tells them, rather
than facts, because emotions are so powerful and so real. In
addition, humans have natural tendency to resist correction -
no one likes to find out that they are wrong, especially about
something to which they have had a strong emotional reaction.
Simply countering disinformation with credible, truthful
information, however diligently, often isn't enough. Understanding the psychology of
misinformation is essential in creating strategies to
counter it.
Informal interpersonal sources of information play a HUGE
role in communications delivery all over the world, whether in
a low-literacy village in a developing country or a large
urban area in an emerging economy or a "fully developed"
Western-style democracy. Interpersonal communications can both
promote AND counter rumors and myth and, therefore, must be
kept in mind when launching any communications strategy -- or
counter strategy -- regarding a development or aid activity.
Therefore, ALL staff must be
trained and supported as a part of communications about
your initiative, particularly in addressing misinformation.
Communications plans based solely on facts and statistics
fail in countering misinformation, because people don't reason
with and respond to pure facts and logic alone. Appealing to
people's emotions can be an effective way to counter
misinformation. If you appeal to someone in a way that will
reinforce what they identify as - a religious person, a
mother, the head of the household, a farmer, a person that
values practical experience over formal training, an
environmentalist, a conservative, a patriot, a member of a
particular tribe, etc. - you have a better chance of engaging
them successfully with your messaging. This section of the guide talks
about how to craft fact-based messages that appeal to
emotions.
Other sections of this guide talked a lot about informal
communications methods. But it's also important to create and use traditional,
strategic campaigns and communications tools, including
radio public service announcements, billboards, official
social media messages, displays at sporting events and more.
There are numerous ways to monitor media so you know when
videos, text messages, social media messages, memes or offline
conversations are spreading misinformation. This section talks
about how to do that diligently and ethically.
The previous sections provide a great deal of information
about how to prevent and address misinformation from
interfering with aid, relief and development efforts,
including public health initiatives. This section of the guide
provides examples of what applying these suggestions really
looks like on-the-ground.
What if you need to respond within hours of misinformation
breaking out, in order to prevent panic that can lead to
rioting, looting and fear-driven crime? Don't wait for this to
happen and then try to establish good relationships with local
officials, the press, formal and informal leaders, etc. - by
then, it's too late.
There are a lot more resources beside the guide you are
reading now to help address misinformation.
In my opinion, the four lessons that all of the activities in this guide reinforce altogether is:
Also, please note that the suggestions in this guide are no
substitution for reading in-depth about rumor
and myth interfering with development efforts, and reading
studies and reports about the psychology around public health
campaigns and the like. Reading this guide won't make you an
expert. But the reality is that communications specialists in
humanitarian activities, international development,
post-disaster response, public health and government affairs
MUST become experts in addressing and preventing myths,
rumors, misinformation and "fake news" from derailing their
efforts.
I'm not interested in just urban legends but, specifically misinformation that interferes with relief or development efforts, or government initiatives, including after disasters or conflict. Stories about misinformation regarding public health issues are also welcomed (please make sure I don't already talk about what you are sharing on my pages). And most especially, I'm interested in ways that such misinformation has been countered successfully - I would like to greatly expand the section of my guide on what these suggestions look like in practice. If you have related information or examples, please contact me.
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