Introduction: The Disinformation Dilemma and the 2024 Election
The 21st century presents a paradox: despite unprecedented access to information, the public is not necessarily better informed. The decline of traditional news, the rise of inflammatory content online, and the ease of creating and disseminating disinformation, particularly with AI tools, contribute to this problem. The 2024 presidential election highlighted these challenges, with disinformation campaigns ranging from AI-generated robocalls to false claims about social issues. Xenophobia, transphobia, and racism further complicated the landscape, intertwining prejudice with perceptions of truth. Simultaneously, social media platforms scaled back content moderation, and legal pressures hampered counter-disinformation research, demanding innovative solutions.
PEN America’s Localized Approach: Empowering Communities Against Disinformation
PEN America’s Disinformation and Community Engagement (DCE) program addressed this challenge by focusing on local initiatives. Recognizing that disinformation is a global problem requiring localized solutions, the program piloted interventions in Miami, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Phoenix. These rapidly growing, diverse Sunbelt cities served as bellwethers for understanding how disinformation operates and how communities react to counter-programming. The program aimed to distribute trustworthy information, amplify local perspectives on disinformation’s impact, and cultivate critical information consumption skills. While nonpartisan, the program acknowledged the highly polarized political climate surrounding the 2024 election and the frequent weaponization of the term "disinformation" itself.
The Post-Election Landscape: Disinformation’s Enduring Power and the Need for Resilience
The demand for disinformation persists even after the 2024 election. Deceptive information is increasingly used to advance political agendas, with false claims surrounding government programs and spending. This trend necessitates greater public resilience to disinformation, especially as misleading information emanates not only from known sources but also from institutions traditionally considered authoritative. The question of trustworthiness becomes complex, particularly for historically marginalized communities whose experiences with mainstream media have been mixed. Counter-disinformation efforts must address both overt disinformation and unconscious biases that perpetuate systemic inequities, particularly as attacks on vulnerable communities escalate.
PEN America’s Multi-pronged Strategy: Trusted Messengers, Subgrants, and Webinars
PEN America’s DCE program employed three key activities: a "trusted messengers" initiative, subgrants to regional counter-disinformation projects, and instructional webinars. The trusted messengers initiative trained individuals to engage in difficult conversations about news consumption within their personal networks, leveraging interpersonal trust to combat disinformation. Subgrants supported regional nonprofits in piloting and scaling counter-disinformation projects tailored to their communities. Webinars provided training on topics like cognitive bias, fact-checking, and the influence of social media influencers, incorporating expert perspectives from the target regions.
Trusted Messengers: Harnessing Interpersonal Trust to Combat Disinformation
Recognizing that people trust friends and family more than other information sources, the trusted messengers initiative sought to leverage this trust to build resilience against disinformation. Workshops trained individuals to engage in conversations with loved ones who may be susceptible to disinformation, particularly those relying on limited news sources. The training focused on understanding how disinformation spreads, navigating difficult conversations, and encouraging broader news consumption. Evaluation showed increased confidence among participants in approaching these conversations, and anecdotal evidence suggests these conversations reached a substantial number of individuals. The initiative highlighted the importance of issue-based organizations, public libraries, and civic groups in filling information gaps and the need for tailoring programs to local contexts.
Regional Subgrants: Empowering Local Organizations to Tackle Disinformation
PEN America awarded subgrants to Factchequeado (Miami), the Texas Tribune (Dallas–Fort Worth), and Conecta Arizona (Phoenix) to support regional counter-disinformation initiatives. Factchequeado, a Spanish-language nonprofit, focused on fact-checking and media literacy resources for Latino and Hispanic communities, developing a WhatsApp media literacy course and hosting events for journalists and community leaders. The Texas Tribune, a statewide news organization, provided voting information through text messaging, chatbots, printed guides, and community events. Conecta Arizona, a Phoenix-based nonprofit, utilized WhatsApp conversations ("cafecitos") to facilitate community discussions and connect individuals with subject matter experts. These subgrants demonstrated the value of empowering local organizations with established credibility and cultural competency.
Instructional Webinars: Broadening Reach and Deepening Understanding
PEN America’s disinformation resilience webinars offered online training on a range of topics, reaching a wider audience than in-person events. The webinars combined instructional content with panel discussions featuring local experts, providing both practical skills and nuanced perspectives. Topics included cognitive biases, fact-checking, election disinformation, and the influence of social media influencers. Survey data indicated high levels of learning and behavioral change intentions among participants. The webinars offered accessibility, cross-regional learning, and enduring value through recordings posted online. They also identified areas for future programming, such as prebunking and debunking strategies, media monitoring, and the impact of algorithms and AI.
Conclusion: Fostering Resilience and Empowering Communities in the Ongoing Fight Against Disinformation
PEN America’s DCE program demonstrated the effectiveness of a multi-faceted, community-focused approach to combating disinformation. By empowering trusted messengers, supporting regional organizations, and providing accessible online training, the program reached thousands of individuals and produced valuable resources. While acknowledging the ongoing challenge of disinformation, particularly its increasing use as a political strategy, the program emphasized the importance of building public resilience and supporting free expression. The program’s success suggests that investing in localized initiatives, tailored to specific communities and leveraging interpersonal trust, can significantly enhance the fight against disinformation and promote informed democratic discourse.
Closing: The Continuing Need for Counter-Disinformation Efforts
The DCE program provided valuable data and insights into effective counter-disinformation strategies. The persistence of disinformation as a tool for political manipulation underscores the need for continued investment in this area. Programs that empower individuals and communities to critically evaluate information and resist manipulation are essential for upholding democratic values. PEN America encourages other organizations to build on the DCE program’s learnings and develop their own initiatives to foster resilience against disinformation within their communities.
