Positive Input: Your practical guide to dealing with disinformation

Support for human rights systems and defenders

In the internet age, information travels faster and further than ever before. But so does disinformation, feeding off rumours, prejudices and stereotypes. How can we tackle it? Watch FRA’s practical guide on how to go about tackling disinformation using +INPUT – be positive, identify, narrate, pioneer, unite and track.

Watch our guide on how to tackle disinformation

Watch and share 6 short clips

Transcript

Positive messages of hope have most impact. Being well-informed helps fight prejudice. Don’t repeat false information. Win an audience over early by being positive from the start.

“Shift fear to hope, problem to solution, threat to opportunity.”

Genevieve Säuberli, OHCHR
Identify disinformation early and ask 'who benefits'? Figure out the purpose of disinformation. Define the harm. Who’s behind it? What are they trying to achieve?

“Try to understand WHY someone is spreading disinformation.”

Stéphane M. Grueso, Maldita.es
Narrate powerful, personal, persuasive stories. Use storytelling to deliver complex messages. Build emotional connections with your audience by focusing on people.

“Data alone is not enough. First-hand stories counter us-versus-them narratives.”

Mariantonietta Cortese, Italian Ministry of Labour
Pioneer new ways to reach new audiences. Disinformation is everywhere, so fact-based information has to be everywhere. If your audience uses a particular channel, be there too.

“For messaging, one size NEVER fits all. There's a tsunami of false and misleading information."

Melinda Frost, WHO
Unite your audience. Messengers matter. Form partnerships. Build a diverse community to help share reliable information and reach a broad audience.

“Institutions don't automatically have trust. Work with trusted messengers who work within specific communities.”

Alberto-Horst Neidhardt, European Policy Centre
Track and plan ahead. Try to get in front of the news cycle. Counter disinformation fast. But also think ahead to what’s next. Gather evidence to present your narratives well in advance.

“Analytics help you see when an attack is coming and then make a judgment. Do we respond? How do we respond?”

Peter Pomerantsev, Agora Institute Johns Hopkins University

"Disinformation is about lies intended to harm. Help us to make a difference today by sharing this film."

Michael O'Flaherty, Director, European Union Agency For Fundamental Rights

You can make the diﬀerence today.

Share this film with your networks and continue the discussion to end the epidemic of online disinformation.

Contributors:

ASO Communications, Agora Institute John Hopkins University, Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Article 19, European Commission, WHO, NGO Dzieci Z Dworca Brzesc, OHCHR, Italian Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Labour, European Policy Centre, Maldita.es, mindbridgecenter.org