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DISINFO DEFENSE LEAGUE

ORGANIZING TO DISRUPT ONLINE RACIALIZED DISINFORMATION

 
 

DDL POLICY PLATFORM

December 2021 – As a network of intersectional organizations fighting disinformation which affects communities of color, DDL is acutely aware of the impact false and misleading narratives have on our communities. Policy and regulatory reforms are necessary to rein in the forces which have brought us here, and to protect against ongoing threats to a mulitracial democracy. Months in the making, the DDL Policy Platform serves as the launching pad for further advocacy and action for the network in 2022. Read more.

Recording of the DDL Policy Platform Launch event

WHAT IS THE DISINFO DEFENSE LEAGUE?

The Disinfo Defense League (DDL) is a distributed national network of organizers, researchers and disinformation experts disrupting online racialized disinformation infrastructure and campaigns that deliberately target Black, Latinx, Asian American/Pacific Islander and other communities of color. DDL was created by and for these communities and is supported by services and insight provided by expert partners and organization.

Launched in June 2020, DDL uses coordinated strategy, disinformation training, and research to support member organizations with resources to fortify and scale current inoculation efforts and increase cohesion and collaboration in targeted communities.

DDL features over 230 organizational members who work across geography, generation, and gender to equip communities with tools, training, and tactics needed to combat racialized disinformation and win. 

WHAT IS ONLINE RACIALIZED DISINFORMATION?

Online racialized disinformation is false or intentionally misleading communication or propaganda – typically about racial or social justice issues – that are strategically created and distributed through online media to deceive or manipulate the public for the purposes of achieving profit, political gain, and/or sustaining white supremacy. Tactics include:

  • Inciting hate, promoting “othering,” and the use of stereotypes and wedge issues to divide groups

  • Harassing, slandering, or criminalizing individuals, groups, or movements

  • Impersonating and infiltrating groups online to disrupt building solidarity.

Online racialized disinformation not only creates and reinforces inequalities but also consolidates power among politicians, wealthy individuals, and media/technology companies.

 THIS IS HOW WE DO IT

To liberate our communities from disinformation and its dangerous consequences, we have to change the way we organize.

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DDL expert partners track, monitor, and challenge white supremacist, xenophobic and discriminatory online disinformation campaigns. Through our partner-led training sessions, DDL equips members with the necessary tools to combat online racialized disinformation and win. Expert researchers help members understand strategies and techniques to identify, analyze and respond to disinformation targeting their communities. DDL offers topic-specific workshops that cover everything from media manipulation, narrative power building, organizing, and communication skills.

 

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Building narrative power is critical in the fight against online racialized disinformation. As opposition targets communities of color with harmful media manipulation campaigns, we all need to be prepared to shift the conversation — and the momentum for change — in our favor. DDL’s expert partners help communicators and organizers tap into compelling narratives, leveraging art and pop culture, and leveling the media playing field.

 

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DDL prioritizes monitoring emerging and imminent online disinformation threats, so our members can know how to strategically respond and fight back. DDL helps organizations and journalists understand the latest online disinformation trends and the actors behind them. We work with research partners to continuously develop best practices and recommendations to neutralize online racialized disinformation attacks.

 

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DDL works diligently to combat dangerous online racialized disinformation campaigns. By force-multiplying the strategic capacity of DDL member organizations, we empower our communities to respond to these campaigns in ways that stop the spread of racist and bigoted content designed to demean, divide, disorient and harm our communities.

 

LEAGUE PARTNERS

The Disinfo Defense League features over ​​230 organizational members who work across geography, generation, and gender to equip communities with tools, training, and tactics needed to combat racialized disinformation and win.

 
We’ve had this explosion of justice organizations and civil rights organizations coming together to combat this. We could no longer ignore this growing, massive threat to our communities, especially if that threat was largely not examined.
— BRIDGET TODD