Misinformation: what are we missing?

“Fake News is everywhere,” we’re often told, which corrupts the public discourse. And yet this can mostly be addressed by pre-bunking, debunking, and fact checking. But how successful are these strategies really, and what are their limitations? Is the underlying assumption—an oversupply of misinformation—really the whole story here, or could other factors play a role, perhaps demanding different strategies?

In this session, we will challenge common assumptions about misinformation and discuss often-neglected aspects of the debate. We’ll work with the audience to develop evidence-based journalistic strategies to address the misinformation crisis, enriched with on-the-ground examples from journalists and researchers. We’ll also explore cultural differences using case studies from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Germany, and the United States, and discuss the role of social media algorithms.