A global pandemic isn’t the only thing spreading around the world right now. Disinformation, a favorite weapon of scammers, malicious political operatives and despotic foreign adversaries, is going viral as well. We’ve seen the damage that disinformation can do, especially during the 2016 election. But the threat it poses is only growing.

That’s because America’s political leadership has done very little to punish foreign leaders who use information warfare against us. Some American political figures even use the tactic themselves, making them uninterested in preparing the country for new waves of disinformation. This inaction is all the more concerning given repeated warnings from the FBI, military, and intelligence communities that disinformation campaigns are ongoing and likely to increase as we approach the next election.

That’s why Stand Up Republic has teamed up with information warfare expert Molly McKew to produce a new series of original essays diving into the world of disinformation.

As a part of our ongoing DefusingDisinfo work, these new essays will serve two purposes:

1. To help the public understand how disinformation works, what it aims to accomplish, and the roles we play in helping or halting it’s spread.
2. To empower all of us to recognize disinformation when we see it, and respond in a way that disrupts the attack.

When it comes to information warfare, we’re all on the front lines. And the fight isn’t just about politics. From coronavirus conspiracies to inflaming racial divisions, our adversaries will use any subject to divide our country, pit us against one another, and destabilize our democracy.

It’s our duty as citizens to fight back with the truth. That’s what Defusing Disinfo is all about - giving you the tools to defend America from malicious information attacks. 

Go to www.standuprepublic.com/defusing-disinfo now to read Molly’s first article and learn more about this project and why it’s so desperately needed. Make sure to check back weekly for new essays dissecting disinformation campaigns and exposing these attacks to the light of day. And if you’re on social media, be a part of the conversation by using the hashtag #DefusingDisinfo.

Although we’ll never get rid of disinformation entirely, If enough of us learn to identify and debunk it, we can cripple one of the modern era’s most potent threats to freedom. That’s how we can all do our part to protect and strengthen our democracy.

We hope we can count on you to be part of this critical effort by following along with Defusing Disinfo and sharing what you learn.

– Evan McMullin & Mindy Finn