As you *may* have seen by now, post-election disinformation is spreading at an alarming rate. It’s something we predicted, and is to be expected, because disinformation isn’t a random, chaotic jumble of lies. It’s a concerted, coordinated effort to manipulate the public and it always has a goal. But, you may have seen something else spreading two weeks ago during our Week of Action Against Disinfo: the knowledge that there is plenty we can do to #DisruptDisinfo, and it’s work that you’ll never have to do by yourself. 

Disinfo can’t spread when we fight back. Text STOPDISINFO to 52886 to join in!

With the Week of Action and Election Day behind us, our work to equip our communities with tools and information to #DisruptDisinfo together is just getting started. Now, you, your friends, and your old roommate who keeps DM'ing you YouTube conspiracies can text STOPDISINFO to 52886 to get a trove of #DisruptDisinfo resources sent right to your phone! You’ll receive a link to guides, memes, and tips to use yourself or share with others whenever disinformation rears its ugly head on your newsfeed or group chat. Sign up with your contact info so we can keep you posted with updates about even more resources and events to help you #DisruptDisinfo with just a few clicks. Then share what you’ve found with others so that we can keep spreading people power, not disinformation. Together, we can and will stem the tide of lies and confusion trying to manipulate Black and brown people into fear. Together, we will #DisruptDisinfo.

In solidarity,
Erin and Team #MediaJustice

What if we told you that a secret federal commission has begun building a database of activists like you, who’ve read emails like this, for a nefarious, obscure purpose, but we cited no sources? What if we linked to an article claiming the same? Because you trust us, would you look the other way when the information we share disrupts that trust? In short, how do we #DisruptDisinfo in our communities, and why is it important that we do so?

From October 26 - 30, in partnership with the Disinfo Defense League, Team #MediaJustice is hosting a Week of Action against Disinformation. We're so excited to share this opportunity to cut through the chaos and into the threats to our communities and democracy with confident, loving, people-powered action. The rise in disinformation targeting communities of color in 2020 is a direct threat to the sustainability of our democracy.₁ As we approach Election Day, the League and movement allies join us in turning to our bases to learn, organize, and push back against sophisticated disinformation campaigns meant to silence and suppress the power of voters of color. 

Why is disinfo of particular concern for Black and brown communities? Well, the short answer is that you should join us Monday, October 26 at 4PM ET for a Twitter Block Party! We've invited our movement to join us in breaking it all down together. Come for the memes! And stay for the handy resources, strategies to stop the spread of disinfo, and accessible scans of the 2020 political landscape that’s become fertile ground for disinformation campaigns. Disinfo campaigns frequently use social media to weaponize confusion and fear in order to suppress political activity like voting or protest, and to politicize life-saving measures like basic coronavirus safety in an effort to endanger even more Black and brown lives.₂ Our communities are by no means powerless to stop this.  

Come through all week for daily actions & events like: 

• daily talks with Harvard disinformation researcher Dr. Joan Donavan every morning at 11am ET for discussions with activists, organizers, and artists making creative interventions in the field of disinformation 

• a chat about how healing justice can heal disinformation’s harms 

• and plenty of memes, gifs, and links to share with anyone in your network ( yep, even that uncle/college classmate/family friend who keeps posting those Facebook posts. We have them, too) spreading things that leave you at a loss for how to respond. We got you! 

Check out the calendar of events below for info on where and how to catch these fun, informative, and, above all, empowering actions. Follow @mediajustice and #DisruptDisinfo on Twitter to stay in the know. 

Friends don’t let friends share disinfo. We won’t let our people wade through the murky waters of disinformation without shining a light and sharing the tools we need to #DisruptDisinfo together!

In solidarity,
Erin and Team #MediaJustice

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Sources:

[1] The Shorenstein Center
[2] The Shorenstein Center