‘Inoculations’ against racist misinformation: an Australian online test

While online racism and online misinformation have clear connections, research in these two related areas have tended to remain separate. The current project begins to bridge this gap, by testing a new intervention approach to countering online misinformation that perpetuates racism. The study draws on both online misinformation studies and critical literacy perspectives, and generates new understandings of the effectiveness of existing interventions from these fields, for addressing racist misinformation.

Ultimately, the project findings indicate that in some cases, misinformation training may be more effective when it is contextualised within specific misinformation topics and narratives — including racist narratives. Significantly, this suggests that there may be important limitations to consider regarding ‘broad spectrum’ or generalisable approaches to ‘inoculation’ against misinformation.

Project outcomes

Video

Social Media Carousels

Have you ever felt llike something you saw online was trying to persuade you to agree with their POV?

Does online content make you think negatively about other groups or people? Like it’s ‘us’ against ‘them’?

Recommendations

We recommend eight strategies to inform practice and policy for countering the spread of online misinformation, including racist misinformation.

1. Incorporate a more specific focus on racist misinformation into critical digital literacy skills programs in school and university curricula and other training programs.

   Such as in community or industry. While generalised education around identifying misinformation remains important, this remains insufficient for addressing racist forms of misinformation that continue to be represented as legitimate views or ‘fact’ by public figures, media, and large portions of the population.

2. Additional research is required to know what inoculations disrupt specific forms of racist misinformation

   The most stubborn forms of racist misinformation, such as ‘African gangs’ or ‘ethnic gangs’ material, has resilience that is associated with its prevalence and repetition. Participants cited repetition of narratives as a sign of reliability, assuming this as a form of ‘fact checking’. Material in the Australian media (and reflected globally) entraps viewers in cycles of misinformation. Inoculations to disrupt these specific forms of racist misinformation require a sharper research focus. Disrupting those may require additional accompanying interventions, including media training.

3. Complete segmentation analysis to discern who the ‘harder to reach’ groups are

   The overall benefit of anti-racist inoculation is clear. However, there are groups with whom inoculation has less effect. We recommend segmentation analysis to discern who this ‘harder to reach’ groups are. Are they associated with ideology (e.g. committed racists), life experiences (e.g. negative cross-cultural encounters) or demographics (e.g. levels of education)?Our qualitative findings suggest that this might be ideologically-driven or linked to personal experiences.

4. Ensure a cost-benefit and risk analysis of any funded inoculation intervention

   In any publicly funded intervention, there needs to be a cost and benefit, and risk, analysis. Inoculation interventions (through social media, and generation of digital freeware) are relatively inexpensive compared to interpersonal anti-racism interventions. The benefit and effects are shown here to be considerable, though not universal. The risks, which need to be further distilled, are associated with the promulgation of inoculation material that may be consumed by the stubbornly racist as confirmatory of their racist dispositions.

5. Incorporate professional development for educators

   For example, participate in the Challenging Hateful Misinformation training offered by All Together Now to increase media and internet literacy, so that educators have the practical skills necessary to guide young people in challenging conspiracy theories and misinformation.

6. Develop public media literacy campaigns using short ‘inoculation’ messages

   These could be similar to those used in this study warning viewers of the strategies used to manipulate them. These could be played as public service announcements during free to air programming or as social media tiles for online platforms.

7. Encourage social media platforms to incorporate ‘inoculation’ interventions and anti-racist actions in response to race hate online.

   This aligns with the National Anti-Racism Framework calling for digital platforms to develop stronger, transparent protocols to allow users to report and remove racist content, including misinformation and disinformation. This would make a safer online space for all.

8. Develop comprehensive guidelines and resource toolkits for community leaders and advocacy organisations to effectively counter racist misinformation.

   These resources should include training material on how to engage constructively with individuals who have been exposed to and/or influenced by racist misinformation. It should also provide guidance on leveraging trusted community leaders to help them provide a coordinated response to preventing the spread of misinformation, especially misinformation with a racist intent.