Detroit People’s Platform NEWS
Know the ‘BLACK FACTS’ on Misinformation and Disinformation.
The Black Facts
“At least 40 million Americans may be regularly targeted and fed disinformation within Black online spaces by a host of sources across social media, fueling false information around the election” according to a report by Onyx Impact.
Members and supporters of the Detroit People’s Platform have been on the front lines of misinformation, disinformation and attempts to influence Majority Black Detroit against our own interest for over a decade.
We’ve documented well-funded disinformation campaigns launched to block Proposal P, the People’s Charter (2021) and Proposal A, the People’s Community Benefits Ordinance (2016) and meaningful community benefits around private developments that access tax resources.
The information shared here is based upon the lived experience of our canvassers over the last 10 years. It has also benefited from Progress Michigan’s “Combatting Disinformation Resources” tool and the well-researched work of Onyx Impact.
We are what we watch
We’ve heard "You are what you eat" before, but are we also what we watch on our phones and see on our screens? Just like we have a food diet, some consider that we also have a media diet. Our media diet can influence our worldview, self-image and decisions we make. This is one of the reasons why disinformation can be so harmful to our community and ourselves.
But we’ve also found that many people who’ve been oppressed historically know that disinformation is as old as white supremacy, that the very basis of racism is ‘fake news’, and that with some of the vetted info below we can work to protect ourselves and our communities against disinformation.
What is Disinformation?
- Misinformation is false or inaccurate information - often spread by mistake or unintentionally.
- Disinformation is false information shared intentionally to influence outcomes.
- Mal-Information is fact-based information used out of context to influence outcomes.
Where does Disinfo come from?
Disinformation often comes from small groups, is replicated on social media platforms, through public comments, call-ins to talk radio and then replicated at large by major media outlets and influencers.
What to do with Disinformation
- Fact-check the disinfo, assess how many people are going to see it and the potential impact in your community.
- Report the disinfo. With personal safety in mind, if the disinfo is threatening, racist or offensive, without re-posting, report it to social media platforms.
- Ignore the disinfo! so that you do not increase its reach or the potential for others to share it. We’ll say it a few more times: Ignore the disinfo! Ignore the disinfo!
How to engage with those sharing Disinfo?
If, after assessment, you choose to engage, here’s an example of how to craft a powerful response. It’s formatted to share (1) a positive, collective truth, (2) a statement defining the bad actors and their motivations, and (3) a visionary statement that restates the positive truth.
Check out these examples to catch the flow.
When you hear disinfo like, “people are taking ‘Black jobs’ or resources” here’s a potential response:
(1) We all want to see Black Detroiters benefit from the changes being experienced in our city’s so called ‘turn-around’. (2) Bad actors have been spreading baseless, false information to fuel divisions among communities that could stand in solidarity. (3) Good thing we know 75% of the jobs in the city are held by suburbanites1, that the billionaire class are the one’s sucking up our tax resources, and that majority Black Detroit will continue to fight for economic justice. 1. datadrivendetroit.org/blog/2022/04/27/living-working-lehd-employment-statistics/
When you hear disinfo about, “the history of failed leadership in Detroit” here’s a potential response:
(1) We all want leaders that represent the will of the people of majority Black Detroit. (2) Bad actors are repeating worn-out stories about leadership to promote civic disengagement. (3)Good thing we remember that the polices and protections our Black leaders fought for helped to create the Black middle class and lift many of our parents and grandparents out of poverty.