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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2021
Contact: abhi.rahman@firesidecampaigns.com
Thousands of volunteers have been trained in disinformation-fighting and are working together to share and amplify positive, authentic counter-messaging
WASHINGTON — Today, Indivisible announced the public launch of the Truth Brigade, a volunteer-driven program to counter disinformation.
“At a moment when disinformation is threatening our democracy, and even our lives, we are thrilled to be spreading the word that ordinary people can work together and stop it. We are welcoming concerned people everywhere to join the Truth Brigade and be a part of the fight,” said Leah Greenberg, Co-Executive Director of Indivisible. “When we share and amplify unified, factual messages, we shift the narrative. When we come together by the thousands and do it together, we may be the only thing that can stop the disinformation machine. The Truth Brigade is a groundbreaking program designed to do just that.”
Beginning as a pilot program ahead of the 2020 election, the Truth Brigade was first created in response to the growing alarm within the Indivisible network about the creep of disinformation at the national and local level. Building on research that showed ordinary people sharing specific types of content could be integral to fighting disinformation, the Indivisible Project created the Truth Brigade to give frustrated volunteers a way to channel their anger into action.
“Just as Indivisible activists first took best practices on influencing Congress and turned them into a movement, the Truth Brigade’s volunteers have been taking best practices on fighting disinformation and turning them into a powerful force,” said Leah Greenberg.
More about the Truth Brigade:
Thus far, the Truth Brigade, still composed largely of volunteers from Indivisible groups, has become a lively national online community with members in 45 states and D.C., generating over 82 million impressions across 21,400 posts, from over 4,750 users.
New interested volunteers can sign up here to learn more.
How The Truth Brigade Works:
- Signing up: Volunteers complete a form and are contacted to be taken through an intake process.
- Training: Volunteers first complete a training on how to write compelling, positive, persuasive messages in their own voices on a given issue, using tested techniques. They also learn the principles of algorithms and how bad actors spread disinformation; “do not click” is a central tenet of the program, one participants push out to like-minded people in their circles.
- Campaigns: Every two weeks, Truth Brigade volunteers receive a campaign explainer about a topic about which bad actors are circulating disinformation, as identified by expert monitors. Volunteers get out positive, truthful messages on the topic on social media, and amplify each others’ posts, collectively pushing out a wave of counter-messaging content.
- Assessment: After every campaign, Truth Brigade leaders assess and draw learnings from collected data, shaping future campaigns. Community: Volunteers participate in regular talks from experts in the field. They also become part of a lively online Truth Brigade community, sharing stories and successes with peers across the country.
- Local applications: Truth Brigade’s official campaigns are about national issues, but volunteers have started their own local projects applying the same skills to fight disinformation campaigns in local spheres and spreading best practices.