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Facebook and First Draft partner to launch new ‘Don’t be a mis-influencer’ campaign

Facebook Australia is partnering with misinformation prevention coalition First Draft on a new local campaign to address the spread of misinformation by digital creators.

Launching today across Facebook and Instagram, the ‘Don’t be a mis-influencer’ campaign provides creators, celebrities and other high-profile accounts with ‘Protect Your Voice’ toolkits, offering tailored resources and guides to help identify misinformation and prevent the spread.

 

With the support of Facebook’s targeted advertising and partner relationships teams the resources will be shared directly with Australian creators to reference when posting content.

Creators will also be invited to post top tips from the toolkit to encourage followers not to post misinformation and help educate them on how best to counter it.

Former reality TV star and content creator Abbie Chatfield will be one of the first to share the campaign on her Instagram and Facebook today.

First Draft and Facebook said that for creators, engaging their audience on the topic of misinformation can be challenging. Facebook will actively work with influencers to gather feedback and suggestions from them in countering and eliminating misinformation on their platforms.

Available now on the campaign site, the ‘Protect Your Voice’ toolkit provides creators with guidance and practical steps about – Why people spread misinformation, how to talk to, or avoid, conversations about conspiracy theories, the types of deceptive content to look out for, how to verify the authenticity of content, and how to combat misinformation.

Facebook Australia’s head of public policy, Josh Machin, said: “Our community has been spending more time online since the pandemic began, not only to connect with family and friends, but seeking entertainment and inspiration from creators. We know people follow a range of information sources, and many rely on creators as one way to get to information. We’re consistently working to ensure credible information is promoted on our platforms, and creators can play a role in this too. That’s why we’ve created this toolkit in partnership with First Draft, giving creators the tools to prevent the spread of misinformation on their own accounts, and to help amplify that message to their followers.”

First Draft Australia’s director, Anne Kruger, said: “Audiences trust the messages of the influencers and creators they follow. It’s hard to make sense from the influx of online information – and mistakes can happen. Unfortunately, this means misinformation can be shared to thousands and sometimes millions of fans in just a moment. Influencers are also a prime target for those trying to spread disinformation in order to amplify their false stories. ”

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