Fact-checkers have long been experts in debunking – it’s probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fact-checking – demonstrating that a claim is false, exaggerated, or out of context by providing evidence. But a healthy information landscape is preserved using more techniques than just debunking, among them: prebunking. Both prebunking and debunking have been shown to be effective in countering misinformation. Applying both concepts ensures that misinformation is tackled comprehensively.
Many EFCSN’s member organizations publish prebunking materials on a regular basis but not all of them: in a busy newsroom, it can be hard to identify the most relevant narratives and proactively address them – especially when fact-checkers are faced with a constant influx of new false claims that need to be debunked. That’s why we decided to focus on prebunking in our latest project, “Prebunking at Scale”, with the goal of institutionalizing prebunking across our network and building technology to help newsrooms respond efficiently.
Creating a Methodology for Prebunking
The EFCSN collaborated with our member Istinomer, part of the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), in Serbia to research and create a methodology for effective prebunking, applicable across all topics and across the wide geographic scope of our membership. To get there, we worked with expert academics and journalists.
So, what is prebunking?
| Prebunking is a proactive, evidence-based communication strategy that prepares individuals to resist manipulation before they encounter disinformation. Rooted in inoculation theory, it operates by alerting individuals to anticipated manipulation, exposing them to a weakened version of it in a controlled environment, and equipping them with preemptive refutations. Unlike debunking, which responds to disinformation after belief formation, prebunking functions upstream, before content spreads or takes root. |
Importantly, in order to be effective, prebunks must include: a forewarning signaling to audiences the manipulation attempt that is likely to occur, a weakened exposure that introduces the expected falsehood or manipulation tactic, and a preemptive refutation, a clear, fact- or logic-based counter-response.
By releasing prebunking materials before misinformation takes hold, fact-checking organizations can build credibility and trust, and help to inoculate their audience against rising viral narratives or repeat claims.
How does prebunking help fact-checkers?
The new prebunking methodology provides a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to the problem of mis- and disinformation. For EFCSN member organisations, it’s helpful to diversify the types of content they are producing. EFCSN member Pravda, from Poland, says “the methodology is very clear; it’s been a great learning opportunity for team members who hadn’t written prebunks before.”
EFCSN member Demagog.sk (Slovakia) notes that the new prebunking methodology also helped them to investigate the wider ecosystem of mis- and disinformation: “Writing a prebunking story made us look beyond the narratives and claims and focus on patterns and the big picture. We examined the correlation between real world events and the spreading of disinformation stories, read through reports on hybrid threats, and pondered how to include the real problems with corruption in Ukraine.”
The EFCSN’s new prebunking methodology, produced as part of the Prebunking at Scale project, adds to the fact-checking toolkit with new content types and novel points of view. As the project continues, we hope to share more stories of how prebunking can bolster the impact of fact-checking on audiences across Europe.
