Misinformation about climate change is widespread on digital platforms with three issues being at the core of the problem: 1) Corporations, organizations, and individuals with significant reach and advertising budgets, deliberately spreading false and misleading information. 2) Platforms (such as Facebook and Google) which are currently self-regulated and non-accountable, prioritizing profit over truthful content. 3) Well-intending organizations who are keen to address misinformation but overwhelmed by the digital sphere and ill-equipped to react effectively.
Center for Countering Digital Hate is aiming to address these three fundamental issues. They do this by mapping who is spreading climate misinformation, presenting big tech platforms with evidence of the scope of the problem (and presenting solutions), and by educating key NGOs on best practice on countering misinformation. CCDH has a strong track record in this field. Their previous report, The Toxic Ten, identified ten websites as the main producers of climate change skepticism on social media platforms. They calculated that these “Toxic Ten” were responsible for up to 69% of Facebook users’ interactions with climate change denial. This knowledge has since been leveraged by numerous other organizations in the disinformation space to apply pressure to Big Tech to change their policies and practices.
Center for Countering Digital Hate
The Center for Countering Digital Hate counters disinformation by disrupting the online architecture enabling its rapid worldwide growth. The Center’s work encompasses research, campaigns, and advocacy to increase the economic, reputational, and political costs of all parts of the infrastructure – the actors, systems, and culture – that support and often profit from spreading hate and disinformation.
