Manifesto 2022: a method to solve the definitional problem

Back to Blog

The DROG Disinformation Intervention Model (DROG DIM) categorizes interventions into five "generations" based on paradigm shifts that have occurred in the field of counter-disinformation over the past decade. This model serves as a manifesto, offering a framework for understanding the progress and evolution of efforts to counter disinformation.

The Problem with Interventions

Before diving into the generations, it's important to understand three key insights about disinformation:

Gullible individuals do exist; they are exceptions not examples

While some individuals are more susceptible to disinformation, building interventions around the assumption that everyone is gullible misses the complexity of how information spreads and takes hold.

There are no identical patterns

No Disinformation Campaign is created equal. Campaigns differ over time, spatially, and tactically. Actors, target groups, and methods change. So, the dynamic context is crucially important.

There are no silver bullets

No single intervention can address all forms of disinformation. Different contexts require different approaches, and understanding this is key to effective counter-disinformation work.

The Five Generations

Generation 1: Information Campaigns (2014)

Problem: Foreign interference
Deficit Model: Education

The first generation emerged in response to foreign interference and was built on the belief that citizens need access to proper information and new skills to distinguish false narratives from true narratives.

Generation 2: Fact-Checking (2014)

Problem: Truth decay
Deficit Model: Verified information

The second generation assumes that once everyone has access to the relevant facts, constructive debates become possible because polarization disappears.

Generation 3: Prebunking (2016)

Problem: Manipulation of domestic vulnerabilities
Deficit Model: Rationality

By letting potential receivers experience how disinformation is created and spread, they are getting inoculated against manipulation techniques.

Generation 4: (Self-)Censorship (2018)

Problem: Foreign and domestic demagogues amplified by domestic spreaders
Deficit Model: Gatekeeping

By restricting and sanctioning the transmission of disinformation, its reach and effect is diminished.

Generation 5: Group Communication (2022)

Problem: Societal alienation
Deficit Model: Social interactions

People change their minds mainly by interacting with other people. Under the right conditions, others can help us find errors in our beliefs, as we can help others find errors in theirs.

Moving Forward

The DROG DIM model is not about declaring one generation better than another. Each generation represents a response to specific challenges and contexts. The key is understanding when and how to apply different approaches.

As we continue to develop Generation 5 "Interactivist" interventions, we remain committed to learning from all previous generations while pushing the boundaries of what's possible in counter-disinformation work.