Disinformation research from East Asia reveals how governments hijack and weaponize narratives to serve their political agenda
Disinformation campaigns are on the rise in East Asia as states use false information to shape self-serving narratives.
The newly launched DisinformationCounter sets out to contribute to public knowledge and understanding of disinformation, especially how governments use it in ways that negatively impact civic space and democracy in East Asia. The platform launches with a research project to map the regional disinformation landscape. Case studies focused on the Philippines, Mindanao, Indonesia, West Papua, Hong Kong, and Cambodia, but are indicative of a larger, systemic issue across the region. This research is, therefore, to be seen as part of the rising call from East Asian civil society for greater transparency and freedom of information.
Accompanying the research, the ARTSvsDISINFORMATION project brought seven artists together to explore creative, accessible, and public ways of responding to and resisting disinformation. It is also hoped that the research and artistic responses will inspire and empower civic, academic, and creative responses towards disinformation.
Both projects are hosted on the newly launched DisinformationCounter website of CIVICUS.
