Organizers warn of severe disinformation campaigns targeting Black voters

A group of leading Black organizations are warning media and voters of disinformation targeting Black Americans ahead of November’s critical election.  

In a letter led by Onyx Impact, a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating disinformation within the Black community, organizers urged Black media to recognize the impact disinformation has on Black voters. 

“During a historic election year where critical issues that will determine the future of our communities are on the ballot, including the economy, healthcare, voting rights, and more, it is essential that Black media and Black Gateway Influencers and Platforms have the resources and tools necessary to stem the rising tide of disinformation and provide their growing audiences with even more accurate information,” said the letter, also signed by Judith Browne Dianis of the Advancement Project; Mondale Robinson of the Black Male Voter Project; Maurice Mitchell of the Working Families Party; and Glynda C. Carr of Higher Heights. 

Earlier this year, a report from Onyx Impact found that more than 40 million Americans within Black online spaces may have been given disinformation about the election. 

The report found that narratives threatening Black voter participation included civic disengagement, broken promises by President Biden and attempts to stoke division. The report also found that far-right activists, including Black far right activists, spread the most disinformation to Black communities. 

“It’s because of the massive political power of Black communities that we see efforts to try to stem their participation, to try to sow division in our communities, to try to directly push back on our power,” Esosa Osa, founder of Onyx Impact, told The Hill. “As we’re heading into this election, it’s incredibly important to recognize that while Black folks are not more susceptible to disinformation, they are the targets of sophisticated disinformation campaigns.”

The letter emphasizes that attempts to target Black Americans with disinformation is not a new tactic. 

“The use of disinformation to influence the civic participation of Black people in the United States is not new,” the letter reads. “During Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement, disinformation was used to mislead, intimidate, and harm Black voters in an attempt to thwart their participation in the voting process. While the methods, technologies, and sophistication of disinformation have changed, the intent remains the same—to prevent, discourage, and dissuade Black voters from exercising their immense power at the ballot box.”

The organizers are now calling on media and influencers to help mitigate the impact of disinformation. 

The letter lists four ways to help fight the spread of disinformation: amplifying the voices of trusted Black messengers; reminding audiences to check sources; being aware of divisive content; and investing in fact checking resources. 

But Osa also urges voters to find ways to avoid falling prey to disinformation. She encourages voters to become trusted messengers themselves by speaking with family and friends to make sure they’re aware of the disinformation tactics. 

“We all need to be, especially right now in the cycle, very cautious of overly negative emotional content online, that’s primarily where we’re likely to see false and misleading narratives,” Osa added.  “If you do have a very strong negative reaction, that’s when you need to to stop, take a breath and double check.”

But she added it is also important to ensure members of the community who may be going down “rabbit holes” of disinformation are not isolated. 

“That’s one of the worst things you can do for folks that we care about and want to move into healthier information ecosystems,” Osa said. “So we always want folks to approach this problem with empathy for the folks that are targeted and for the communities that may be most impacted.”