Facebook Australia is excited to announce it is partnering with First Draft (whose mission is to protect communities from harmful misinformation) on a brand new campaign.
Launching today across both Facebook and Instagram, the ‘Don’t be a mis-influencer’ campaign has been created to address the growing spread of misinformation by online creators. It will provide celebrities, creators, influencers and other high-profile accounts with ‘Protect Your Voice’ toolkits, which will deliver tailored resources to help pin-point misinformation and prevent its spread.
“Our community has been spending more time online since the pandemic began, not only to connect with family and friends, but seeking entertainment and inspiration from creators,” Facebook Australia head of public policy, Josh Machin, said.
“We know people follow a range of information sources, and many rely on creators as one way to get to information. We’re consistently working to ensure credible information is promoted on our platforms, and creators can play a role in this too.”
Using the support of Facebook’s targeted advertising and partner relationships, resources will be shared with Aussie creators to reference when posting content. Creators will also be able to post tips from their toolkits to discourage followers from posting misinformation and to help educate them on the best ways to fight misinformation.
First Draft Australia director, Anne Kruger, added: “Audiences trust the messages of the influencers and creators they follow. It’s hard to make sense from the influx of online information – and mistakes can happen.
Unfortunately, this means misinformation can be shared to thousands and sometimes millions of fans in just a moment. Influencers are also a prime target for those trying to spread disinformation in order to amplify their false stories."
Former reality TV star and content creator, Abbie Chatfield, who has always been vocal about her crusade to end misinformation, is one of the first influencers to jump on board, saying she believes all social media users have a responsibility to fact check the information they’re sharing. Others are expected to soon follow suit.
