Document:A Network of NGOs Technical Proposal
| A central II document |
proposal by ZINC dated 31st August 2018Subjects: NGO
Example of: Integrity Initiative/Leak/7/ZINC Network_Technical Response_Final
Source: 'Anonymous'
Added index;section 2 and 3 have same title.
★ Start a Discussion about this document
A Network of NGOs Technical Proposal
Executive Summary
State backed disinformation is not just about propagating false or misleading information, but more broadly about manipulating the information environment to further anti-democratic objectives such as undermining the credibility of mainstream media, growing cynicism and distrust towards democratic institutions and processes, increasing polarisation between communities, or destabilising international alliances. The tactics used by the Kremlin and other actors to achieve these ends are adapted depending on the context and objectives and involve not only the dissemination of false narratives, but also the instrumentalisation of wholly or partially true narratives to harness the existing attitudes, beliefs and fears of target audiences, particularly those already disaffected from the ‘mainstream’. To effectively counter disinformation we must therefore deploy a broad suite of approaches by which go beyond fact checking or myth busting, and use audience-centric communications to undermine the credibility of disinformation sources for specific target audiences whilst building their resilience in the long term.
A growing number of CSOs, activists, academics, policy makers and media organisations are emerging to respond to this threat. While motivated and engaged, they are often working in isolation, responding tactically to a narrow aspect of the threat, and have no way of designing their activities on the basis of real impact. Moreover, they face extensive challenges and threats to their operations which restrict them from reaching their full potential. These include a lack of expertise and tools to deliver high-quality open source research, a lack of ability and support to conceptualise and deliver public facing campaigns that genuinely engage the audiences actually vulnerable to disinformation, a lack of access to grant funding and core resources, and an absence of security frameworks and legal training to run streamlined and low-risk operations in the face of significant threats. To unleash the capability of these actors to sustainably challenge disinformation requires a joined up, grassroots-led approach which helps organisations to overcome these barriers.
Bringing together organisations including ZINC Network, the Institute for Statecraft, Aktis Strategy, Bellingcat, DFR Lab, the Media Diversity Institute, Toro Risk Solutions and Ecorys, our Consortium combines recognised market leaders in understanding, monitoring, and countering Kremlin-backed disinformation. Collectively, our experience and skillsets encompass; research and strategy; media development and journalism training; digital communications and behavioural change campaigning; good governance and statecraft; digital forensics research; live tracking and analysing of disinformation; grassroots network management and capacity building; monitoring and evaluation; and policy and research. This is underpinned by extensive experience in risk and financial management and project delivery in complex environments.
The solution we propose will bring together disparate organisations around Europe, training and supporting them across key areas to increase their ability to deliver effective counter-disinformation activities, anchored in research and data. This ecosystem of credible voices will continue to grow, exposing the actors and networks behind Kremlin-backed disinformation, reducing unwitting multipliers of disinformation, and building resilience amongst key target audiences across Europe.
We will mobilise a Network Hub based in London, led by an experienced Project Director, consisting of an agile team with core competencies augmented by a wider pool of vetted experts. Our approach is highly localised, based around regional clusters of actors who can collaborate to effectively undermine the disinformation ecosystem in their respective areas and engage audiences most vulnerable to disinformation. Regional Network Managers – experts in countering disinformation with deep understanding of local dynamics and key stakeholders - will be the primary interface between regional clusters of organisations and the Hub. Our approach to capacity building includes not only formal training but also intensive mentoring and ‘learning through doing’, included through embedded mentoring and learning in digital forensics (Bellingcat) and co-created public facing campaigning (ZINC).
Our approach is based on five pillars: BUILD > SUSTAIN > TRAIN > CAMPAIGN > SCALE. Each of these pillars is designed to address a specific gap identified in the scoping research. • Build focuses on creating an agile, high impact Network that can effectively counter disinformation in target countries, addresses the lack of coordination between organisations and the isolation they experience by creating groups for knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer support, and connects organisations with the local experts and resources they require; • Sustain overcomes the resourcing challenge by providing core funding through a grants mechanism, developing organisational business plans and helping them to access third party funding opportunities, and support to help members to put in place governance structures, operating procedures, risk
© Private and confidential. ZINC Network 2018. 3
management approaches and basic legal and insurance requirements to increase organisational sustainability;
• Train will ensure members are upskilled and mentored in best practice in exposing and countering disinformation from open source research through to viral video production and digital targeting as well as cyber security, libel and data compliance;
• Campaign will enable them to increase the pace, scale and quality of their outputs and activities, targeting specific vulnerable audiences through a process of campaign co-creation and project specific funding;
• Scale, which is outside of scope of the ToR, but integral to our network model, will link the organisations across borders, establish a shared set of standards and protocols and feed learnings up and out to wider stakeholders including policymakers and tech companies.
The approach has been designed with sustainability at its core. Each pillar of our operating model (described in section 1.5) is designed to ensure long-term technical and financial sustainability of project beneficiaries in different ways. Our approach to sustainability targets three layers; sustainability at the level of the individual organisation, the level of partnerships and cluster building, and also the sector as a whole. Underpinning these activities are rigorous monitoring and evaluation, risk management, and quality assurance procedures. In complex, partner-led projects, our experience is that the risk environment and context is constantly evolving, which requires close monitoring with flexible strategies adapted accordingly. It is a highly complex project involving coordination of many independent actors, and thus risk must be carefully managed and risk profiles constantly adapted, serving as the basis for all activity. The approach we propose is based on the identification, monitoring and management of risks as they materialise, allowing members to continue taking smart risks as they increase the scale and impact of their activities. Safeguarding (discussed further in sections 1.2 and 1.3) par
