Debunking Disinformation: Strategies from The Debunking Handbook 2020
Paul Braterman reviews The Debunking Handbook 2020, a free 12-page booklet by 22 authors from 20 institutions across 3 continents. The handbook argues that misinformation is sticky and benefits from pre-emptive factual messaging rather than refutation. It recommends a fact-warn-explain-fact routine for debunking, emphasizing credibility and avoiding technical language. Braterman applies these strategies to examples like COVID-19 lab leak theories and climate change denial, noting that the backfire effect has been overestimated. He changes his approach: less fear of spreading misinformation by refuting it, briefer summaries before dismantling, and avoiding rhetorical strategies that spell out objections. The handbook is available at sks.to/db2020.
Key facts
- The Debunking Handbook 2020 is a free 12-page booklet.
- It has 22 authors from 20 institutions on 3 continents.
- The handbook recommends pre-emptive factual messaging over refutation.
- It suggests a fact-warn-explain-fact routine for debunking.
- The backfire effect is now considered overestimated.
- Braterman changed his approach: less fear of spreading misinformation by refuting it.
- He now uses briefer summaries before dismantling misinformation.
- He avoids spelling out objections to his own position.
Entities
Artists
- Paul Braterman
Institutions
- The Debunking Handbook 2020
- sks.to