Prebunking and Debunking in Fact-checking is a presentation by Emmanuel Bida Thomas at a webinar organised by 211 Check with support from the International Fact-checking Network. This PDF file discusses the concepts of prebunking and debunking as methods of countering the spread of misinformation and false information. Prebunking refers to the practice of raising people's awareness of likely misinformation before they encounter it, while debunking occurs after false information has already been shared. The PDF also discusses different types of interventions that can be used to address misinformation at both individual and system levels.

1. Prebunking vs.
Debunking
What's the most effective fact-checking strategy?

2. PREBUNKING AND DEBUNKING
The spread of misinformation poses a significant challenge to societies worldwide.
For example, malicious rumours are known to sometimes lead to deadly riots, and
belief in misinformation has been associated with a reduced likelihood of getting
vaccinated (for example against COVID-19).
Researchers have therefore looked for effective ways to counter people’s belief in
and sharing of misinformation; debunking and prebunking
In addition to debunking misinformation after it has spread, a new line of research
looks at how we can prevent social media users from falling for misinformation in
the first place: an approach known as prebunking.

4. PREBUNKING AND DEBUNKING
Prebunking is talking to your friends and family about the types of misinformation
they are likely to see BEFORE anything happens.
Debunking is when organisations explain something is false AFTER it has been
shared. It is important for the public record, but it is not as important as Prebunking.
Try talking to people you know about likely scams, hoaxes and conspiracies.
This will help get their defenses up, so when they see these rumours, they are less
likely to be fooled.
For example, we several same videos and images coming back time and time
again.

5. Debunking
Debunking is a method of detecting false facts and the verification of already
presented knowledge, respectively on the identification of untruths and falsehoods.
Prebunking can be defined as a declaration of a certain claim as conceited, untrue
or exaggerated, or in other words, misleading.
The intention of fact-checkers is simply to point out that a certain fact is not as
important, valuable or true for society as it seems at first glance.
Their aim is therefore to reveal a kind of myth currently prevailing in the
consciousness of individuals

6. Debunking
The debunking method therefore involves primary knowledge of the complex
cognitive and perceptual processes of humans.
This is because fact-checkers need to understand how people process the
acquired knowledge and information, how their existing knowledge is affected or
how their worldviews impact their ability to think rationally.
Thus, debunking is not primarily about what people think, but about how they think.
The basic task of debunking is to reveal the disinformation, fake news,
misinformation, and their various forms, such as hoaxes or conspiracy theories.

7. The rules of debunking
● Disclosure of falsehoods should focus on highlighting the facts, with the author
omitting previously published disinformation.
● Before making any mention of falsehood, the author of the recipient should
point out that the following information is misleading.
● The text should always contain an alternative explanation of the refuted
disinformation, and thus not only say that the information presented was false,
but also explain in more detail what specifically mislead the recipient.
● The simple graphic processing of the message also presupposes a clearer
acceptance of the intended message.

8. The rules of debunking
● Disclosure of an idea and not of a person—authors seeking to point out widespread
disinformation should focus on rumors and lies relating more to the subject of the
event and not on the subject that is part of the event.
● Storytelling—recipients find it easier to remember the facts if they are presented in
the form of a continuous narration. The role of the debunker is to choose a suitable
narrative structure for presenting arguments about particular falsehoods.
● Selection of relevant sources—the author should work clearly in their text and refer to
credible sources (not only textual, but also, for example, auditory or audiovisual),
which increase the legitimacy of his statement.
● Presence of positivity— the term “debunking” as such is mostly associated with
negative connotations. It is therefore important for the fact-checker to apply positive
language in his or her efforts to uncover lies or misinformation, thus making a more
positive and credible impression on the recipient.

9. Prevention, not cure, may be a more effective
way to combat misinformation.
As they start their careers, doctors swear to uphold the Hippocratic Oath.
If people tackling misinformation were to establish an equivalent oath, we should
make sure to borrow one of the original’s phrases: “Prevention is preferable to
cure.”
As with medicine, so with misinformation: It is better to prevent misinformation
from spreading at all than to try to debunk it once it’s spread.
Understanding how prebunks work (and how they don’t) is essential for reporters,
fact checkers, policy makers and platforms.

10. The basics of prebunking
The idea of inoculating people against false or misleading information is simple.
If you show people examples of misinformation, they will be better equipped to
spot it and question it. Much like vaccines train your immune response against a
virus, knowing more about misinformation can help you dismiss it when you see it.
Inoculating people can be achieved through a number of tools or approaches,
such as text message course that texts you one lesson per day, games such as
“Go Viral!” that put you in the shoes of a bad actor, or simply the ability to track
down and share an article that prebunks key claims and techniques.

11. Prebunking: how to do it
The most accessible inoculation technique is prebunking — the process of debunking
lies, tactics or sources before they strike.
They can be quick and cheap for reporters, fact checkers, governments and others to
make.
A good prebunk addresses people’s concerns, speaks to their lived experience and
compels them to share that knowledge. Prebunks are empowering: The whole point is
about building trust with your audience instead of simply correcting facts.
There are three main types of prebunks:
● fact-based: correcting a specific false claim or narrative
● logic-based: explaining tactics used to manipulate
● source-based: pointing out bad sources of information

13. What to prebunk
Figure out what information people need
Anticipate your audience’s questions. Don’t assume that your questions are the same as your audience’s.
What is it that people find confusing? What pre-existing narratives might bad actors exploit? Are there any
events coming up, including elections or health campaigns, that people might need more information
about? How can you help people identify these tactics and narratives so that they are less likely to fall for
them?
Choose your example carefully
Some rumors crop up again and again, and will reliably resurface. Focus on them.
Focus on a claim when there are likely to be key vulnerabilities, such as right before an election. A false
claim might be that the date of an election has been changed.
Focus on tactics if you want to build more generalized resilience to disinformation. A tactic might be the
use of fake “experts” to bolster a lie, or the use of emotional language to manipulate you.

14. How to design it
Wrap it in truth
Prioritize the truth. That means either leading with the facts or a very clear warning
of how information is being manipulated.
Warn your audience
Before you repeat the myth, warn your audience. Remind your audience that
people are trying to manipulate us and why. This puts people’s guard up,
increasing their mental resistance to misinformation. This could simply be a
warning that some people will try to mislead others about the scientific consensus
on climate change for political reasons, or a reminder that some individuals profit
from selling fake cures.

15. How to design it
Add some detail
You don’t want to overwhelm your audience, but try to pack in a few reasons why
something is false. This helps to increase belief, and arms people with counter
arguments they can use to debunk the claim when they encounter it.
Draw out the tactic at play
If you’re correcting a false claim, remind your audience that this tactic is not
exclusive to this example. Use false claims as teaching examples to help your
audience recognize the tactics or strategies being used for manipulation.
Sometimes an example from an issue that is less political with your audience can
be just as effective as a teaching tool.

16. How to design it
Explain how you know what you know (and what we don’t know yet)
Explaining how you know what you know helps to build trust. This helps people
resolve the conflict between fact and myth and gives your audience the tools to
reject the claim in the future. Explaining what we don’t know yet helps warn your
audience that the facts might change as things develop.
One way to do this is to focus on consensus: Remind people of what experts
agree on and why. This is common when talking about climate change, where
there is almost unanimous agreement among scientists, and can help to target the
disinformation tactic of false debate.

17. How and where to share
Keep it simple
Break it down into the simplest version of the idea so it’s easier to remember and spot afterward.
Infographics, especially those that build on ideas that are already widely shared, are a great way to
prebunk. Five debunks that each contain an idea are better than one debunk that contains five ideas but is
confusing. Don’t get lost in the weeds.
Make them shareable
Whether it’s online or offline, in the end we’re talking about people. People spread misinformation because
they’re searching for answers, and they share what they find. If you want your prebunk to go far, design it
so it’s shareable. Think about the strategies that bad actors use to spread disinformation: The idea is to
use those same time-proven techniques, but for good. Design your prebunks with mobile phones in mind.
For many people, mobile phones are their sole access to the internet and much of their lives happen on
closed messaging apps, including WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, which don’t use up as much data.

18. How and where to share
Find where your audience is and publish there
Successful prebunks will join and be integrated in online spaces and platforms where
your audience is already spending time. Think of it like a party: If you’re in a room alone
providing good information while everybody else is outside in the garden having a drink,
your prebunk won’t go far. Use social listening and monitoring tools to figure out the
digital spaces where “the party” is happening and join in.
As with parties, you’ve got to read the room before you jump into the conversation. Think
about the culture of the specific online space or platform you have identified. What does
engaging content look like? What are the trends or styles that people use to
communicate? How can you use those in a way that effectively communicates the
information you want people to have?