MVJ’s Counter-Disinformation Program is a nonpartisan initiative dedicated to combating the spread of disinformation and extremism in veteran and military communities. The program supports a team of journalists, including several military veterans, to report on anti-democratic extremist groups and narratives and engage directly with the community online to counter extremist recruitment efforts.
The spread of disinformation is a threat to our nation. Disinformation narratives used by extremist groups are especially dangerous in military and veteran communities, where widespread belief in false narratives can have serious consequences for national security and the well-being of those who have served. The Counter-Disinformation Program seeks to address this problem by providing accurate and fact-based reporting on issues affecting military and veteran communities and countering false and extremist narratives that undermine public trust in our nation’s institutions.
The program is made possible through the support of our funders – the Knight Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, and the MacArthur Foundation – whose generous contributions have enabled us to bring together a team of experienced journalists and media professionals to lead this fight against disinformation and extremism.
Several organizations have joined MVJ in support of this effort. Military Times, a trusted, independent source for news for the military and veteran communities, is a key managing partner of the project. The Poynter Institute and PolitiFact will train the team on fact-checking and investigative approaches, and the Task Force Butler Institute will teach best practices for investigating extremist groups. The University of Alabama’s Veterans and Media Lab will research the military and veteran community’s consumption of information and trust levels in media. MVJ will also support We the Veterans and START at the University of Maryland in community engagement efforts.
Meet the team of reporters and media professionals who are leading MVJ’s effort to counter the spread of disinformation among service members and veterans: