MVJ Counter-Disinformation Panel
In the age of online networks and social media algorithms, combating disinformation and extremism is more crucial than ever, especially within the military and veteran community. Join us as our panelists delve into the most effective strategies for identifying, addressing, and countering disinformation within these communities.
Here’s some of what you can expect from this event:
- Insights from Experienced Reporters: Gain valuable perspectives from panelists who have extensive experience in reporting on military and veteran affairs and using journalism to counter disinformation efforts.
- Best Practices and Effective Strategies for Countering: Learn how to recognize and distinguish between legitimate information and disinformation, particularly in online spaces where misinformation can spread rapidly. Discover proven methods for combating disinformation and extremism within the military and veteran community, including the role of education, collaboration, and technology.
- Tips for Navigating Challenges: Explore the unique challenges and complexities associated with addressing disinformation within these communities and how to overcome them effectively.
And, as always, there will be time for a Q&A session at the end of the event. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to gain actionable insights and engage with like-minded individuals committed to improving the flow of information within the military and veteran community.
RSVP Below to Attend
About the Speakers
Zachary Fryer-Biggs is the Managing Editor for news at Military.com. Zach has been a national security journalist for more than a decade, during that time working as Newsweek’s Pentagon reporter and an investigative reporter covering national security for the Center for Public Integrity, among other positions. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Reveal, The Daily Beast, and other outlets.
Dana Coester is creative director and executive editor for 100 Days in Appalachia. Coester also serves as creative director for the WVU Reed College of Media Innovation Center and leads the Center’s Knight-funded Innovators-in-Residence program and the Hacking the Gender Gap hackathon series. She is passionate about women in technology, privacy and social equity in emerging technology and new forms of documentary storytelling. Coester is currently producing a mixed reality documentary for HoloLens, as well as directing a documentary film on Muslim identity in Appalachia.
Konstantin Toropin is a reporter for Military.com, where he serves as the publication’s Pentagon correspondent while also specializing in coverage of the Navy. He is a Navy veteran, having served five years in the surface fleet as a signals intelligence analyst. Prior to joining Military.com, he covered breaking national news for CNN. His coverage focuses on the quality of life for service members in the military and has included helping to report on contaminated water aboard the USS Boxer and a suicide cluster on the USS George Washington.
Nikki Wentling covers disinformation and extremism for Military Times. She’s reported on veterans and military communities for eight years and has also covered technology, politics, health care and crime. Her work has earned multiple honors from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editors and others.
Sonner Kehrt is an investigative reporter at The War Horse, where she covers the military and climate change, misinformation, and gender. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, WIRED magazine, Inside Climate News, The Verge, and other publications. She studied government at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and served for five years as Coast Guard officer before earning a masters in democracy and governance studies from Georgetown University and a masters of journalism from UC Berkeley. She has also worked as a lecturer at UC Berkeley, teaching classes in writing, reporting, and ethics.
