MEDIA RELEASE: The Disinformation Project welcomes greater media scrutiny on claims by politicians

Thursday, 7 September 2023

For immediate release

Independent research group The Disinformation Project welcomes greater media scrutiny on claims made by candidates ahead of the 2023 General Election.

Kate Hannah, Founder and Director of the Project, says that it’s important that politicians provide accurate information to New Zealanders when disinformation is at an all-time high.

“It’s critical to understand the difference between organised disinformation campaigns and individual instances of false information from politicians, while still holding candidates to a high standard of integrity.”

‘Disinformation’ is a term used to define false and harmful information that is spread deliberately on a large scale in a highly organised way. It is a global phenomenon that is impacting Aotearoa, and is closely tied to extremism and foreign interference. Disinformation ultimately seeks to undermine social cohesion and electoral democracy.

“While individual politicians making false statements about their opponents is not comparable to disinformation campaigns in terms of scale and harm, the rise of disinformation actually creates an increased need for politicians to promote accurate information and be a trustworthy source for New Zealanders,” says Hannah.

The Disinformation Project supports a high level of scrutiny on the information promoted by candidates this election.

“Journalism that identifies and debunks false claims at any scale, especially during an election period, helps reinforce the importance of trusted sources of information. Our politicians have a responsibility to help counter false information, not contribute to it.”

ENDS