As is the case with many of you, we knew from the beginning of the year that 2024 was going to be a critical year regarding news literacy. Digital disinformation is a massive issue surrounding major events, such as national elections. However, there are many reasons to be optimistic when thinking of ways to continue countering digital misinformation and disinformation.
The guests we had on our podcast this year had deep knowledge about this issue, and we are immensely grateful for their contribution and willingness to aid in mitigating the crisis which is the rapid spread of digital misinformation and disinformation.
We welcome you to read the summaries of this year’s episodes:
March: Andy Moore – What Does False Information Look Like in the World of Civic Engagement? – EP08
Episode link: https://tinyurl.com/3ujrtb78
In this episode, Andy Moore, CEO of Let’s Fix This, provided us with his experiences of encountering misinformation in his field of work, which includes projects surrounding civic engagement and advocacy. He insightfully described how to best counter false information in a clear and straightforward way, which results in the continuation of the important work of civic engagement and advocacy. Take a listen to this episode to hear from our wonderful guest who has extensive experience in a critical field of work.
June: Ella Niederhelman – The Role of Media in Upholding Democracy – EP09 (DYKWYK x PSTY)
Episode link: https://tinyurl.com/yv6scdxk
In this episode, we collaborated with another podcast, Pod Save the Youth, where Delnaz is a co-host. Delnaz and her fellow co-host, David Seaton, spoke with our amazing guest, Ella Niederhelman, and discussed the role that journalism, and specifically local journalism, plays in preserving democracy. Niederhelman gave us her insights as an award-winning journalist, and we are incredibly grateful for her contribution. This episode is highly relevant today and the points discussed can be applied to matters surrounding the importance of journalism in any part of the world.
August: Kojo Asamoa-Caesar – How Disinformation Divides Us All – EP10
Episode link: https://tinyurl.com/52472jv2
In August, we hosted Kojo Asamoa-Caesar, a former teacher and Democratic nominee for Congress in 2020 for OK-1. We greatly enjoyed listening to his personal and professional experiences. After high school, Asamoa-Caesar went to law school. Initially, upon the completion of law school, rather than practice law, he went into teaching kindergarten! He worked with Teach for America and was eventually the founding principal of a school in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
He later went on to shift his focus to education policy which led to him running for office. We were inspired by his resilience and passion.
November: Delnaz Kazemi and Lauren McDowell – Storms of Conspiracy Theories – Discussing Recent Examples of Misinformation and Disinformation – EP11
Episode link: https://tinyurl.com/2z8z8bkb
In this episode, we discussed conspiracy theories popular in the month of October and November that had grown through disinformation tactics. We specifically spoke about conspiracy theories regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) response to recent hurricanes, the conspiracy theories surrounding the November 2024 election, and the ever-changing role that artificial intelligence plays in misinformation and disinformation.
To conclude, we want to thank you for your support this year. Our discussions and work at Do You Know What You Know? would not be possible without you. As we enter into 2025, let’s remember the skills we learned this year and apply them to any type of information we encounter.
Sincerely,
Delnaz Kazemi and Lauren McDowell, Co-Founders of Do You Know What You Know?
