Online panel discussion: Confronting Disinformation in Asia
Growing numbers of audiences turn to USAGM’s Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) content to better understand regional politics, economic news, and information related to local communities in their region. Coverage of the unrest in Myanmar, effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea ongoing crisis, China’s growing influence in the region or disinformation campaigns in Sri Lanka are of increasing importance to international audiences.
Eighty-five media workers, civil society activists and stakeholders in the U.S. and overseas joined the USAGM and IREX expert panel to discuss the spread of disinformation in a number of Asian countries in 2021. Panelists also highlighted the various ways in which the international community can work together to help citizens build resilience to disinformation while encouraging them to develop healthy media consumption habits. The goal of this event was to build demand for free and uncensored information by helping citizens to break out of their information bubbles and giving them the tools and the curiosity to verify the information they consume.