The Center for Countering Digital Hate counters hate and disinformation, by disrupting the online architecture enabling its rapid worldwide growth.
The work of the Center is carried out by two organizations, which operate collaboratively in carrying out their shared mission. CCDH US is a US nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation headquartered in Washington DC, and CCDH UK is a UK nonprofit company headquartered in London.
Digital technology has changed the way we communicate, build and maintain relationships, set social standards, and negotiate and assert our society’s values. Digital spaces, however, are often safe for bad actors spreading hate and disinformation, turning them into a hostile environment for others.
Over time these bad actors, advocating diverse causes – from misogyny and racism to denial of science and conspiracy theories – have mastered using these platforms to cause considerable real-world harm.
The Center’s work encompasses research, campaigns and policy to increase the economic, reputational and political costs of all parts of the infrastructure – the actors, systems and culture – that support and often profit from hate and disinformation.
The Center works with academics and practitioners in diverse fields, such as political science, behavioural psychology, neurology, the law, countering violent extremism (CVE), counterterrorism and child protection to develop strategies that strengthen tolerance and democracy, and counterstrategies to new forms of hate and disinformation.
CCDH have forced social media companies to establish precedent and remove hateful or dangerous content, by holding them directly accountable for amplifying and profiting from it.
Campaigns such as Stop Funding Misinformation reduce the reach of websites that masquerade as real news but in fact spread conspiracy theories, lies and hateful propaganda.
Public education such as Don’t Feed the Trolls and Don’t Spread the Virus help consumers understand how to navigate social media in a way that reduces inadvertent amplification of harm.
Our leaders are called upon as experts in our field by governments around the world and are leading commentators in the press and on broadcast.
The Center’s solutions have proven effective against a number of different types of hate and disinformation, including identity-based hate, climate change denial and health disinformation.
SOURCE: CENTER FOR COUNTERING DIGITAL HATE