What is prebunking?
What is “prebunking”?
You may be familiar with the concept of “debunking” falsehoods, and websites like AFP Factcheck, Reuters Fact Check or Factually which counter misinformation and disinformation using facts and counterarguments.
Prebunking works differently. It involves being educated about misinformation beforehand, to instill a critical and awareness-driven mindset and to build media literacy. We can compare this to inoculation, or a vaccine against a disease. Essentially, prebunking prevents us from falling for misinformation in the first place.
Prebunking comes in different forms. Google has produced a series of videos which focus on different techniques used, like scapegoating, false comparisons and exaggeration. The other category would be online games about fake news, such as Bad News, as reported in the media.
Robert the Otter comic
Still unsure about prebunking? Let Robert the Otter explain it to you in this comic, available in Facebook and Instagram (see below):