PART 1 GENERAL OVERVIEW 1. INTRODUCTION Like elsewhere in the world, “information disorder” (a broad term that encompasses misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, hate speech, and other concepts) is an ongoing issue in Asia. Information disorder emerges in a variety of fields, and false information is spread by various actors with different motivations, through various means. The topics on which false information is spread tend to be those that are polarizing in a given society, or where the stakes are high and the situation is dangerous or uncertain (for example an election, an epidemic, or a natural disaster). We have found that, in Asia, the two main areas in which information disorder emerges are politics and health. Hate speech against marginalized groups is also found in these contexts, especially in terms of othering or scapegoating certain groups, such as ethnic and religious minorities, women, and LGBTQI+ individuals. We have observed that, in Asia, the actors who propagate information disorder are generally motivated by power, ideology, or money, and that they sometimes merely spread information that fits their psychological biases or political persuasions. In some cases, disinformation campaigns are structured and intentional, often with the aim of achieving a certain outcome, such as winning an election. In other cases, misinformation or rumors happen to gain momentum. In terms of how information disorder spreads, social media platforms, such as Facebook, I N FO R M ATI O N D I SO R D ER IN THE GLOBA L SOUTH WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, and so forth, are of course key conduits. However, word of mouth and offline gossip also play an important role. In some contexts, traditional media can also become propagators of information disorder, mainly due to poor media ethics practices, a lack of funding and resources, or censorious regulatory environments in which the media are tightly controlled by the state. Diverse actions have been taken by organizations combating information disorder in Asia: • Fact checking, a popular method across the region, is carried out by independent third-party organizations or individuals and by journalists as part of adhering to media ethics in the journalistic process. • Media and digital literacy campaigns are another method. Many media and civil society organizations offer training for media and the general public and run grassroots-level interventions and campaigns. Some of the organizations that carry out these activities form part of global or regional programs, while others are only active in a specific country. Some universities also offer courses and training programs on fact checking and media and digital literacy. • Digital platforms have taken measures against information disorder on their platforms, including in Asia. These measures include blocking and flagging content that violates community standards, monitoring for systematic information manipulation campaigns and threats, collaborating with third-party fact checkers, and supporting media literacy initiatives. Asia – 1 9 1