4. THE STRATEGIES ADOPTED BY ACTORS The majority of actors (fifty-three) in the region are directing their efforts at the general population or social environment; a further eighteen target media professionals. Only four appear to focus primarily on policymakers. Most (forty-six) incorporate or address multiple media types (traditional and online) in their work. A few of them concentrate on online media (twenty) or social media (six). As with the types of false information targeted, most initiatives use multiple strategies and methods to tackle different dimensions of the problem. 4.1 TYPES OF RESPONSES Based on Bontcheva et al.’s (2020, 37) typology of disinformation responses, we identified examples of all four primary categories of responses: 1. Identification responses (monitoring/fact checking, investigative) 2. Responses targeting producers and distributors (campaigns, policy/legislative, electoral) 3. Responses aimed at production and distribution mechanisms (technical/algorithmic, curatorial) 4. Responses aimed at the target audiences of disinformation campaigns (educational, empowerment/credibility labelling, and ethical/normative responses). These categories are not mutually exclusive; therefore, the analysis that follows classifies actors based on the nature of their primary response. Overall, identification responses are the dominant core activity (see Figure 3), while a few actors use identification responses as a secondary activity. Forty initiatives focus on fact checking and investigation as a primary activity. Responses directed at the production and distribution environment are second highest in frequency (sixteen in total engaging in campaigns, policy and legislative engagements, and electionfocused activities). A slightly lower number are working to support the target audiences of misor disinformation (fifteen initiatives focused on education and empowerment). Although the majority of actors are targeting online mis- and disinformation and using online approaches, the use of technical or algorithmic responses to target production and distribution mechanisms is rare (eight initiatives). IDENTIFICATION RESPONSES This response primarily identifies mis- or disinformation by monitoring targeted platforms or populations, confirming or disproving the claims made, and providing credible sources for the information. The process might consist of basic fact checking or it could involve deeper investigation of foundational information about the content as well as its impact. 32 MONITORING AND FACT CHECKING 9 EDUCATIONAL 8 8 INVESTIGATIVE TECHNICAL AND ALGORITHMIC 6 6 6 CAMPAIGNS EMPOWERMENT AND CREDIBILITY LABELLING EFFORTS POLICY/LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY ELECTORAL FOCUS I N FO R M ATI O N D I SO R D ER IN THE GLOBA L SOUTH Figure 3: Types of responses used by seventy-nine initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa to combat information disorder 4 TYPES OF RESPONSES USED BY SEVENTY-NINE INITIATIVES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA TO COMBAT INFORMATION DISORDER Sub -Saharan Africa – 1 45