An approach to tackling ‘Identity-Based Disinformation’ with ‘Positive Identity Expansion’ through alternative narratives.

Overview

“Online and offline, a dangerous type of manipulation targets who we are at our core – our values, beliefs, and sense of belonging. Identity‑Based Disinformation (IBD) isn’t just disinformation by “fake news”; it’s designed to play on our basic human needs (like the need to belong and feel safe) by offering narrow, divisive definitions of who we are. It creates false “us vs. them” choices, stirs up emotions like fear and anger, and thrives in echo chambers. The damage is real: it can break apart families, divide communities, weaken trust, and lead to violence.”

“Confronting the effects of this type of disinformation head‑on may not be the most effective approach. When senses of identity are involved, confrontation can lead to defensiveness and further entrenchment. This guide offers a different approach: Positive Identity Expansion. Instead of directly attacking the disinformation, we focus on providing the targets of the disinformation (the people being manipulated) with the options they need to escape its influence and become stronger and more resilient.”

Instead of directly attacking the disinformation, we focus on providing the targets of the disinformation (the people being manipulated) with the options they need to escape its influence and become stronger and more resilient.

We do this by creating and deploying “Alternative Narratives” – positive, real messages that:

1. Meet Deep Needs: Fulfill the same deep needs as the disinformation exploits (belonging, esteem, security) in healthy, inclusive ways.
2. Broaden Identity: Remind people how rich their lives, cultures, communities and identities really are, showing that seemingly conflicting values (e.g., traditional and modern, patriotic and critical) can coexist.
3. Celebrate Diversity: Showcase the positive diversity within the target audience’s own culture in a way that resonates with them.
4. Focus on the Positive: Build up shared values and connections, staying positive.

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An approach to strengthen the ‘cultural immune system’

Identity based disinformation (IBD) is designed to harm and divide us [a means of growing the power of fascism]

“Individuals influenced by online falsehoods will likely end up spreading these on‑ and offline in a multitude of conversations in families, communities, workplaces and random encounters. A process aided by the fact that identity‑based disinformation is designed to stir emotions and mobilize people to evangelize the very disinformation they have been exposed to.”

“Alternative narratives are collections of messages which celebrate the richness and diversity of a community’s identity. Importantly, these messages are calibrated to fulfill the same psychological needs that their disinformation message counterparts exploit—belonging, self‑esteem, security, significance etc. Alternative narrative messages meet these needs in healthy, inclusive ways that expand rather than narrow the target audiences’ sense of who they are.”

A focus on building resilience at a deeper level by addressing the psychological and cultural needs that are being exploited

“Every post you share, every conversation you guide, every story you tell that expands rather than restricts identity options is a meaningful contribution”

“IBD ‘weaponizes’ identity—the fundamental sense of who we are, including our values, beliefs, sense of cultural heritage, and group affiliations. This weaponization seeks to fray human bonds, divide communities and cause harm to our societies. It operates by exploiting our deepest human needs for belonging, self‑esteem, significance, and security, offering narrow and rigid definitions of identity as the only path to fulfilling these needs.”

Trauma, societal transformation and economic insecurity directly shape how secure we feel and our place in the world - “The combination of material insecurity and threats to one’s sense of self‑worth creates ideal conditions for divisive ideologies that promote rigid us‑versus‑them thinking.”

EXAMPLE OF NAZI GERMANY:

“IBD Tactics & Identity Narrowing: This campaign exemplifies extreme Othering, portraying Jews as fundamentally alien and malevolent. It used Emotional Manipulation (fear, disgust, resentment) through shocking imagery and fabricated stories. By blaming Jews for national problems, it Promised a Narrow Identity to Germans: a path to restored Self‑Esteem, Significance, and Security was offered only through embracing an “Aryan,” anti‑Semitic identity and rejecting any shared humanity with Jews. This created a False Choice between being a “loyal German” and showing empathy towards Jews, effectively narrowing German identity to exclude compassion and critical thought regarding the regime’s ‘other’. The need for Belonging within the “Volksgemeinschaft” (community of The People) was made conditional on accepting this hateful ideology.”

EXAMPLE OF BREXIT ‘TURKEY IS JOINING THE EU” SCARE:

IBD Tactics & Identity Narrowing: This campaign used Othering by portraying Turks (and implicitly Muslims/immigrants) as a demographic and security threat. It employed Emotional Manipulation (fear of crime, uncontrolled migration, cultural change) and presented a False Choice: EU membership with Turkish influx vs. Brexit for safety and control. It Promised a Narrow Identity where British Security, Agency (“take back control”), and cultural continuity were contingent on leaving the EU and rejecting perceived threats from outsiders. This narrowed British identity, linking patriotism and national interest primarily to anti‑immigration and anti‑EU stances.”

EXAMPLE OF THE GREAT REPLACEMENT CONSPIRACY THEORY IBD Tactics & Identity Narrowing:

This theory is built on extreme Othering (immigrants/minorities as existential threats, often linked to anti‑Semitic tropes about elites). It uses powerful Emotional Manipulation, stoking existential fear (“replacement,” “white genocide”), paranoia, anger, and resentment. It Promises a Narrow Identity where white Security, Continuity (cultural/racial lineage), Self‑Esteem (as defenders), and Belonging (within white nationalist groups) are achievable only by embracing a racially defined identity based on victimhood and opposition to diversity. This drastically narrows white identity, demanding rejection of multiculturalism, empathy, and shared humanity with non‑white groups. It presents a False Choice: resist “replacement” (often violently) or face extinction.”

Positive identity expansion (PIE)

Can help to build resilience, not through fighting the negative but by actively cultivating the richness and diversity within our own identities and communities

PIE attempts to meet needs “through a celebration of community and cultural/ethnic/religious heritage and participation, and through an acknowledgement of the richness and complexity of our individual and group identities”

Seek to expand identity expression and not shrink or reduce it - “We remind people of the full range of their options to express their values, beliefs, and experiences. We show and celebrate that seemingly conflicting ideas do actually coexist within a healthy identity. For example, you can be both patriotic and critical of your country’s flaws. You can be deeply religious and also support scientific progress.”

“we highlight the richness and diversity of the target audience’s culture and heritage. We celebrate the many different ways people express (and have expressed in the past) their identities. This requires moving beyond surface‑level observations to understand the deep cultural, traditional, religious, and historical contexts that shape the audience’s worldview and values.”

Experts in comms and conflict resolution often advise against confrontational approaches about arguing instead of understanding

The aim of PIE is to be at least equally effective in meeting the underlying human needs that the IBD exploits

Core principles of equal alternative narratives

Positive : we focus on building up and not tearing down

Proactive : we are creating a positive vision and not just reacting to negativity

Empowering : we offer choices and expand possibilities

Needs based - we address underlying human needs to a healthy way

Choice based : we do not manipulate the availability of narratives but merely offer alternatives which resonate

Resilient : we build a stronger foundation that is less susceptible to manipulation

Alternative narratives are for the target audience of the IBD (the people the IBD creators are trying to influence) and not the group deemed ‘other’ by the IBD

“The goal of a Positive Identity Expansion approach is thus to strengthen the target audience’s sense of self, providing access to resonant positive narratives that act as an off‑ramp and shield against the IBD’s influence. We do this by focusing exclusively on promoting positive values, building connections, and fostering understanding within the target audience, and NOT by setting out to defend against or reverse the negative representations of the ‘other’.”

Step 1: Analyze the IBD campaign

• Collect examples of IBD messages from diverse sources eg social media, articles, memes, videos etc
• Identify reoccurring themes, the main ideas being pushed
• What emotions are the messages attempting to promote?
• What human need is the message targeting and how is it promising to fulfil that need?
• How is the IBD trying to shape the target audience’s sense of self? What narrow version of their identity is being promoted? What aspects are being suppressed or discredited?
• Are there any false choices being encouraged?
• How are power imbalances influencing the IBD campaign? Are there noticeable differences in societal power and resources?
• How might existing power structures make the IBD narrative seem more credible or harder to challenge? Does it align with or reinforce narratives already promoted by powerful actors?
• Are there certain channels dominated by specific power groups that will affect who sees the IBD and how they interpret it?

Step 2: define and understand your target audience

• Core demographics like the age most effected, where they live, local history and regional cultural variations, ethnic/religious/cultural backgrounds, income levels, types of employment, education levels, economic concerns, what are the multiple identities held by this audience?, which identity aspects are the most salient or valued in different contexts?, where do people experience conflict between different aspects of their identity? How has identity changed over time and what has remained constant?
• What values most guide their decisions and worldviews? Which psychological needs are the most important? (Security, belonging, self esteem, meaning), what concerns, anxieties, threats do they perceive to their identity and way of life? What are their hopes for themselves, their families and their communities?
• Who do they consider a credible and trustworthy source of info? What platforms, online communities and media channels do they engage with regularly?, how do they receive and process info typically (format, timing, context)?, which community leaders, public figures and everyday people shape their perspectives?
• Research methods include direct engagement through informal conversations, community events, active listening (why do certain narratives resonate), collaborative consultation; digital ethnography through online observations, content analysis, and language patterning; historical research into significant events which shaped local identity, cultural traditions and how the community has been represented into media
• Create a primary archetype description and audience variations notes
• Identify specific vulnerabilities that the IBD might try to exploit
• “The more deeply you understand your audience, the more effectively you can create narratives that expand their identity options rather than narrowing them”
• Read this resource: Understanding Culture in Stories: A Handbook of Methods for Practitioners

Step 3: develop equal alternative narratives

• To infer positive values to emphasise we can consider: what are the direct opposite values which the IBD is promoting eg exclusion to inclusion, what positive values is the IBD actively trying to suppress?, is the IBD distorted a value which the audience typically hold eg tradition, and could the more authentic, inclusive version be promoted?, out of the values and aspirations held by the audience, which of these offer a constructive counterpoint that may resonate?, what universal values align with the audiences’ culture and could counter the IBD?
• For each need the IBD exploits, we can ask: what positive community activities, traditions, support systems already exist within the audience’s culture that genuinely meets the need? What hopes, goals and aspirations can be linked to fulfilling this need positively?, what stories, symbols, historical examples, or respected figures from the audience’s culture offer inspiring ways to meet this need?, how can we offer multiple options to offer as a counter to the IBDs narrow answer?
• “Now that you have identified positive values and alternative ways to meet needs, you need to strategize how to weave these into narratives that resonate without triggering backlash. Important: Your goal is NOT to directly counter the IBD message. Your goal is to expand the target audience’s identity options, making them less susceptible to the narrow identity frames offered by IBD.”
• Brainstorm specific narrative approaches: focus on identity expansion through narratives which provide multiple ways to express values and fulfil needs; avoid direct reference to the ‘other’; circumvent backlash by framing narrative as an extension to existing values and not as a rebuttal; needs to feel culturally authentic
• Strategy Considerations (Examples):
  • For “Us‑Them” IBD Narratives: Focus on broadening the concept of “us” by celebrating internal diversity within the target audience’s own community or culture. Highlight shared goals or values that cut across potential dividing lines within the group.
  • For Fear‑Based IBD Narratives: Instead of directly challenging fears, provide concrete stories of local resilience, community cooperation in overcoming past challenges, or practical steps individuals can take to enhance shared security.
  • For Status/Pride IBD Narratives: Showcase multiple, diverse avenues for members of the target audience to gain respect, feel pride, and achieve significance (e.g., through skill mastery, community service, artistic expression, family dedication) beyond the narrow path offered by the IBD.
• Authentic cultural references are key to making your narratives resonate eg local figures, literary works, proverbs or idioms, historical events, cultural practices or symbols. Choose references which are deeply resonant, largely uncontroversial within the target audience, supportive of expansion.
• You can subtly test references eg Does it come up naturally in conversations? Is it viewed positively by diverse segments of your audience? A reference that seems perfect on paper might carry unintended baggage.

Step 4 : identify trusted voices and appropriate channels

• Who does the audience genuinely trust and listen to? Eg local leaders, religious figures, family members and friends, teachers, local celebrities and micro-influencers, media personalities and journalists
• Where do they spend their time and get their info? Eg social media, WhatsApp groups, local newspapers, community websites or blogs, community newsletters or bulletins, local radio and tv, places of worship, community centres, libraries, local shops, pubs or cafes, word of mouth in existing networks

Step 5: craft your alternative narratives

• [a felt narrative experience is actually building these opps for connection etc - policy intervention and the power of cultural - this is important and the other side of the coin to broadcast narratives]
• [feels to me that they’re missing the opportunity to actually co-design these messages with members of the community… although they do encourage testing]

Step 6: strategic narrative design

• “Your goal is to design how your narratives are presented so they act as authentic cultural celebration or common‑sense observations, allowing them to resonate more deeply.”
• Crosscheck against this assessment:
  • Visibility analysis: Is it obviously a counter‑narrative? Does it use oppositional language? Look for terms like “actually,” “despite what you may have heard,” or “the truth is” that signal opposition. Would it attract negative attention? Consider whether the narrative might trigger defensive reactions from those spreading IBD.
  • Refinement: is the narrative culturally embedded? Is the message framed in positive terms? Create appropriate distance between your narrative and the topics of the IBD by focusing on related but distinct aspects of the target audience’s identity. Connect your narratives to historical traditions or future aspirations rather than current controversies.
  • Can this narrative stand on its own merit? It should be compelling and meaningful even if the IBD didn’t exist.
  • “The most effective alternative narratives operate below the radar of IBD agents while simultaneously fulfilling the same needs the IBD exploits, but in healthier, more inclusive ways. By making your narratives as authentic cultural expressions rather than counter‑strategies, you increase their effectiveness and reduce the risk of triggering backlash or adaptation by IBD agents.”

Step 7: review refine, share and monitor

• Actions suggested in report
• “while positive identity expansion is the core strategy, a nuanced understanding allows for the possibility of carefully integrating fact‑based elements or critical thinking prompts in specific, later‑stage contexts…”
• “IBD often taps into deep‑seated cultural anxieties or beliefs. Effective alternatives must engage with this same level of cultural depth, offering positive interpretations or pathways rooted in the audience’s own heritage.”
• Best practices for ensuring depth:
  • Go beyond surface symbols - explore deeper cultural narratives, myths, traditions etc
  • Engage cultural advisors
  • Prioritise lived experience

“By prioritizing deep cultural and contextual understanding within clear ethical boundaries, your alternative narratives move from being simply “messages” to becoming meaningful contributions to the community’s own story, making them far more powerful in building resilience against IBD.”