Misinformation Alert: Beware The Eco Mob

Dehumanising language is dangerous because it presents groups as less then human and often outside of society. Increasingly, we're seeing climate protestors and environmental activists described in this way, as 'vandals' or 'mobs'. Reporting also centres on the human distress caused by protests, decreasing the likelihood that Persuadables will engage with environmental spokespeople in the future.

We need to plan for these occasions and piggyback on them to land practical messaging, as well as condemn dehumanising tactics where we see them.

Read on to learn:

• What is going on? What narratives are at play, who is pushing them and how long it has been going on for
• Who is at risk? Which audiences are part of the conversation and are any at risk from misinformation?
• What are the facts? The facts and trusted sources we can use in communications.
• How can we fight back? Crafting messages that will make the truth stick for our audience.

This threat alert was originally published in June 2022.