Malicious actors push disinformation for many reasons. Some are state-sponsored campaigns driven by geopolitics. Others are commercial efforts by marketing firms or informal networks fueled by ideology. But the deeper issue is systemic: today’s online platforms and business models reward attention over accuracy, creating powerful incentives for harmful content to spread.
GDI was founded to confront this challenge. In our early years, we highlighted the problem by showing where disinformation risks existed. Today, we focus on fixing the systems that allow disinformation to thrive.
Disinformation is not about legitimate differences of opinion or debate. It is deliberately misleading content or the strategic omission of facts, created to advance a narrative that serves financial, political, or ideological goals.
Disinformation often works by intentionally misleading audiences. It is created to serve financial or geopolitical interests, while fueling long-term social and political division. In doing so, it harms vulnerable groups and undermines trust in institutions.
Vulnerable groups include immigrants, persecuted minorities, women, children, people of colour, and LGBTQ+ communities. Institutions at risk include democratic processes, scientific consensus on issues such as climate change or vaccines, and public health systems. The harms range from financial loss to harassment, illness, violence, and even loss of life.
The spread of adversarial narratives is eroding trust in our societies, widening division, and giving authoritarian voices greater influence. From hate speech and conspiracy theories to extremism and harassment, disinformation undermines the progress of democratic, inclusive societies.
To stop disinformation at its source, we work with governments, civil society, and industry to shape stronger rules and standards for online accountability, push for transparency in how content is promoted and monetised, and build resilience so that reliable information can thrive.
Our mission is clear: to strengthen the systems of the internet so that truth has the advantage and disinformation loses its power.