Countering Disinformation: Frequently Asked Questions for Public Servants

1. What is the Guidebook?

The Countering Disinformation: A Guidebook for Public Servants (the Guidebook) was developed by the Protecting Democracy Unit (PDU) in the Privy Council Office (PCO). It gives federal public servants a basic understanding of the threat of disinformation to Canada’s democracy and offers guidance on how to identify, build public resilience to, and counter disinformation. The Guidebook is just one part of a larger toolkit for public servants which will include training, workshops, and other related guidance on countering disinformation.

2. Why is this needed?

Disinformation is a global issue that erodes public trust in our democratic institutions, worsens existing social divisions, and negatively affects the government’s ability to protect the public and deliver programs and services. The Guidebook provides federal public servants with a baseline understanding of the threat of disinformation and a consistent approach to navigating this growing threat.

3. My role doesn’t involve monitoring and countering disinformation, so how is the Guidebook relevant to me?  

While this information may not directly impact your day to day work, it’s important to be aware of disinformation and your organization’s responsibility in preventing and countering it.

The guidance is for federal public servants across all departments and agencies and functional groups. Depending on roles and responsibilities, public servants can use it in different ways.

Countering disinformation as public servants involves an organizational approach that includes everyone’s perspectives - subject matter experts, policy, program, communications, intelligence and security sectors, senior management, those who deliver services and interact with the public, among others. Everyone has a role to play.

Before taking any action against disinformation, be sure to consult and work with experts within your organization, including subject matter experts, decision makers, program and policy analysts and your department’s communications branch.

4. My role involves monitoring and countering disinformation. Will there be more specific/tactical direction and guidance forthcoming?

Work is ongoing with the intention of supplementing the information in the Guidebook, and may include case studies, tactics and other tools and activities for those more directly involved in monitoring and countering disinformation. Departments will be consulted as possible projects progress.

5. Where did this information come from?

The Guidebook draws from research commissioned by the Protecting Democracy Unit in the Privy Council Office as well as publicly available research and best practices on countering disinformation.

It builds on efforts and guidance from across the Government of Canada and includes input from organizations connected to the disinformation file.

6. What can public servants do to counter disinformation?

The best defence against disinformation is becoming engaged and informed. As public servants, it is important for you to be aware of the threat of disinformation. It is important that as a public servant, you understand how disinformation can affect how government policies and services are perceived.

You also play an important role in making sure Canadians have access to reliable and factual information, and the resources to be digitally savvy and to be able to identify and think critically about disinformation. You can also help build resilience against disinformation by ensuring that government information is accessible, clear, concise, accurate, and up-to-date.

Specifically, the Guidebook offers you guidance on:

• best practices to counter disinformation as it relates to government information, programs, policies and services, and
• building public resilience to disinformation before it takes root.

Be sure to work with experts within your organization, including subject matter experts, decision makers, program and policy analysts and your department’s communications branch, before taking any action against disinformation.

7. This guidance seems general. How is this going to stop disinformation?

The Guidebook provides federal public servants with a baseline understanding of disinformation, as well as how to prevent and counter it. It’s important to start with this baseline, as not everyone has the same level of familiarity with or encounters disinformation in the same way.

This Guidebook will help public servants better understand, identify, and fight it. You can use the guidance in different ways, depending on your roles and responsibilities.

This Guidebook is an element of what will be a broader toolkit for the public service, including training, workshops, and other related guidance.

Disinformation is a constantly evolving threat that affects different parts of society in particular ways. As the research, evidence and tools available to combat disinformation evolve and improve as new information becomes available, so too will the Guidebook.

Please reach out to the Communications team in your organization, as a first point of contact, if you have any information about incidents of disinformation.

8. The Guidebook is only intended for public servants. Does this mean that the onus to spot and counter disinformation rests with the public service?

Combatting disinformation is not just the responsibility of public servants.

It’s important that everyone be aware of disinformation, and what they can do to become more resilient against it.

A lot of work is already ongoing in terms of research, programs, resources, etc. both in Canada and around the world, to help us further our awareness, and better inform how we take action against disinformation.

To learn more: Protecting Canada’s democratic institutions.

9. Who do I contact if I have questions about disinformation?

If you have questions about disinformation, or want to bring disinformation to someone’s attention, you could reach out to your communications branch in your organization as a starting point.