What Is Identity-Based Disinformation and Why Does It Matter for Young People?

Disinformation is often understood as false or misleading information shared to confuse, influence or manipulate people. However, not all disinformation works in the same way. Some forms of disinformation do not only attack facts. They attack identity, belonging and trust.

This is called identity-based disinformation.

Identity-based disinformation refers to false or misleading content that targets people because of who they are or how they are perceived. It may focus on ethnicity, religion, gender, migration background, social identity, political views or other identity markers. Its aim is not only to spread incorrect information, but also to create fear, anger, exclusion, distrust or division between groups.

For young people, this type of manipulation can be especially powerful because identity, belonging and peer acceptance are central parts of growing up.

 

More Than “Fake News”

When people hear the term “fake news”, they often imagine a false headline, a manipulated photo or an incorrect claim. These are important problems, but identity-based disinformation goes deeper.

It does not simply ask people to believe something false.

It often tells them:

“People like you are under threat.”

“You do not belong here.”

“This group is your enemy.”

“No one respects your identity.”

“You must defend your group against others.”

These messages can be persuasive because they are emotional. They connect with personal fears, social experiences and the human need to belong.

This is why identity-based disinformation cannot be addressed only by saying, “This information is false.” Sometimes, even when a claim is corrected, the emotion behind it remains.

 

How Identity-Based Disinformation Works

Identity-based disinformation usually works through a combination of emotional and social triggers.

1. It uses emotions: Manipulative content often uses fear, anger, humiliation, injustice or pride. These emotions make people react quickly and share content before thinking critically.

2. It creates “us versus them” narratives: Many manipulative messages divide people into opposing groups. One group is presented as innocent, threatened or superior. Another group is presented as dangerous, guilty or undeserving.

3. It targets belonging: Young people want to feel accepted by their peers and communities. Disinformation can exploit this need by suggesting that agreement with a certain narrative is necessary to belong to a group.

4. It spreads through trusted networks: Young people may be more likely to believe or share content when it comes from friends, group chats, influencers or online communities they already trust.

5. It becomes resistant to correction: When a narrative becomes connected to identity, people may experience correction as a personal attack. This makes simple fact-checking less effective.

 

Why Young People Are Especially Affected

Young people aged 16–24 are in a key stage of shaping their identity, values and civic outlook. They are exploring who they are, where they belong and how they relate to society.

At the same time, they spend significant time in digital environments where information moves quickly and emotionally charged content can become highly visible. Platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Telegram and other social spaces can expose young people to narratives that are short, emotional, repetitive and easy to share.

The Identity Decode project was created in response to this challenge. The project recognises that many young people are digitally active, but they do not always have safe spaces where they can reflect on how online narratives affect their emotions, identity and sense of belonging.

 

Why Fact-Checking Alone Is Not Enough

Fact-checking is necessary. It helps people identify false information, manipulated images, misleading claims and unreliable sources.

However, fact-checking alone may not be enough when disinformation is connected to identity.

For example, a young person may share a misleading post not only because they believe the information is true, but because the post expresses something they feel:

– frustration;

– exclusion;

– anger;

– fear;

– loyalty to a group;

– distrust toward institutions;

– desire to be heard.

In such cases, correcting the information is only one part of the response. Youth workers also need to help young people explore why the message felt convincing, what emotions it activated, and how it shaped their view of others.

Identity-based disinformation needs an educational response that combines media literacy, emotional awareness, identity reflection and civic dialogue.

 

The Link with Polarisation and Radicalisation

Identity-based disinformation can contribute to polarisation because it encourages people to see society through rigid group divisions.

Instead of asking, “What is true?” it pushes people to ask:

“Whose side are you on?”

This can weaken social trust and democratic dialogue. In more serious cases, identity-based narratives can become part of radicalisation processes, especially when they repeatedly frame certain groups as enemies, threats or outsiders.

This does not mean that every young person exposed to such content will become radicalised. However, it does mean that youth workers, educators and communities need tools to recognise early signs of harmful narratives and respond before they become fixed beliefs.

The Identity Decode project addresses this by equipping youth workers with structured methods for emotionally safe and identity-aware dialogue.

 

The Role of Youth Workers

Youth workers are not fact-checkers only. They are facilitators of trust, reflection and dialogue.

They can help young people:

– recognise manipulative narratives;

– understand emotional triggers;

– reflect on identity and belonging;

– discuss difficult topics without shame or hostility;

– question “us versus them” thinking;

– build confidence to participate in democratic life.

This role is especially important because young people may not always discuss these topics with teachers, parents or institutions. Youth work can offer a more open, flexible and trust-based space.

Through non-formal education, youth workers can help young people slow down, ask better questions and respond to online content more consciously.

 

What Identity Decode Does

Identity Decode responds to identity-based disinformation by developing practical tools for youth workers.

The project creates:

a Youth Worker Competency Matrix;

a Competence-Based Youth Work Practitioner’s Guide;

emotional safety facilitation tools;

two workshop formats: Narrative Decode Labs + Identity Story Camps;

multilingual resources for youth workers and organisations.

 

These resources will help youth workers move beyond general media literacy and support young people in exploring the emotional, social and civic dimensions of online manipulation.

 

Why This Matters for Democracy

Democracy depends on more than access to information. It also depends on trust, dialogue, participation and the ability to live with difference.

When young people are exposed to narratives that constantly divide society into enemies and victims, democratic culture becomes weaker. When they are given tools to question manipulation, understand emotions and speak safely about identity, democratic resilience becomes stronger.

Identity-based disinformation matters because it affects how young people see themselves, others and society.

Addressing it is not only a digital safety issue. It is also a youth work issue, an inclusion issue and a democratic participation issue.

 

In short

Identity-based disinformation is powerful because it speaks to identity, emotion and belonging. It can make false or misleading narratives feel personal, meaningful and socially important.

For young people, this creates a serious challenge. They need more than warnings about fake news. They need safe spaces to understand how online narratives influence their emotions, relationships and civic attitudes.

This is the purpose of Identity Decode: to support youth workers in helping young people decode manipulation, reflect on identity and strengthen democratic dialogue.