Last Updated on October 2, 2025
Ethnic and Indigenous media outlets across the United States are playing an increasingly critical role in pushing back against political disinformation, according to a new study released Thursday by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).
The report, part of ICFJ’s long-running research into global disinformation trends, found that these outlets — from Spanish-language publications to Indigenous-run radio and African American news platforms — are often better equipped than mainstream media to identify and challenge false information.
“Thanks to their deep community ties and well-established credibility, ethnic and Indigenous news outlets are often attuned to harmful rumors and falsehoods circulating within their communities well before those narratives manage to garner national attention, making them uniquely positioned to address disinformation before it reaches a critical mass of people,” the report said.
As part of their study, researchers employed artificial intelligence tools to analyze nearly 10,000 articles. The technology allowed them to systematically identify recurring topics, narratives and disinformation patterns across ethnic and Indigenous outlets.
“These methods were combined in an effort to better understand both the unique challenges ethnic outlets face related to disinformation, as well as the ways they responded to false and misleading narratives during the 2024 U.S. presidential election,” the IFCJ said in a statement.
The ICFJ report also noted that while many of these outlets serve as frontline defenders against falsehoods, they often operate with limited staff and budgets. Producing multilingual coverage, monitoring closed digital spaces and investing in fact-checking stretch already-thin resources.
Among the reports recommendations, The ICFJ called for increased philanthropic support to help these newsrooms sustain their work, stronger collaborations with mainstream outlets, and more training opportunities for journalists covering disinformation in multilingual and culturally diverse contexts.
“Disinformation is a rampant problem … It’s time to turn the page, to support and amplify innovative strategies that can combat dangerous falsehoods. It’s time to identify and reveal the networks behind viral pieces of false content, and to make sure the next generation is prepared to separate fact from fiction.”
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