Trusted News Initiative

The Trusted News Initiative (TNI) is an international alliance of news media, social media and technology corporations described as a “real-time, early warning system to flag serious disinformation that may pose a threat to life or the integrity of the electoral process.”¹⁾

The TNI was officially announced in September 2019 following an event called the Trusted News Summit convened by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).²⁾ A BBC media release cites “recent events such as the Indian elections” as the inciting incidents leading to the group's creation.^{3) 4) 5)}

In July 2020, the TNI announced it was working to “combat the spread of disinformation during the upcoming U.S. Presidential election.”⁶⁾

Though its initial mandate was related to elections, the TNI announced in March 2020 that it “will extend its efforts to identifying false and potentially harmful Coronavirus information” - just over two weeks after the World Health Organization (WHO)'s declaration of the multinational SARS-CoV-2 outbreak as a “pandemic”.^{7) 8)} Then, “with the introduction of several possible new COVID-19 vaccines” at the end of 2020, the TNI shifted again “to focus on combatting the spread of harmful vaccine disinformation.”⁹⁾

The initial group consisted of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Facebook, Financial Times, First Draft, Google, The Hindu, and the Wall Street Journal. Other groups including AFP, CBC/Radio-Canada, Microsoft, Reuters, the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, and Twitter joined the alliance shortly after.

The full list of organizations that have affiliated with the TNI include:^{10) 11)}

• AFP
• Associated Press
• BBC
• CBC/Radio-Canada
• Deutsche Press
• European Broadcasting Union
• Facebook
• Financial Times
• First Draft
• Google
• The Hindu
• Meta
• Microsoft
• New York Times
• Reuters
• Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
• Twitter
• Wall Street Journal
• Washington Post
• YouTube

Jessica Cecil is the Director of the TNI, on behalf of the BBC.¹²⁾

Cecil authored an article published by the Paris Peace Forum claiming that “disinformation kills”, citing “false cures and lies about vaccines” and invoking the “Capital riots” on January 6th, 2021. She also claimed that individuals spreading “Fake News” are gaining financially. Apparently without realizing the irony, she followed up by applauding social media organizations increasing funding to pay journalists for “accurate news”.¹³⁾