Combatting Information Threats in a Post-Moderation Era: Strategies for 2025 and Beyond

In 2025, major social media platforms have begun moving away from traditional, top-down content moderation. Instead of swiftly removing misleading or harmful content, platforms are experimenting with user-based fact-checking systems—most notably, X.com’s Community Notes and Meta’s recent announcement to implement user-contributed notes. Rather than relying solely on platform moderators, this approach enlists ordinary users to add context, debunk falsehoods, and provide credible sources. While this strategy encourages communal truth-telling, it also places a heavier burden on organizations and individuals to respond proactively to harmful narratives.

The Shifting Content Moderation Landscape

Traditional moderation—removing or labeling misleading content—has faced criticism for perceived bias, inefficiency, or overreach. Research from the Pew Research Center highlights the tension between free expression and public safety online, with major platforms continually adjusting their policies in response to political and societal pressures.

As platforms move toward decentralized moderation, the Oxford Internet Institute has noted that crowdsourced content moderation can help reduce echo chambers by offering corrective information from diverse sources. However, this shift means harmful content may remain visible for longer.

Troll farms, bots, and other malicious actors continue to refine tactics, exploiting platform features to spread deceptive messaging. A 2023 study from Graphika found that coordinated disinformation campaigns increasingly use AI-generated content and deepfakes to create misleading but convincing narratives. In this environment, waiting for platforms to act is no longer a viable strategy.

New Responsibilities for Communications and Security Teams

With platforms stepping back, the responsibility to combat information threats increasingly falls to communications staff, crisis response teams, and security professionals. The concept of “narrative warfare”—which emphasizes the power of emotionally compelling stories to shape public opinion—is central to modern disinformation strategies.

A key defense strategy is to gather data on a damaging narratives:

• Origin (Who started it?)
• Network of amplification (Who is spreading it?)
• Connections to existing conspiracy theories or misleading information tropes

Research from RAND highlights how early detection of information threats allows organizations to respond before misleading information spreads widely. AI-powered monitoring tools can analyze posting patterns and contextual clues to distinguish between organic discourse and coordinated disinformation campaigns.

The Power of Prebunking

One of the most effective ways to curb information threats is prebunking—the proactive release of factual information before false narratives gain traction. A 2023 study from MIT’s Initiative on the Digital Economy found that people who encounter prebunking messages are significantly less likely to believe falsehoods later, even when exposed to false information from trusted sources.

For prebunking to be effective, it must include compelling, easy-to-digest evidence of a narrative’s falsity. Organizations can:

• Create visual explainers that break down common information warfare tactics
• Publish short videos or infographics that fact-check emerging falsehoods
• Use interactive tools to show how deceptive information spreads

Prebunking acts like a mental innoculation against information threats, making people more resistant to manipulation attempts.

Coordinated Response and Documentation

To combat information threats effectively, organizations should implement response playbooks—centralized resources that include:

• Key messages
• Verified evidence
• Recommended distribution channels

A 2024 study from The Aspen Institute’s Commission on Information Disorder found that organizations that use structured response plans are 40% more effective in countering disinformation compared to those that reactively engage with falsehoods.

Documentation and post-incident reporting are also critical. By tracking:

• When an information attack began
• How it evolved
• Which countermeasures were effective

Organizations create a knowledge base for future defense efforts. These after-action reports can also help inform leadership about information threats and guide strategic decision-making.

Looking Ahead

Even as social media platforms shift toward user-based content notes, information threats are not disappearing. Bot networks, internet trolls, and foreign adversaries will continue to exploit digital vulnerabilities. To stay resilient, organizations must:

1. Invest in Early Detection
   Use AI-driven tools to identify emerging information threats before they spread.

2. Embrace Prebunking
   Provide evidence based, engaging, and user-friendly information ahead of misleading information.

3. Coordinate Responses
   Develop cross-platform strategies to ensure consistent, fact-based messaging.

4. Document and Learn
   Report and analyze information threat incidents to improve future responses.

By recognizing the changing role of platforms and adopting proactive defense strategies, organizations can safeguard public trust in an era where information threats continue to evolve.

Sources

1. Pew Research Center. (2022). “Americans Uncertain About Content Moderation on Social Media”
2. Oxford Internet Institute. (2021). “How Social Media Platforms Could Improve Content Moderation”
3. Graphika. (2023). “The Rise of AI-Generated Disinformation”
4. RAND Corporation. (2021). “Countering Narrative Warfare”
5. MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy. (2023). “Prebunking to Counteract Misinformation”
6. Aspen Institute. (2024). “Commission on Information Disorder Final Report”

Disclaimer: This post is for educational and informational purposes, reflecting theoretical strategies to combat information threats in evolving online environments.