Partners

The Digital Strength Initiative is a coalition of values-aligned partners – highlighted here –brought together to scale real-world impact by countering the forces of misinformation. We work with partners that have a vested interest in strengthening society and empowering their constituencies (patients, customers, members, patrons) to build digital strength. Please join us as a partner on this important endeavor by contacting smlpartners@stanford.edu.

MediaWise: MediaWise is a non-profit journalism project dedicated to creating, disseminating, and testing the effectiveness of digital literacy programs specifically tailored to different populations. A standout initiative of MediaWise and Stanford Social Media Lab (SML) collaboration is “MediaWise for Seniors,” crafted and paced specifically for older adults. This program is facilitated by trusted instructors and strategically focuses on platforms like Facebook, acknowledging its prominence among this demographic. The unified goal of SML and MediaWise is to bolster discriminant trust—the proficiency to trust reliable news while adeptly discerning false information.

Pen America: PEN America is a literary and human rights non-profit organization that has partnered with Stanford Social Media Lab to understand experiences of BIPOC communities in the face of misinformation. This is facilitated through PEN America's qualitative focus groups, engaging community members and leaders from organizations like Asian Americans Advancing Justice, MiFamilia Vota, the National Congress of American Indians, and the National Action Network2. This collective effort aims to gain valuable insights into the nuanced challenges these communities face. The information gleaned from these conversations serves as a cornerstone for carefully crafting training programs that specifically cater to the unique needs of these groups.

ALA-American Libraries Association: As the world's oldest and largest library association, the American Library Association (ALA) stands as a prominent advocate for libraries, education, lifelong learning, and equitable access to information and library services. In a strategic multi-year collaboration with MediaWise and the Stanford Social Media Lab, the ALA spearheads an ambitious effort to develop digital literacy toolkits with the objective of reaching diverse populations through local libraries. These comprehensive toolkits encompass a range of resources, including a self-directed online course, instructional videos, real-world examples of misinformation, guides for organizing local workshops, and valuable materials suitable for inclusion in library newsletters and social channels. Upholding a commitment to inclusivity, the toolkits will provide resources in both English and Spanish, ensuring accessibility to a broader audience. Notably, there is a specific emphasis on resources tailored to librarians serving predominantly Black, Latinx, and rural communities, highlighting the dedication to fostering digital literacy across varied settings.

Stanford Impact Lab (SIL): Stanford Impact Labs, a cross-disciplinary initiative formed in 2019, helps Stanford faculty transform research into action to combat pressing social issues. Jeff Hancock, the founding director of Stanford Media Lab, is a member of the first group of SIL Faculty Fellows. The Stanford Social Media Lab is an early recipient of SIL funding for its work.

Jigsaw: Jigsaw is a unit within Google that builds technology to inspire scalable solutions that make the internet and society stronger and safer for everyone. It is partnering with the Stanford Social Media Lab and the Digital Strength Initiative by consulting with MediaWise on the development of short videos to promote digital informational literacy concepts.