News Creators Equipped with Tools to Combat Misinformation

Nonprofit Launches Program to Train Social Media Content Creators in News Reporting Skills

In a digital landscape where social media increasingly shapes how Americans consume news, a new nonprofit is working to bring journalistic principles to online content creators. News Creator Corps (NCC), which officially launched last September, aims to engage social media influencers in newsroom-style training through its Trusted Creator fellowship program.

The initiative addresses a significant shift in news consumption habits. According to 2023 Pew Research data, 21% of American adults now receive news from social media influencers, with younger audiences showing an even stronger preference for these sources. Perhaps more concerning, fewer than a quarter of news content creators have any prior experience working in journalism.

“Our goal is to really support these content creators because that’s how people are getting information,” explained Rachel Lobdell, NCC’s Executive Director. “We know what a critical role they play in the information economy. Instead of telling people to not get their news on TikTok, what if we made the news on TikTok better? What if we invested in these folks to help them?”

While NCC operates independently, it emerged from the broader Good Information Foundation. Lobdell, who started in July, describes the months that followed as a “mad sprint” to establish the nonprofit. Last month, the inaugural class completed the eight-week digital fellowship program.

Program manager Annemarie Dooling, who has experience in both content creation and traditional journalism, leads the weekly 90-minute Zoom sessions. Each session features guest instructors who cover essential skills ranging from filing public records requests to developing source lists and identifying AI disinformation.

Fellows receive $5,000 for participating but maintain editorial independence. They aren’t paid per post and don’t need NCC approval for their content. Between sessions, a Discord chat channel helps build community among the cohort members.

“They’re constantly talking,” Lobdell said. “Content creation can be really lonely. It’s a one-person operation for most of these folks. Having other content creators to talk to is a really big part of the program.”

The fellowship also serves as a research opportunity. Maya Srikrishnan, NCC’s researcher, has spent months interviewing cohort members to examine effective strategies for combating misinformation on social media platforms.

“Journalists have been fighting misinformation for a very long time,” Srikrishnan noted. “Since the internet came into existence, people have had the capability to go online and say whatever they want. The biggest issue is just the volume of misinformation being put out.”

Angel Barragan, known as Senior_Barragan to his 325,000 TikTok followers, joined the program to strengthen his commentary on news affecting immigrants with Indigenous ancestry. Though he doesn’t consider himself a journalist, the fellowship has taught him to prioritize source citation and professional standards.

“I never considered myself a news person,” Barragan said. “I’m a content creator that talks about the news more like a commentator. I decided to apply, and I was very excited that I got in so I could learn more skills.”

Fellow participant Stephanie Valdez, who operates as Steph.olution on Instagram, brought a communications and broadcast journalism degree to the program but sought to update her skills after 20 years. She’s built a platform advocating for local Nevada issues, particularly education policy.

“I was excited to expand my skill set, even if I have a degree in it,” Valdez said. “So much has changed, and I may be a little rusty on things.”

Valdez rejects the “influencer” label, preferring “news creator” to describe her role as a trusted local resource. “It was really great to be able to put a name to what I do,” she said.

The program’s leadership rejects the notion that content creators and journalists must compete for the same audience. Instead, they envision collaboration that leverages the strengths of both approaches to combat misinformation.

“For a very long time, journalists from newspapers, radio and television stations were the main holders of information,” explained Srikrishnan. “That really changed once the internet came about. Part of journalism adapting to that new world is accepting that there are other people who can be trusted messengers of information, and figuring out how to work with them rather than against them.”

NCC currently partners with seven publishers, including Grist, McClatchy and The Trace, with plans to expand. The organization aims to create an alumni network that newsrooms can tap into for future collaborations.

“What we hear from newsrooms a lot is that they know they want to get in the creator space, but they don’t know where to start,” Lobdell said. “We have these creators who have been trained, who we’ve signed off on, who newsrooms can say, okay, someone has vetted them. They know that they care about accuracy.”

Looking ahead, NCC plans to expand into schools, newsrooms and community groups. The organization is also exploring the development of an ethics code specifically for content creators, addressing issues like corrections and transparency. As for the current cohort of creators, they remain connected through Discord and social media, supporting each other’s work.

“We’re all following each other,” Valdez said. “I want to amplify, not just because they’re my friends, but because they’re really good at what they do. They’ve all grown, and we’re all cheering each other on.”