Expert consultant for Mapping of online narratives spreading misinformation/disinformation in Tunisia Retour vers les opportunités

1. Context 

Search for Common Ground 

Search for Common Ground (hereinafter Search) is an international conflict transformation NGO that aims to transform the way individuals, groups, governments and companies deal with conflict, away from adversarial approaches and towards collaborative solutions. With headquarters in Washington, DC and Brussels, Search implements projects from 55 offices in 34 countries, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. 

Search in Tunisia 

Search’s mission in Tunisia is to promote the culture of dialogue and diversity through the involvement of all parts of society while building their capacities. Search works in Tunisia to help members of Tunisian society to address conflicts and differences constructively through cooperation and dialogue. Search-Tunisia works across multiple channels, mainly with youth, CSOs, media actors, security forces, and local authorities to build the capacity of individuals and institutions to address challenges including differences and acting on common points. Through this approach and partnerships, Search-Tunisia has four main strategic objectives: (i) promoting peace education; (ii) fostering non-violent social dialogue; (iii) enhancing participatory and inclusive governance; and (iv) transforming violent extremism. More information about our Tunisia program can be found here. 

The Project 

Political polarisation has been anticipated to grow online as some groups on social media continue to disseminate fake content and misinformation. Several campaigns involving trolling and fake news were launched on different social media platforms including Twitter and Facebook a few weeks prior to the July 25th protests to mobilise people.These campaigns contributed to deeper distrust between youth and their government. At the same time, compounding this issue, is a general lack of knowledge and capacities among youth on constructive civic engagement on political issues in virtual spaces. Amid this context of growing youth frustration, youth disillusionment and disengagement with Tunisian politics must be addressed to avoid a repeat of the 2019 presidential election, in which two-thirds of youth boycotted the election. 

Through “Be Feya9-Wake-up, Connect, Engage” a project financed by Porticus Foundation (From November 2021 Until May 2022) Search Tunisia aims at empowering youth influencers to contribute to more positive online engagement within their communities to counter and provide alternatives to polarising online narratives. In service to this goal, the project is shaped around the following two specific objectives: 

– Strengthen target youth influencers’ capacities and skills around positive online engagement addressing online misinformation; and 

– Pilot alternative narratives to address the impact of misinformation and create positive online engagement among target youth and their communities 

The project will be working with a total of 20 to 30 selected youth from the following regions: Gafsa, Sousse, Sidi Bouzid, Greater Tunis, Bizerte, Medenine, Zaghouan, El Kef, and Siliana, and who have some digital skills and are able to engage with influential networks online. The project will produce mapping information on social media messages and narratives and strategies for youth influencers to address risks and the impact of misinformation. As a result, youth influencers will be equipped to provide alternatives to polarised narratives and will contribute to the creation of an online environment that promotes peaceful voices and positive participation. 

The programmatic strategy is underpinned by a Theory of Change that assumes: If young debuting influencers in Tunisia have the right knowledge and guidance on constructive engagement, combatting mis/disinformation in the online space, if they work together to create positive content that will promote better narratives and trends on social media, then we can help reduce the harm done by polarising narratives, because people will be better equipped to identify and counter them, or offer alternatives to encourage greater unity. The results of this intervention will be achieved through the following activities: 

• Selection of youth influencers to participate in capacity-building and content-creating activities. 
• Mapping (identification) of the existing trends, messages, and narratives online, and who is disseminating them 
• Training and coaching of youth influencers in the Search Common Ground Approach (CGA) and digital peacebuilding aimed at improving youth’s capacities to effectively identify and address misinformation, and fake content online. 
• Design of pilot activities focused on disseminating locally resonant online content that can positively influence narratives and transform polarising attitudes. 
• Organisation of online learning sessions targeting youth from the local communities of the youth influencers to share their experiences in addressing polarised narratives and fake content online. 

2. Goal Objectives and key questions of the Study 

Search Tunisia is seeking an experienced expert to conduct a mapping of the online content that includes misinformation or disinformation in Facebook and understand it’s impact on target communities. 

The main objectives of this mapping are the following: 

Objective 1: Mapping of the existing online narratives that includes mis/disinformation in the target areas: 

1.1 What are the main online messages/narratives that contain misinformation or disinformation? 1.2 In what format do these messages exist ( videos, blogs, pictures, posts…) 1.3 How does mis/disinformation spread? and through which channels? Which actors are active in spreading such mis/disinformation? 

1.4 Who is receiving these narratives? What role do youth play in spreading or countering these narratives? 

1.5 Who is targeted by these narratives? Is there a specific pattern? 

1.6 Was there a triggering event for the spread of these messages? 

Search for Common Ground | Tunisia

Terms of Reference | Be Feya9 – Wake Up, Connect, Engage | Mapping of online narratives spreading misinformation/disinformation in Tunisia. 

Objective 2: What is the impact of these online narratives on the people in our target regions: 

2.1 How do these narratives affect people’s perceptions? 

2.2 To what level these online narratives may lead to polarisation? Have they triggered any conflict/violence? 

2.3 How does the online message of misinformation may influence people’s decisions? 2.4 How did mis/disinformation affect people’s lives during COVID-19 and beyond? How does it affect vulnerables groups like women/girls and marginalized groups? 

The findings of the mapping will be ultimately utilized during the design of pilot youth-led media campaigns that aim at addressing online political polarization, fostering positive online youth engagement, and transforming polarizing attitudes. 

The mapping is expected to provide strategic recommendations that would inform the project’s strategic approach on supporting youth influencers to address risks and impacts of mis/disinformation in Tunisia through the creation of an online environment that promotes peaceful voices and positive participation. 

Upon the completion of the data analysis phase, the consultant is required to present to the youth influencer the main findings of the mapping in a specific session during the “Co-creation workshop”. The workshop will be a creative space for the youth influencers to understand the mis/disinformation narratives in their respective regions and use the locally resonant findings (reported by the mapping) to design and create alternative positive contents to counter it. 

3. Geographic Locations: 

The overall geographical scope of the mapping will focus on the 9 targeted governorates: Gafsa, Sousse, Sidi Bouzid, Greater Tunis, Bizerte, Medenine, Zaghouan, El Kef, and Siliana. 

4. Methodology and Data Collection Tools 

The mapping will utilise a mixed-method approach consisting of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods including a thorough desk review of available and related materials, a survey and focus groups discussions, in addition to the use of Talkwalker platform to map out and analyze online media narratives (in light of objectives outlined in section 2). 

At first, the consultant will be responsible for reviewing and summarizing available literature focusing on media polarization, mis/disinformation in Tunisia. The purpose of the desk review is to ensure contextual information with regards to mis/disinformation in the Tunisian context to be captured and utilized in addressing the study’s objectives. In particular, the desk review is expected to draw on information with regards to the different effects of mis/disinformation on daily lives and how these may lead to polarisation, and affect political decision making. The desk review should also outline existing efforts in Tunisia to counter mis/disinformation. 

In addition to amplifying the content of the final report, secondary information teased out at the desk review stage will be key in supporting the development of methodological framework as well as the data collection tools. Throughout the desk review phase, the consultant will start developing and updating a lexicon of main thematic areas of mis/disinformation. The lexicon will be refined and expanded in later stages of data collection. 

Upon tools development, the consultant will lead quantitative data collection through an Online Survey. The consultant is requested to provide a detailed sampling framework with clear criteria for inclusion and representation from the targeted governorates. Data collection, analysis, and the results should represent Inclusiveness —the methodology should include a wide range of viewpoints, specifically sex, gender and age sensitivity. In addition, these should ensure integration of ethical considerations, and rigorousness of findings” 

. The consultant will be able to leverage existing networks with direct support from Search. The purpose of the survey is to have a general understanding of the fake online trends and their impact in our target regions. The results of the analysis should enable the consultants to glean initial understanding of the main types of mis/disinformation narratives in Tunisia and expand the lexicon developed during the desk review stage. 

Afterwards (the second step), the consultant will lead on facilitating Focus Group Discussions with a diverse group who are active in the social media in the five targeted regions (Gafsa, Bizerte, Sousse, Greater Tunis, Medenine). The purpose of the FGDs is as follow: 

– Understanding the types of online narratives that may lead to polarisation in each region. – Augment, substantiate and expand the survey results while capturing similarities and differences in the existing online trends across these regions. 

– Having a deeper comprehension of how the narratives may affect the daily life in each region. 

– Update the developed Lexicon with words, themes used in the mis/disinformation content in each region to use as inputs for the Talkwalker. 

NB: Project participants (20-30) Youth Champions can participate in FGDs. However, It’s up to the consultant to develop a sampling framework that ensures a diversity of perspectives in relevance to the mapping objectives. 

In the third step, the consultant will use Talkwalker to analyze online narratives according to the 1 developed lexicon (words, hashtags, themes, etc.) to produce a social media monitoring report that analyses social media narratives that includes mis/disinformation in target locations. The timeframe of analysis should be determined during the focus group discussions (i.e. based on specific events that’s assumed to have had impacts on increasing mis/disinformation in social media). Finally, the consultant will draft the final report and a PPT presentation to present and 

1 “Talkwalker” is an AI powered monitoring and analytics platform. Its interactive dashboard provides real-time overview with demographic disaggregation. It is able to uncover, understand, and derive the most valuable insights through text, image, and video recognition. It can analyze data in 187 languages, setting it apart from other Social Media Listening platforms. Based on Talkwalker’s analysis, it can also help identify the trending content that will help craft the most compelling messages to improve exposure and engagement. 

share the main findings of the mapping to the Youth Champions in a specific session during the co-creation workshop. 

NB: Through an accompaniment process, Search will provide training and an ongoing consultation on Social Media Listening as well as on the use of the Talkwalker Platform. The developed lexicon should be revised and approved by Search before commencing the analysis using Talkwalker. 

Deliverables 

Search expects the following deliverables from the external consultant: 

Logistical Support 

Consultant(s) will be responsible for organizing their own logistics (vehicles, fuel, and drivers), and this must be budgeted into the study. Search can provide support in mobilization and networking as agreed upon based on the consultant’s proposal. At least one Search staff member may be available to support data collection and logistics. 

The consultant will report directly to the Project coordinator. 

5. Ethical Considerations 

SFCG places a high priority on ensuring that all activities are conducted in an ethical manner. Participation in all the related activities to this assignment is always voluntary, does not result in monetary gain and, where appropriate, the identity of participants must be protected (for example, if information is provided in confidence, the consultant will not divulge this information in connection with the names and will limit the access of audience). If the consultant is going to conduct interviews, consent must be collected and participants must understand what the information provided will be used for and who will have access to it. All the approaches that will be used in this assignment should adhere to the Do No Harm principles and COVID-19 precautionary measures (respecting social distancing, using face masks, having hand sanitizers, etc.). 

6. Timeline 

The mapping is expected to be kicked off Mid-February 2022 and concluded by Mid-April 2022

7. Budget 

The budget available for this consultancy is 7,500 EUR. 

8. Requirements of Consultant: 

The following skills and experience are expected by SFCG for the expert in this project:

Education 

Advanced university degree in sociology, psychology, data analysis, Media Monitoring , or a related field. 

Professional Experience 

• A solid experience with a focus on media analysis, including misinformation, disinformation and online narratives. 
• A prior experience conducting research online and/or in digital spaces. 
• Prior experience in using online listening tools is preferred 
• Experience in facilitating focus groups (At least one member of the team with experience in FGDs facilitation) 

Job Knowledge and Skills 

• Proficiency in English and Arabic (written and spoken); 
• Familiarity with all major social media networks including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube; 
• Adaptable, quick learner, with ability to keep up to date with social sector trends and advancements in social narratives and technology; 
• Experience working with international organizations; 
• Strong data collection and data management skills; 
• Familiarity and experience with the Tunisian contextual challenges. 
• Good coordination, communication (verbal and written). 
• Fluent in written and oral Arabic and English. 
• Strong technical expertise in report writing.