WINNERS 2023
THEME: FIGHTING DISINFORMATION
After reviewing over three hundred nominations,
the juries selected five finalists for each prestigious award.
Here, we present the winners of 2023.
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With their initiatives, they effectively debunk ongoing disinformation campaigns,
disseminate knowledge about current global issues
and strengthen the common resilience against harmful misinformation.
The key to their success lies in their exceptional communication skills, which have enabled them to reach a broad audience and exert a direct influence on those in positions of authority.
Despite facing challenging circumstances, they have persisted in their pursuit.
WIN WIN AWARD RECIPIENT 2023
BELLINGCAT & ELIOT HIGGINS
Bellingcat is an independent international collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists that employs open-source intelligence, social media, and other publicly available sources to investigate various types of conflicts and crises around the world. Bellingcat, and the founder Eliot Higgins, are awarded the WIN WIN Award 2023 for their innovative methods, which have led to a new generation of investigative journalism and enabled Bellingcat to uncover critical information about urgent global issues.
WIN WIN YOUTH AWARD RECIPIENT 2023
ABBIE RICHARDS
Abbie Richards is a researcher and content creator known for creating the widely popular interactive taxonomy chart "The Conspiracy Chart" and for combating disinformation and conspiracy theories through social media. Abbie Richards is awarded the WIN WIN Youth Award 2023 for her outstanding ability to educate and engage a diverse audience using humour, facts, and accessible graphic design, as well as her ability to facilitate a deeper understanding of some of the most complex and pressing societal issues of today.
FIGHTING DISINFORMATION
Digitalisation has revolutionised the way we interact with each other, allowing us to connect and share knowledge with people around the world. However, disinformation on digital platforms can manipulate societal events, political discussions, and elections, leading to increased polarisation. To create resilient societies, we must use the internet to benefit democracy, sustainable development, and movements toward a better world while mitigating the risks of disinformation.
The 2023 theme is Fighting Disinformation, recognising initiatives that effectively fight disinformation, improve democratic discourse, and inspire others to reach the UN Sustainable Goals 2030.
ANNIE HOHLFÄLT
CHAIR OF THE WIN WIN AWARD JURY
"The Bellingcat team has demonstrated exceptional dedication and innovation in combating disinformation, serving as a shining example for others to follow. By sharing their techniques and resources, they strengthen the global capacity to resist the forces of anti-democracy, promoting greater sustainability and resilience. It is with great pleasure that we present Bellingcat as the recipient of the 2023 WIN WIN Award."
ALEXANDRU AL-QASSAM
CHAIR OF THE WIN WIN YOUTH AWARD JURY
"Abbie Richards encompasses all of the values and goals of the WIN WIN Youth Award. Through education, humour and brilliant pedagogy, Abbie has made an extensive impact and reached millions of people around the world in a critical and overwhelming time. We are delighted to announce Abbie as this year's winner of the WIN WIN Youth Award and expect her to continue her great journey to combat disinformation."