Countering Truth Decay

A RAND Initiative to Restore the Role of Facts and Analysis in Public Life

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What Is Truth Decay?

RAND defines “Truth Decay” as the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life. This phenomenon has taken hold over the last two decades, eroding civil discourse, causing political paralysis, and leading to general uncertainty around what's true and what isn't.

While there are previous eras in American history—during the Vietnam War, for example—that resemble what's going on today, one thing makes our current Truth Decay moment different: growing disagreement about objective facts.

Read more about Truth Decay

Featured

  • Man seen from behind sitting in a chair and looking at a wall with a line drawing of an entertainment center with a TV showing two people with their noses growing long signifying that they're lying, photo by SIphotography/Getty Images

    Truth Decay and National Security

    Even if the U.S. national security apparatus can operate entirely outside of politics, it remains exposed to the effects of Truth Decay—the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life. Little work is being done to understand how severe the impact of Truth Decay is on national security and, more importantly, how to mitigate it.

    Aug 1, 2023

Key Topics

Disinformation

  • A person looks at a COVID-19 news update on their cell phone, photo by svetikd/Getty Images

    Report

    Tracking News Manipulation by Malicious State Actors

    During the pandemic, both Russia and China used authoritarian power over the media to manipulate the news. What can be done to better detect such propaganda campaigns—and guard against them in the future?

    Nov 15, 2021

The News and Social Media

  • An illustration depicting the difference between light and darkness, image by Alyson Youngblood/RAND Corporation

    Q&A

    What You Can Do to Help Stop Truth Decay

    Truth Decay, the diminishing role of facts in American public life, isn't a problem that any one person can fix. But there are simple steps that individuals can take to help counter it.

    Mar 29, 2022

Civic Institutions and Democracy

  • The U.S. Capitol at dusk, photo by Stephen Emlund/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Truth Decay and National Security

    Truth Decay—the declining role of facts in American public life—creates national security vulnerabilities, including by making the United States more susceptible to foreign influence. What can be done to mitigate such risks?

    Apr 12, 2023

Education

  • Abstract representation of civic infrastructure, image by CSA-Printstock/Getty Images, design by Pete Soriano/RAND Corporation

    Report

    Defining and Measuring Civic Infrastructure

    Is the United States in a civic crisis? Or is American democracy simply evolving? A framework for defining and measuring civic infrastructure can help answer these questions—and preserve a healthy democracy.

    Nov 30, 2022

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In the News

Funding for RAND's Countering Truth Decay Initiative

The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous. RAND is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and committed to the public interest.

Philanthropic contributions support our ability to take the long view, tackle tough and often-controversial topics, and share our findings in innovative and compelling ways.

RAND's research findings and recommendations are based on data and evidence and therefore do not necessarily reflect the policy preferences or interests of its clients, donors, or supporters.

Funding for this research initiative was provided by unrestricted gifts from RAND supporters and income from operations.

Learn more about this project