Undercurrent

This is Undercurrent, an RNZ series on misinformation.

On this page, you’ll see and hear about how misinformation infects mainstream politics. There is information and advice on how to identify misinformation, and some reasons to believe society can get the problem under some sort of control. 

Undercurrent is a seven-part audio documentary series. You can listen to episodes five, six and seven, and learn more below.

For episodes one and two, click here. For episodes three and four, click here.

You can also subscribe via Spotify, Apple, iHeart or wherever you get podcasts. Undercurrent episodes also air on RNZ National at 7am each Sunday.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, co-leader of Te Pāti Māori

“I live with security cameras on my house, nearly every angle you can come in, and down my driveway. I have a team who will plan and figure out how I get in and how I get out. And I guess I've just become used to it.”

Brooke van Velden, deputy leader of the ACT Party

“During the Covid political situation, a lot of people genuinely didn't feel like they were being listened to, you know, we did have limitations on rights and freedoms. And some people felt like the freedom of choice over their own lives was actually taken away from them. And so there are some genuine grievances.”

Sarah Hendrica Bickerton, research and policy lead at Tohatoha Aotearoa

“One thing I always do is I put a tougher lens on things that I agree with, than things I don't. And that means like, do I need to share this? This conforms with my pre-existing beliefs and makes me feel good. That probably should be something that I should be thinking a little bit more about.”

Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw, researcher and advisor

“Narratives that are very much about them and us - those people over there are doing harm to us and ours - are really strong. Lots of pieces of false information and social media is constructed very much around exacerbating that particular response because the more outrage, the more clicks.”

Kate Hannah, director of the Disinformation Project

“I am fearful, [but] I also have a lot of hope. Young people care. Young people are terribly disturbed by the world that we are handing to them. They want to look after each other, they want to understand what's going on. They pivot really quickly, you know, young people. A friend tells them what their new pronouns are, and they roll with it. They're not scared of this new world. And I do have hope, and particularly have hope around things like the new history curriculum, and the long-term effects that something like that will have.”

Credits

Created, produced and presented by
Susie Ferguson

Written by Susie Ferguson and John Hartevelt

Voice actors Vivien Bell, Richard Chapman, Francesca Emms and Carmel McGlone

Production help from Duncan Smith and
Justin Gregory

Engineered and mixed by William Saunders, Marc Chesterman and Phil Benge

Visuals and design by RNZ

Executive editor John Hartevelt

Special thanks to the experts and ordinary people who shared their experience and knowledge for this project.