How Misinformation Hides in Plain Sight

The TfL internship screenshot is a masterclass in outrage bait — here’s how to spot the trick and understand what’s really going on.

Since my last article two weeks ago, I have gained a whopping 1000 new subscribers, thanks in large part to being invited onto the James O’Brien LBC radio show to discuss a Daily Mail debunk!

Thank you to everyone who listened and came to find me here. You’re all very welcome, and I’m loving growing this newsletter together.

To those who didn’t hear it and would like to, I’ll post the video at the end of this email.

This week, I have a short and sweet debunk that highlights a common misinformation trick involving the use of screenshots…

The tweet

While scrolling through Twitter, I came across a post claiming:

🚨Transport For London are literally racist against White people
TFL are controlled by a Board appointed by Sadiq Khan
Surely he should be prosecuted for a hate crime... no?

The following screenshot accompanied it:

Needless to say, that post had attracted hundreds of thousands of views and was being shared by some of the more unsavoury characters on the platform.

But did they have a point?

Is it “racist” to advertise a position that’s only available to non-white people?

Is what is seen in that screenshot even accurate?

Could there be more to the advert than we see in that screenshot?

I thought I’d take a look because this isn’t the first example I’ve seen of this tactic, and sadly, it won’t be the last….

TfL Internships

If you look up TfL Internships, you’ll see that Transport for London currently offer 10 internships and placements. These are short-term, usually 3 months to a year, placements to give people some work experience.

The internship in question is the Stuart Ross Communications Internship. It is specifically aimed at providing opportunities for people in traditionally under-represented minorities:

• From Black, Asian or other minority ethnic backgrounds and/or

• People with a disability and/or

• Individuals from a disadvantaged socio-economic background

It’s hard to argue that a scheme is “anti-white racism” when white applicants with a disability or from low-income backgrounds are also eligible.

Yet, the account posting that screenshot knew their narrative wouldn’t hold if they provided ALL the criteria, so they provided only what they wanted people to see to ensure maximum outrage and cries of “anti-white racism” from their followers.

This is a textbook example of context stripping - a classic disinformation tactic where key details are removed to spark outrage.

So what about the other nine internships?

There is a summer internship aimed at getting women into the bus and coach industry.

And then there are 8 internships available to everyone covering various departments, including civil engineering, mechanical engineering and planning.

There are plenty of opportunities available to everyone.

And one internship only available to people who don’t have the natural advantages of being wealthy, able-bodied and white-skinned.

Is it legal?

Yes, section 158 of the Equality Act 2010 allows for “Positive action in the Workplace”:

Positive action allows additional help to be provided for groups of people who share a ‘protected characteristic’ (for example, race, sex, or sexual orientation) in order to level the playing field. You can take proportionate action that aims to reduce disadvantage, meet different needs and increase participation.

Examples could include:

• Providing a leadership scheme to help an underrepresented group achieve more senior positions in an organisation

• Providing tailored training for a group because they have specific requirements

• Providing jobs fairs targeted at ethnic minority groups

Or in this case, offering a specific internship targeted at underrepresented minorities.

So no, this is not “literally racist against White people” and Sadiq Khan should not be “prosecuted for hate crimes”.

Acknowledging that structural racism can exist (alongside ableism and classism) in recruiting and offering support to those groups who may not benefit from the system as it currently stands, isn’t “discriminating” against able-bodied, well-off, white people!

Even if the scheme hadn’t included disability and socio-economic disadvantage, which is how the internship began before those groups were added recently, it is still not “anti-white racism”.

Countless reports highlight that race continues to play a role in the workplace in the UK and that those from minority ethnic backgrounds still face a harder time getting and retaining jobs, as well as continuing to face discrimination while at work.

Until we reach a point in society where this isn’t the case, then positive action in the workplace will remain an important tool to try and level the playing field.

Debunking tips

• When you see a screenshot, always question if you’re seeing the whole picture.

• Try and find the source so you can check for yourself. You can Google the title or copy and paste the text and search for that.

• When you see a post or headline clearly designed to evoke anger, ask yourself if there might be more to the story that might give some context.

Thank you to everyone who subscribes and especially to those who have upgraded their subscription to a paid version. You have no idea how good it is to know I’m doing something that is valued by so many people! If a recurring subscription isn’t your thing but you like the idea of supporting me with a nice iced chai latte (a recently discovered phenomenon for me!), you can do so here🍵!

As promised, here is my interview with James O’Brien over on LBC: