What is the ABCDE Framework?
By Julian | Last Updated: 13 October 2025
The ABCDE framework is a structured model for analyzing disinformation or influence operations. It helps break down complex cases into manageable, comparable elements.
Here’s an overview:
What “ABCDE” stands for
Letter
Focus
Key Questions / Purpose
A = Actor
Who is behind the content or campaign?
What kinds of actors are involved (state, non-state, activists, bots)? What is their reach, capacity, or intent?
B = Behaviour
What actions are they taking?
Are the actors coordinating? Are they disguising identity, using bots, amplifying content? Often the DISARM Framework is used to map this
C = Content
What is being communicated?
Type of narratives, themes, misinformation, disinformation, manipulative framing, imagery, language used
D = Degree
How widespread / distributed is it?
Scope, scale, cross-platform spread, number of users reached, target segments
E = Effect
What is the impact or harm?
What risks or consequences are observed or likely (reputational, social, security, institutional, personal)
Origins & Uses
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The ABCDE framework is endorsed by organizations like Debunk.org as part of their methodology for disinformation analysis.
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It is also included in the UNHCR Information Integrity Toolkit as a tool to assess disinformation, misinformation, or harmful speech in humanitarian / displacement settings.
The idea is to give analysts, policy makers, civil society, platforms, etc. a common language and structure so that disinformation incidents are described in comparable ways and so responses can be more coherent.
Relationship with other frameworks
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The ABCDE model is somewhat analogous to the “ABC” framework (Actors, Behaviors, Content) proposed earlier (e.g. by Camille François). But ABCDE adds D = Degree (distribution / scale) and E = Effect (impact / harm) to capture how broadly something spreads and what consequences it causes.
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In practice, analysts may use ABCDE together with other toolkits (like the DISARM framework) so that the “Behavior” component is further broken down into tactics, techniques, etc.
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