Disinformation

The online ecosystem is increasingly shaped by disinformation. We have seen the impact of disinformation on democratic discourse, public health, and political activism. A market of private companies, including “dark” PR firms, has developed the capacity to run sophisticated disinformation campaigns. Generative AI creates new opportunities to automate and expand the scope of disinformation. Social media companies have not kept pace with the proliferation of disinformation on their platforms. 

Civil society groups, including journalists and human rights defenders, are particularly vulnerable to disinformation. Disinformation can distort narratives for political purposes, and can be used to harass and intimidate members of civil society groups.

We conduct empirical, evidence-based research to uncover the practices of disinformation and the actors who conduct these campaigns, identify impacts of civil society groups, and examine policy responses from platforms and governments.