How the Right Launders Online Propaganda with Renée DiResta
Aug 15, 2024
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Renée DiResta, a leading expert on online disinformation and author of "Invisible Rulers," discusses her recent experiences with the Stanford Internet Observatory and the political pressures affecting academic research on propaganda. She explores the evolution of online misinformation, revealing how social media and influencers manipulate narratives. Renée also highlights the challenges posed by tech companies in moderating content and the urgent need for transparency to combat the rising tide of disinformation, particularly during elections.
The dismantling of the Stanford Internet Observatory reflects political pressure that threatens independent research on online disinformation and propaganda.
Renée DiResta highlights the distinction between misinformation and disinformation, emphasizing the need for accurate documentation to inform timely public responses.
The rise of social media influencers as narrative shapers complicates accountability for misinformation, as user engagement actively promotes certain narratives over others.
Deep dives
The Collapse of the Stanford Internet Observatory
The Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO) faced significant changes due to coordinated political pressure and a drop in grant funding, leading to the dismantling of its research efforts. Experts like Renee DiResta, once a key player in studying online disinformation, were not renewed after losing support amid allegations of collusion between the university and federal authorities. The environment surrounding the SIO turned hostile as right-wing narratives claimed the organization was suppressing conservative voices, despite the lack of evidence supporting these allegations. This scenario reflects broader concerns over the chilling effects on academic research surrounding misinformation due to political interference.
Navigating Online Disinformation and Misinformation
Renee DiResta elaborated on the complexities of distinguishing between misinformation and disinformation, emphasizing that misinformation suggests the existence of a known truth which can be verified. Her work primarily focused on investigating conspiracy theories and emerging narratives during significant events like elections and vaccine rollouts, where rapid rumors took hold. The goal was to track and understand the spread of disinformation campaigns orchestrated by state actors and other bad actors. By documenting misinformation's trajectory without declaring absolute truths, her team aimed to inform rapid responses from credible sources engaged in the public discourse.
Influencer Impact and the Rise of Participatory Propaganda
The podcast highlighted how the landscape of propaganda has evolved in the age of social media, where influencers now play a pivotal role similar to traditional mass media figures. Unlike the top-down approaches of previous decades, the current information environment enables individuals to create 'bespoke realities' through social media engagement, allowing narratives to propagate based on crowd dynamics. This participatory nature means that influencers rely heavily on the crowd for visibility, making virality an active decision made by users, rather than a passive consumption of content. This shift presents new challenges in moderating information, as authentic voices often amplify divisive narratives, complicating accountability for misinformation.
The Dangers of Political Narratives and Public Discourse
The interplay between political narratives, online platforms, and real-world consequences emerged as a central theme, especially regarding the impact of misinformation during electoral cycles. DiResta noted that misinformation surrounding the 2020 election did not primarily stem from foreign interference, but rather from domestic figures seeking to stoke division among the electorate. This exacerbates the risk of violence, as seen in various instances globally where online rhetoric translated into real-world actions. The overarching concern is not only the cultivation of mistrust in electoral processes but also the clear challenge to societal cohesion amidst these ongoing public discourse struggles.
Future Implications for Election Integrity and Platform Accountability
The upcoming election cycle poses significant risks related to misinformation and the potential incitement to violence, raising questions about how platforms will manage political content. DiResta emphasized the need for platforms to establish clear guidelines and responses to incitement, reflecting a commitment to protect democratic processes and election officials from harassment and threats. Recent trends indicate that while platforms may retreat from rigorous content moderation efforts, there is a pressing need to implement structural changes that enhance transparency and accountability. This interplay between technological and societal responses will ultimately shape the integrity of future elections.
Renée DiResta is one the world’s leading experts on online disinformation and propaganda and the author of the new book,Invisible Rulers, The People Who Turn Lies into Reality. About two months ago, DiResta found out her contract as the technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory would not be renewed. What’s more, the SIO, one of the foremost academic programs studying abuse online, would be essentially hollowed out. The university blames funding challenges, and says it has “not shut down or dismantled SIO as a result of outside pressure.” However, many journalists and fellow researchers suspect that political pressure from the right, including congressional hearings led by Rep. Jim Jordan and lawsuits from people like Stephen Miller, caused Stanford to cave.
Kara and Renée discuss the drama at the SIO; Invisible Rulers; the coordinated effort by the right to target academic researchers who study online propaganda and disinformation; the larger strategy to push back against content moderation by social media platforms; and the role the platforms themselves and their CEOS (looking at you, Elon) play in this fight.
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