Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani Renée DiResta: The Evolution of Propaganda & its 'Invisible Rulers': Influencers, Algorithms, & Crowds | #30
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Oct 23, 2024 
Renée DiResta, a prominent researcher at the Stanford Internet Observatory, dives deep into the evolution of propaganda in the digital age. She discusses how social media algorithms amplify misinformation and the role of influencers as modern propagandists. Renée highlights the distinctions between rumors and propaganda while tracing historical influences from figures like Edward Bernays. She also warns about the impacts of generative AI on trust and explores the challenges of moderation on decentralized platforms. It's an eye-opening look at the invisible forces shaping our reality.
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Mom Groups Revealed Algorithmic Recruitment
- Renée DiResta joined mom groups with an alternate account to observe anti-vaccine communities without engaging.
- She watched algorithms push her toward anti-vax groups and saw how influencers and validation recruited new members.
Reality Is Constructed Online
- The internet is where reality is made because recommendation systems and influencers shape belief communities.
- DiResta argues power shifted: influence now flows from influencers, algorithms, and crowds, not only top-down media.
Propaganda Democratized By Social Media
- Propaganda evolved with social media: mass-media filters transformed into influencer-driven, monetized attention economies.
- DiResta compares this to Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent but centered on influencers, algorithms, and audiences.
