Channels with Peter Kafka Studying online bad behavior was hard. It's going to get harder in Trump 2.0
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Dec 4, 2024 
Renee DiResta, an academic and researcher at Georgetown, specializes in online abuse and disinformation. She shares her experiences with harassment while studying the 'Stop the Steal' movement. The conversation highlights the rising challenges of content moderation as political dynamics shift, especially with Trump back in the spotlight. DiResta warns of a chilling effect on research and the importance of transparency in combating misinformation. She also humorously reflects on what not to do when appearing on popular podcasts.
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Targeted Researcher
- Renee DiResta's work on election integrity made her a target of a propaganda campaign.
- She and her colleagues were portrayed as villains trying to rig the 2024 election.
Chilling Effects on Research
- Personal attacks on researchers serve to chill future research and harm the public.
- DiResta cites climate scientists facing similar tactics and the resulting setbacks in climate research.
Bad-Faith Investigations
- No amount of compliance will satisfy bad-faith investigations targeting researchers.
- These attacks aim to create cautionary tales, deterring others from similar work.