This post is based on a panel talk I gave for TEDx MidAtlantic, entitled ‘The Threat of Tribalism’, on October 13, 2020. Video version below, also featuring Jennifer Kavanagh of RAND Corporation. Why has the COVID-19 pandemic hit the US and the UK so badly? Political tribalism is partly to blame, for compromising our public … Read more
In this post, I’ll discuss the all-too-common problem of online trolling and explain some troll tactics. I’ll also look at the important links between online trolling, disinformation and cyber warfare campaigns. What is online trolling? Anyone who has spent much time on social media has likely experienced their fair share of online trolling. Unfortunately, it’s … Read more
After spending almost a year tracking coordinated inauthentic behavior on behalf of Facebook and Google, I’ve developed a good sense of how an inauthentic social media user looks and acts online. Each platform has its own nuances. But many universal patterns indicate the likelihood of coordinated activity. Here I’ll discuss three common indicators – and … Read more
What’s the difference between disinformation and misinformation? (I get asked this question a lot, so I thought it was time to write about it). The difference between disinformation and misinformation lies in the presence of intent. The Difference Between Disinformation and Misinformation Let’s look at a couple of examples to understand the difference between disinformation … Read more