Misinformation Watchdog Under Threat
June 17, 2024
The Stanford Internet Observatory, known for investigating online misinformation, is greatly slashing its efforts, though vowing to continue some work with a reduced staff. In Issues, Claire Wardle offers a deep look at misinformation—and its especially devious kin, disinformation—and how to meet the challenges for society. One key is to look beyond gauging the accuracy of individual posts. “By focusing narrowly on problematic content,” she writes, “researchers are failing to understand the increasingly sizable number of people who create and share this content, and also overlooking the larger context of what information people actually need.”