Connecting Research with Policy: Foreign Influence, Disinformation, and Generative AI

October 16, 2024  ·   12:00 - 5:00pm ET | Reception to follow

This half-day, in-person event in Washington, D.C., convened experts from across fields to explore pressing questions around digital media and democracy, align on priorities, and chart a path forward for research and policy on these topics.

Over the past decade, immense research and policy efforts have focused on understanding digital media’s impact on democracy, particularly around foreign influence campaigns and disinformation. However, the online environment has shifted radically over the last few years as generative AI intersects with a fragmenting social media ecosystem. Ahead of a critical 2024 election, this rapidly evolving landscape presents new challenges to measuring the impact of foreign influence campaigns and disinformation, as well as safeguarding the integrity of our electoral system. 

This half-day, in-person event in Washington, D.C., convened experts from the research and policy communities to explore pressing questions and identify priorities on foreign influence campaigns, mis/disinformation, and generative AI.

  • How can we measure the reach and impact of foreign influence operations, including those powered by generative AI?

  • How do we address the loss of trust in government, media, and other institutions?

  • How can rigorous research inform policymaking and legislation on these topics and vice versa?

  • And how can more data be available to help researchers, policymakers, and the public better understand this environment?

By bringing together a mix of researchers and policymakers, this event served as a unique opportunity for these parties to learn and connect, align on priorities, and chart a path forward for digital media research and policy.

***

Co-sponsored by NYU's Center for Social Media and Politics, the Knight-Georgetown Institute, Princeton University's Center for the Study of Democratic Politics, and the NYU Brademas Center

Princeton SPIA in DC
1333 New Hampshire Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036

***

Registration is closed for this event. If you're interested in attending, please email erik.opsal@nyu.edu.

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

  • Introduction

    12:00 - 1:00 pm

    12:00 -12:30 pm - Lunch served

    12:30 - 1:00 pm - Introductory remarks from

    • Alissa Cooper - Executive Director, Knight-Georgetown Institute

    • Joshua A. Tucker - Co-Director, NYU's Center for Social Media and Politics

    • Jacob N. Shapiro - Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Princeton University

  • Panel #1: Identifying Priorities in Addressing Foreign Disinformation Campaigns

    1:00 - 2:30 pm

    There is widespread concern that foreign actors use social media and other technologies to interfere in elections worldwide. Research suggests that foreign influence campaigns on social media have not reached most people in the past and generally have not directly affected political beliefs and behaviors. However, while these campaigns may have had little direct effects, they can have indirect effects by shaping news coverage, fostering discord, and engendering mistrust in the electoral process. Moreover, this remains a rapidly evolving field of contestation. As interference efforts continue to unfold around the 2024 election, this panel will discuss several areas researchers and policymakers can prioritize to better understand, measure, and mitigate the impact of foreign influence campaigns on democracy.

    Panelists

    • Jessica Brandt - Director, Foreign Malign Influence Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence

    • Lindsay Hundley - Influence Operations Policy Lead, Meta

    • Ellen Nakashima - National Security Reporter, The Washington Post

    • Gavin Wilde - Senior Fellow, Technology and International Affairs, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

    • Joshua A. Tucker (moderator) - Co-Director, NYU's Center for Social Media and Politics

  • Break

    2:30 - 2:45 pm

  • Panel #2: Generative AI and Lessons Learned from Mis/Disinformation Research

    2:45 - 4:15 pm

    Bad actors have long tried to manipulate voters with misinformation. Generative AI is just the latest technology at their disposal. If misinformation has had less impact than previously thought, it is, therefore, essential to consider what marginal risk generative AI poses — for foreign influence operations and elsewhere. This panel will discuss how researchers and policymakers can better understand the challenges and impact of AI and how to design evidence-based policy to address those challenges.

    Panelists

    • Renée DiResta - Author, “Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality”

    • Alex Engler - Director for Technology and Democracy, National Security Council

    • Josh A. Goldstein - Research Fellow, Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology

    • Samir Jain - Vice President of Policy, Center for Democracy & Technology

    • Lisa Singh (moderator) - Director, Massive Data Institute, Georgetown's McCourt School of Public Policy

  • Closing Remarks

    4:15 - 4:30 pm

  • Networking Reception

    4:30 - 7:00 pm