In 2020, the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) published the quad paper “An Agenda for Disinformation Research,” where seven researchers came together to share the urgency of investing in fundamental research and interventions to meet the disinformation challenge.
In today’s digital landscape, misleading information is widespread and causing real-world harms. Advanced AI-powered detection methods are now essential, given the evolving manipulative tactics like deep fakes, synthesized text, and coordinated disinformation campaigns. Yet, detecting fake information is just the beginning; it’s equally crucial to understand its impact across diverse contexts and develop more resilience in society to misleading and false information.
To meet the disinformation challenge, we need investments in fundamental research as well as interventions that knit together the social and the technical. Below are a few focus areas outlined in the quad paper.
Impact Measurement and Analysis
Understanding the nuanced impact of disinformation across diverse cultural and geographic contexts requires sophisticated measurement tools. Formal statistical causal inference techniques are necessary to analyze the effects on beliefs, social norms, and technological structures like algorithms and social networks.
Advanced Detection Technologies
With the evolution of disinformation tactics, there’s a critical need for advanced AI-driven detection methods to combat the increase of manipulated media, coordinated misinformation campaigns, and emerging deceptive techniques like deepfakes and synthesized text.
Common Data Infrastructure
Establishing a collaborative research infrastructure is crucial for accessing data ethically from technology platforms. This infrastructure should ensure user privacy protection while facilitating cross-platform analysis through standardized Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and transparent administrative rules.
Ethical Guidelines and Standards
As research digs into real-world data, strict ethical standards must guide the collection and analysis processes. Policymakers should update existing ethical frameworks, like the 1978 Belmont Report, to address contemporary challenges in studying disinformation while ensuring transparency, fairness, and privacy protection.
Educational and Training Initiatives
Addressing both the supply and demand sides of disinformation requires broad educational efforts. People need to be equipped with fundamental knowledge about the modern information environment and critical thinking skills. Also, future computing professionals should undergo training that emphasizes not only technical excellence but also applied ethics, preparing them to navigate ethical challenges in their work effectively.
With better understanding, we an build resilience against disinformation. Read the full paper here.
