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Renée DiResta is a highly regarded expert and speaker on adversarial abuse online – in other words, on how bad actors manipulate the digital public square. From spammers and scammers to state sponsored…
Why are so many of us wrong about so much? From COVID-19 to climate change to the results of elections, millions of us believe things that are simply not true―and act based…
In country after country, conspiracy theories and religious dogmas that once seemed to have been overtaken by enlightened thought are helping to loft authoritarian leaders into power. The effects are being felt…
In recent weeks, we have seen uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Yemen and Jordan where members of the populous have taken to the streets, demonstrating and disrupting a country over issues ranging…
From the archive
I think it's that dynamic of information coming from your trusted peer. This has always been the source of the most trusted information. Your reinforcement is coming from people that you like, people that you trust. And you're shaping and having that discussion amongst yourselves.
— Renée DiRestaDisinformation researcher and Stanford Internet Observatory fellow studying online manipulation
Social media really orients us around our identity and our interests because of the way those connections are formed. It's going to suggest people for you to follow, groups for you to join, and so it slots you according to what you're most likely to be interested in based on your individual and group identity.
— Renée DiRestaDisinformation researcher and Stanford Internet Observatory fellow studying online manipulation
The rumour is often significantly more interesting than the facts. And the rumour is often very persuasive to the people who've heard it; they've heard it from somebody they trust. When the target says, 'No, that's not true,' the audience says, 'Oh, of course he or she would deny it,' and so it really puts the target at a disadvantage.
— Renée DiRestaDisinformation researcher and Stanford Internet Observatory fellow studying online manipulation
Rumours are unofficial information that passes from person to person. People share rumours because it makes them more part of their community. It's very pro-social. You hear something that sounds interesting—it piques your interest—you share it with your neighbour: 'Hey, did you hear…?' This is just a social behaviour that people have done in groups forever; it's just part of human society.
— Renée DiRestaDisinformation researcher and Stanford Internet Observatory fellow studying online manipulation
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