How “Doing Your Own Research” Is Manipulated for Political Gain

Resource person: Audra Bullard - office@clehighlands.com

Description:

For most of us now, the internet is the predominant source we use to obtain information. Although we might have an intuitive sense that our search results are not returning complete or accurate information, how many of us realize that the search queries we use – our starting points – and our keywords drive those returns in very specific ways? In other words, our personal biases as reflected in the search terms we select can affect the content of the information generated and how it is presented to us. The results of our searches are driven by algorithms that, by design, optimize and weaponize political polarization, leading us down rabbit holes that threaten democratic processes. This presentation will explain the results of Professor Tripodi’s research into the mechanics of internet political manipulation and how we can protect ourselves against it.

Presenter: Dr. Francesca Tripodi is an Assistant Professor at the School of Information and Library Science and a Principal Investigator at the Center for Information Technology and Public Life at UNC-Chapel Hill. She holds a PhD and MA in sociology from the University of Virginia, as well as an MA in communication, culture, and technology from Georgetown University. Her book, The Propagandists’ Playbook, was published by Yale University Press in 2022. She has twice testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, explaining how search processes are gamed to maximize exposure and drive ideologically based queries thereby spreading conspiratorial logic. In 2023, Dr. Tripodi received the Award for Impact and Excellence from the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington in recognition of her research on fostering an informed society.

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