March 11, 2021

Three Lessons From the Past 365 Days of Online Misinformation

March 11, 2021 marks the one-year anniversary of the “day everything changed” for many Americans, as fears about rising coronavirus cases prompted widespread disruption to everyday life. This same one-year period saw the rapid spread of online misinformation about everything from elections to infections, as the COVID-19 crisis transformed the digital landscape into a breeding ground of false speculation about masks, election results, vaccines, and more.

What can US policymakers and tech companies learn about the current realities and uncertain future of the online misinformation problem?

Today, the online misinformation crisis has never been more apparent. Over the past year, social media platforms have taken unprecedented action to label, slow, and stop the spread of false information. Despite these efforts, millions of Americans still hold false, and potentially dangerous, views about the efficacy of FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines and the results of the 2020 presidential election. The failed insurrection on Jan. 6 exemplified the real-world consequences of online misinformation converging with heightened polarization. After the digital disorder of this past year, what can US policymakers and tech companies learn about the current realities and uncertain future of the online misinformation problem?

Read the full article from Inkstick.

  • Podcast
    • December 20, 2024
    How Can the Trump Administration Strengthen U.S. AI Leadership?

    With a new administration just around the corner, now is the time for the US to strengthen its position as a global leader in AI. Even with changing leadership, there remain n...

    By Paul Scharre

  • Commentary
    • Foreign Policy
    • December 19, 2024
    How China’s Antitrust Tactics Undermine U.S. Tech Leadership

    If the United States fails to address this threat, it risks not just losing ground in the technology race, but ceding control over the rules that govern it....

    By Ruby Scanlon

  • Commentary
    • December 12, 2024
    Sharper: Tariffs

    The incoming Trump administration has signaled that tariffs will be a central pillar of its economic strategy, with significant implications for international trade, the Ameri...

    By Eleanor Hume, Charles Horn & Gwendolyn Nowaczyk

  • Reports
    • December 11, 2024
    Technology to Secure the AI Chip Supply Chain: A Working Paper

    Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems, built and deployed with specialized chips, show vast potential to drive economic growth and scientific progress....

    By Tim Fist, Tao Burga & Vivek Chilukuri

View All Reports View All Articles & Multimedia