A program of the Cyber Policy Center, a joint initiative of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Stanford Law School.
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in·ter·net ob·serv·a·to·ry
[ˈin(t)ərˌnet əbˈzərvəˌtôrē] n. a lab housing infrastructure and human expertise for the study of the internet
What are the dynamics on alt-platform Gab?
Gab was founded in 2016 as an uncensored alternative to mainstream social media platforms. Stanford Internet Observatory’s latest report looks at behaviors and dynamics across the platform.
Featured News and Publications
Full-Spectrum Pro-Kremlin Online Propaganda about Ukraine
Narratives from overt propaganda, unattributed Telegram channels, and inauthentic social media accounts.
Journal of Online Trust and Safety
The Journal of Online Trust and Safety is a no fee, fast peer review, and open access journal. Authors may submit letters of inquiry to assess whether their manuscript is a good fit. The Journal of Online Trust and Safety is now accepting letters of inquiry for its third issue and special issues.
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New report analyzes dynamics on alt-platform Gab
Blogs / June 1, 2022
Gab was founded in 2016 as an uncensored alternative to mainstream social media platforms. Stanford Internet Observatory’s latest report looks at behaviors and dynamics across the platform.
Announcing the First Annual Trust and Safety Research Conference, September 29-30, 2022
News / March 28, 2022
The Stanford Internet Observatory and the Trust and Safety Foundation will host a two-day conference focusing on cutting-edge research in trust and safety for those in academia, industry, civil society, and government.
Seven tips for spotting disinformation related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict
News / March 3, 2022
Shelby Grossman shares what she and her team watch for when analyzing social media posts and other online reports related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Appeared first in Stanford News)
The Second Issue of the Journal of Online Trust and Safety
Blogs / March 1, 2022
The Journal of Online Trust and Safety published its second issue on Tuesday, March 1.
New Report Provides Inside Look and Lessons from Monitoring COVID-19 Anti-Vaccine Narratives
News / February 24, 2022
The Virality Project final report finds recycled anti-vaccine narratives and viral content driven by recurring actors.
Full-Spectrum Pro-Kremlin Online Propaganda about Ukraine
Blogs / February 22, 2022
Narratives from overt propaganda, unattributed Telegram channels, and inauthentic social media accounts
Final Projects from the Stanford Internet Observatory's Online Open Source Investigation Course
Blogs / February 8, 2022
Research on inauthentic behavior on TikTok, misinformation on Stanford's campus, Telegram activity in Belarus, health insurance scams that run advertisements on Google, and QAnon content on Tumblr.
Accessibility for Trust and Safety Flows
Blogs / January 20, 2022
How well do platform reporting flows and context labels work with screen readers for the visually impaired?
In Bed with Embeds: How a Network Tied to IRA Operations Created Fake “Man on the Street” Content Embedded in News Articles
Blogs / December 2, 2021
In this post and in the attached report, we investigate IRA operations
Analysis of Twitter Takedowns Linked to Venezuela, Mexico, Tanzania, and China
Blogs / December 2, 2021
In this post and in the attached reports, we investigate four newly suspended Twitter operations.
Aspen Digital's Commission on Information Disorder Releases Their Final Report
News / November 17, 2021
The report is the culmination of work by Aspen Digita's Commission on Information Disorder, with guidance from Stanford Cyber's Renee DiResta, Alex Stamos, Daphne Keller, Nate Persily and Herb Lin, and provides a framework for action with 15 recommendations to build trust & reduce harm.
Brazil Election Scene Setter
Blogs / November 11, 2021
This is the fourth of a series of pieces we have published on societies and elections at risk from online disinformation. The politically-fueled disinformation engine in Brazil puts the country in the midst of an information crisis leading up to its 2022 presidential election.
The first issue of the Journal of Online Trust and Safety
News / October 28, 2021
The journal of Online Trust and Safety published its inaugural issue on Thursday, October 28.
Why Encryption and Online Safety Go Hand-in-Hand
Blogs / October 21, 2021
Riana Pfefferkorn is a research scholar at the Stanford Internet Observatory and a member of the Global Encryption Coalition. This first appeared in Brookings TECH STREAM.
The Problem With Freedom: It Ain't Free | The Problem With Jon Stewart Podcast
Commentary / October 13, 2021
Alex Stamos talks with Jon Stewart on the vulnerabilities of our democracy and the role of social media.
Playbook shares best practices to combat information manipulation
News / September 17, 2021
The playbook will be launched on Monday 20 September at 9:30am ET.
America’s Anti-Hacking Laws Pose a Risk to National Security
Commentary / September 8, 2021
A new piece in Brookings by Riana Pfefferkorn looks at anti-hacking laws
Topologies and Tribulations of Gettr
Blogs / August 12, 2021
A month in the life of a new alt-network
Announcing the Journal of Online Trust and Safety
News / July 29, 2021
Stanford Internet Observatory launches a new open-access journal to feature cutting-edge research on online harm.
My Heart Loves the Army
Blogs / July 8, 2021
An Investigation into a Jordanian Disinformation Campaign on Facebook, TikTok and Twitter
New Book From Shelby Grossman of Stanford Internet Observatory
News / June 24, 2021
In The Politics of Order in Informal Markets: How the State Shapes Private Governance, Grossman explores findings that challenge the conventional wisdom that private good governance in developing countries thrives when the government keeps its hands off private group affairs.
The Stanford Internet Observatory Turns Two
News / June 7, 2021
SIO releases its two year report summarizing its first two years of research, teaching and policy and laying the path for the years to come.
Can Congress Mandate Meaningful Transparency for Tech Platforms
Blogs / June 2, 2021
When it comes to mitigating online harms, the U.S. Congress is at least united on one point: There is a need for greater transparency from tech companies.
One Face, Many Names: An Investigation into Fake NGOs and Media Outlets Linked to Harouna Douamba on and off Facebook
Blogs / May 6, 2021
A Facebook takedown exposes a network of NGO and media entities linked to Harouna Douamba.
The Threat Posed by Deepfakes to Marginalized Communities
Blogs / April 21, 2021
When we’re faced with a video recording of an event—such as an incident of police brutality—we can generally trust that the event happened as shown in the video. But that may soon change, thanks to the advent of so-called “deepfake” videos that use machine learning technology to show a real person saying and doing things they haven’t.