Contentious Narratives

The School of Media and Public Affairs, in conjunction with the Project for Media and National Security, is pleased to host Contentious Narratives II: Response Strategies to Disinformation Campaigns (CN2).

This is an invitation-only gathering that intends to promote dialog and connections among those directly engaged in the issues at hand.

Invited guests may contact Marisa Mansueto, [email protected], for more information about the event and the registration process.

Keynote

1:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Ben Nimmo, Digital Forensic Research Lab, Atlantic Council

Panel 1: Disinformation and American Politics and Policy Debates

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.

The opening panel presents two major studies of Russian disinformation in American political processes. 

Hindman and his co-authors investigate disinformation on Twitter both during and after the 2016 election. Using Graphika’s tools and mapping methods, they study more than 10 million tweets from 700,000 Twitter accounts that linked to more than 600 fake and conspiracy news outlets.

Secondly, Broniatowski presents his much-discussed discovery of Russian disinformation efforts inside the debate about vaccines in the United States. 

Nimmo will respond to the presentations and offer his thoughts on the bigger geopolitical significance of information warfare.

SPEAKERS

Matthew Hindman, associate professor, The George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs

Camille Francois, research and analysis director, Graphika

David Broniatowski, assistant professor, The George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science

Ben Nimmo, Digital Forensic Research Lab, Atlantic Council

Moderator

David Ensor, director, The George Washington University Project for Media and National Security

Coffee Break

3:00 – 3:15 p.m.

Panel 2: How to Respond to Disinformation?

3:15 – 4:45 p.m.

While there is no shortage of evidence of Russian interference in Western democratic processes, there is less attention paid to how Western institutions can respond to it without simultaneously affecting the core values of liberal democracy. 

Democratic debate often involves passion and disagreement over the relevant facts of the matter and their soundness. Disinformation exaggerates and amplifies existing debates and factual disagreements to pathological levels. It also seeks to undermine the credibility and legitimacy of institutions once relied on as arbiters of truth. 

What is the best way to respond to disinformation? Can it be corrected?

SPEAKERS

Ethan Porter, assistant professor, The George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs

Angie Drobnic Holan, editor, PolitiFact

Donie O’Sullivan, reporter, CNN

Moderator

Frank Sesno, director, The George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs