The fight vs. online disinformation to intensify

The fight by Clemson University against online disinformation gets a boost, courtesy of a $3.8 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to support the university’s Media Forensics Hub at the Watt Family Innovation Center.  Researchers with the Hub study disinformation and inauthenticity online and create tools to educate people and stop the spread of disinformation.  Clemson is matching the grant, making the total investment in the Hub $7.6 million over the next four years.  The funds allow for the hiring of four additional faculty in different disciplines — each of whom is to bring their perspectives and expertise.   The research team started as a partnership between Darren Linvill, associate professor of communication, and Patrick Warren, associate professor of economics.  Together they are credited with uncovering and exposing more than 3 million tweets by Russian trolls.