Professor Philip Howard

Research

Current projects

• Oxford Martin Programme on Misinformation, Science and Media

  Participants: Professor Phil Howard, Professor Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, Dr J. Scott Brennen

  In this three-year programme researchers will examine the interplay between systematic misinformation campaigns, news coverage, and increasingly important social media platforms for public understanding of science and technological innovation.

• Strengthening Digital Democracy

  Participants: Dr Victoria Nash, Professor Philip N. Howard, Dr Dimitra (Mimie) Liotsiou, Lisa-Maria Neudert, Dr Vidya Narayanan

  This programme supports research into the use of computational propaganda in developing democracies, our management of strategic relations with industry, government and civil society stakeholders, and capacity transfer to civil society groups.

• Resistance to Resilience: Oxford Martin Initiative on Vaccine Misinformation

  Participants: Professor Phillip Howard, Dr Jonathan Bright, Dr Aleksi Knuutila, Dr Aliaksandr Herasimenka

  This project builds on existing data science to understand the extent to which credible public health information is outweighed by false content on social media and measure the effectiveness of public health communication responses in real‐time.

• Political Communication, AI and Data Diversity in the US

  Participants: Dr Victoria Nash, Professor Philip N. Howard, Dr Dimitra (Mimie) Liotsiou, Lisa-Maria Neudert, Dr Vidya Narayanan

  This project investigates contemporary trends in political communication, political polarization, artificial intelligence, and data diversity in the United States.

• Alternative News Networks – Understanding the spread and influence of disinformation, propaganda, and divisive political news content in the UK online information ecosystem

  Participants: Dr Jonathan Bright, Professor Philip Howard, Dr Scott Hale, Hannah Bailey, Mona Elswah, Megha Mishra, Dr Vidya Narayanan, Marcel Schliebs, Christian Schwieter, Katarina Rebello, Ali Arsalan Pasha Siddiqui, Karolina Werens, Alexandra Pavliuc, Anna George

  This project seeks to understand the health of the UK online information ecosystem, including tracking the spread of divisive and misleading content.

Past projects

• Computational Propaganda

  Participants: Professor Philip Howard, Dr Vidya Narayanan, Dr Dimitra (Mimie) Liotsiou, Lisa-Maria Neudert, Samantha Bradshaw

  This project will focus on how bots, algorithms and other forms of automation are used by political actors in countries around the world.

• Restoring Trust in Social Media Civic Engagement

  Participants: Professor Philip Howard, Dr Dimitra (Mimie) Liotsiou

  This Proof of Concept project will allow researchers to produce an online tool that allows the public to evaluate suspicious social media accounts.

Videos

• Chasing Innovation: Entrepreneurship and its Limits in Modern India

  Recorded: 2 June 2021

  Duration: 01:06:09

  The OII is delighted to welcome Professor Lilly Irani, Associate Professor of Communication & Science Studies at University of California, San Diego.

• Empirical Investigations of Platform Creativity

  Recorded: 12 May 2021

  Duration: 01:02:51

  Dr Kristofer Erickson is Associate Professor in Media and Communication at Leeds University. We are delighted to welcome him for this webinar, hosted by Professor Philip Howard.

• The Oxford Internet Institute @ 20

  Recorded: 5 May 2021

  Duration: 00:00:00

  A panel discussion, with OII Directors past and present, reflecting on what the OII has achieved in the last 20 years, and how it hopes to address current and future technology challenges going forward.

• ‘People You May Know’

  Recorded: 17 March 2021

  Duration: 00:58:05

  A unique discussion and Q&A with the co-directors and star of ‘People You May Know’, Dr Charles Kriel & Katharina Gellein Viken.

• The Future of Knowledge Governance: Sharing and Creating Knowledge for All

  Recorded: 10 March 2021

  Duration: 01:03:03

  The Oxford Internet Institute welcomes Katherine Maher, CEO and Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation, hosted by Professor Philip Howard, Director of the OII.

• Understanding anti-vaxx communities on social media

  Recorded: 27 January 2021

  Duration: 00:58:13

  In this webinar, Dr Herisamenka presents recent research into anti-vaccination communities on social media and their content.

• Understanding Digital Racism After COVID-19

  Recorded: 11 November 2020

  Duration: 00:59:54

  This OII Wednesday Webinar features Professor Lisa Nakamura discussing her latest project, as well as an in depth Q&A with Professor Philip Howard.

• Data, Governance and Geopolitics

  Recorded: 28 October 2020

  Duration: 00:59:13

  The Oxford Internet Institute welcomes Pari Esfandiari and Greg Treverton Co-Founders, and respectively President and Chairperson of the Global TechnoPolitics Forum. Hosted by Professor Philip Howard, Director of the OII.

• The Tech Response to COVID-19

  Recorded: 20 July 2020

  Duration: 01:04:09

  We host a conversation to explore the tech companies and industry response to COVID-19.

• ‘Lie Machine’s’ UK book launch

  Recorded: 24 June 2020

  Duration: 00:58:50

  Professor Philip Howard presents his new book 'Lie Machines' in this UK launch, which offers new insights into the world's most damaging disinformation campaigns. He is joined by Dr Vidya Narayanan.

• ‘Lie Machine’s’ Book launch Q&A session

  Recorded: 20 May 2020

  Duration: 00:31:10

  Professor Philip Howard presents his new book ‘Lie Machines’, which offers new insights into the world’s most damaging disinformation campaigns. In this video we have the Question & Answer part of the talk.

• Misinformation, media and trust

  Recorded: 5 May 2020

  Duration: 01:02:55

  Professor Philip Howard joins a Said Business School webinar on misinformation, media and trust.

• OII London Lecture – Tomorrow’s Leviathan: Intelligent Machines in a Political World

  Recorded: 5 March 2019

  Duration: 01:11:28

  The Oxford Internet Institute presents the Director of the OII, Professor Philip Howard's lecture "Tomorrow’s Leviathan: Intelligent Machines in a Political World" in London the 5th March 2019.

• Is Social Media Killing Democracy? Computational Propaganda, Algorithms, Automation and Public Life

  Recorded: 15 June 2017

  Duration: 00:48:11

  Philip Howard on how social media platforms have become key infrastructures for political discourse.

• Will the Internet of Things Enhance Democracy or Empower Autocrats?

  Recorded: 3 February 2016

  Duration: 01:18:06

  Phil Howard discusses his new book, Pax Technica: How the Internet of Things May Set Us Free or Lock Us Up.

• Civic Engagement, Bots, and the Internet of Things (IoT)

  Recorded: 15 June 2015

  Duration: 00:56:38

  Phil Howard discusses civic engagement, bots, and the Internet of things (IoT).

• Testing the Leap-frog Hypothesis: The Impact of Existing Infrastructure and Telecommunications Policy on the Global Digital Divide

  Recorded: 15 May 2007

  Duration: 00:24:00

  Philip Howard discusses the issues raised by his paper: 'Testing the leap-frog hypothesis: the impact of existing infrastructure and telecommunications policy on the global digital divide' published in the journal iCS (10:133-157).

News

• New study finds coordinated amplification network promoting tweets by China’s diplomats in the UK

  11 May 2021

  A new study by researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford uncovers a coordinated amplification network promoting the Twitter accounts of PRC diplomats based in the United Kingdom.

• New study finds Chinese actors using social media networks to influence foreign public opinion

  11 May 2021

  A new study by researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford uncovers a coordinated amplification network promoting the Twitter accounts of PRC diplomats based in the United Kingdom.

• Announcing the OII’s next Director

  29 January 2021

  The OII Steering Board has agreed that Professor Victoria Nash should be the next Director of OII.

• Social media manipulation by political actors now an industrial scale problem prevalent in over 80 countries – annual Oxford report

  13 January 2021

  The manipulation of public opinion through social media remains a growing threat to democracies around the world, according to the 2020 media manipulation survey from the Oxford Internet Institute, part of the University of Oxford.

• Spread of disinformation the biggest concern for internet and social media users globally finds new Oxford study

  15 December 2020

  Spread of disinformation the biggest concern for internet and social media users globally finds new Oxford study

• Global public opinion split on benefits of AI, finds new Oxford study

  7 October 2020

  In a new study by researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute, analysis shows that public perceptions on the use of AI in public life is divided, with populations in the West, generally more worried about AI than those in the East.

• “Anything that causes chaos is RT’s line” New study lifts the lid on RT’s role in wreaking political havoc.

  28 September 2020

  New analysis from researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, shows how internal processes at RT contribute to the anti-West news agenda and its critical representation of Western government across all RT languages.

• Former digital adviser to David Beckham and senior UN officer join OII

  10 August 2020

  The Oxford Internet Institute (OII), part of the University of Oxford, has appointed two new Visiting Policy Fellows; Traci Maddock and David Michael Kelly.

• New Commission to Address AI and Good Governance in Public Policy

  28 July 2020

  A new commission has been formed by Oxford University to advise world leaders on effective ways to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning in public administration and governance.

• State-backed media from China and Russia targets European and Latin American audiences with coronavirus news

  29 June 2020

  News stories on coronavirus in French, German, and Spanish languages are being published by state-backed outlets from China, Russia, Iran, and Turkey.

• Coronavirus Misinformation Weekly Briefing 04-05-2020

  5 May 2020

  Given the evolving nature of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic—and public understanding of the crises—we provide a weekly briefing about the spread of coronavirus information across multiple social media platforms.

• YouTube proving a popular source of reliable information on COVID-19, but public health agencies could make greater use of channel

  17 April 2020

  A new memo from the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, has found very limited amounts of “junk” or conspiratorial health content among the most popular searches for COVID-19 content on YouTube.

• State-backed media in Russia, China, Iran and Turkey successful in sharing misleading stories on COVID-19

  9 April 2020

  A new memo from the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, has lifted the lid on the actions of English language state-backed media in Russia, China, Iran and Turkey during the coronavirus pandemic.

• Civil society leaders struggled to curb tide of disinformation during 2019 Tunisian elections and demand greater transparency from social media platforms

  23 March 2020

  New analysis shows civil society groups and digital rights activists faced several obstacles to observe social media during the elections due to lack of available data

• Leading French academic joins Oxford Internet Institute as a Visiting Policy Fellow

  9 March 2020

  The Oxford Internet Institute (OII), part of the University of Oxford, has appointed Professor Hind Benbya of Montpellier Business School as a Visiting Policy Fellow.

• Top diplomat takes up fellowship at Oxford Internet Institute

  5 March 2020

  The Oxford Internet Institute (OII) has appointed Sir Julian King, European Commissioner for Security Union until the UK’s departure from the EU, as a Visiting Policy Fellow.

• Mohamed Amersi joins Oxford Internet Institute Advisory Board

  21 February 2020

  The Oxford Internet Institute (OII) has appointed Mohamed Amersi, Founder & CEO of Emergent Telecom Ventures, as a member of its Advisory Board.

• Junk news declines on Twitter, but Facebook users still respond to disinformation

  9 December 2019

  Less than two percent of news sources shared on Twitter ahead of the 2019 UK General Election defined as ‘junk news’, says new analysis from Oxford researchers.

• Collective action needed now to tackle spread of disinformation in public life, finds new report

  16 October 2019

  A new report from the Oxford Technology and Elections Commission (OxTEC), convened by the Oxford Internet Institute, calls for coordinated action by the public and private sector to address and redress problems around disinformation in public life today.

• Self-regulation of social media platforms failing to curb disinformation, says new report

  11 October 2019

  A new report from the Oxford Technology and Elections Commission (OxTEC) has found many of the self-regulatory measures taken by social media platforms have failed to prevent the spread of disinformation.

• Action needed to restore trust in political campaigning, says new report

  9 October 2019

  A new report from the Oxford Technology and Elections Commission (OxTEC) calls for changes to the current rules around digital political campaigning, to restore public trust in campaigns and elections more broadly.

• Use of social media to manipulate public opinion now a global problem, says new report

  26 September 2019

  Organised social media manipulation campaigns are now prevalent in 70 countries around the world (more than doubling from 28 in 2017), finds new Oxford Internet Institute report.

• New report highlights inconsistent approach to combating disinformation

  22 August 2019

  A new report by the Oxford Technology and Elections Commission (OxTEC) has found significant variations in the approaches taken by governments across the world to dealing with disinformation, often referred to as ‘fake news’ in popular verbatim.

• Junk news ‘not prevalent’ on Twitter, but more likely to be shared and liked on Facebook, finds unique multilingual study

  21 May 2019

  Fewer than 4% of news sources shared on Twitter ahead of the 2019 European Parliamentary elections were ‘junk news’

• Oxford Technology & Elections Commission launched

  25 April 2019

  The Oxford Internet Institute is today launching a new commission to find ways to safeguard democracy from the potentially disruptive influences of modern technology, such as misinformation, “fake news” and micro-targeting in political campaigns.

• UK media coverage of artificial intelligence dominated by industry and industry sources

  13 December 2018

  The factsheet, An Industry-Led Debate: How UK Media Cover Artificial Intelligence, is based on an analysis of eight months of reporting on AI in six mainstream UK news outlets.

• Junk news dominating coverage of US midterms on social media, new research finds

  1 November 2018

  25% of content shared around US midterms is junk news, despite efforts by the platforms to curb the problem

• Brazil elections ‘not at risk’ from junk news on Twitter, new research finds

  5 October 2018

  Researchers from the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford conclude only 1.2% of Twitter content connected to the elections is junk news

• New report reveals growing threat of organised social media manipulation world-wide

  20 July 2018

  The manipulation of public opinion over social media platforms has emerged as a critical threat to public life.

• Pro-Trump highly automated accounts ‘colonised’ pro-Clinton Twitter campaign

  17 November 2016

  Research by Prof. Philip Howard (OII, University of Oxford), with Bence Kollanyi (University of Corvinus) and Samuel Woolley (University of Washington) reveals that Trump supporters’ use of highly automated accounts was 'deliberate and strategic'.

Events

• Chasing Innovation: Entrepreneurship and its Limits in Modern India

  2 June 2021

  The OII is delighted to welcome Professor Lilly Irani, Associate Professor of Communication & Science Studies at University of California, San Diego.

• The Oxford Internet Institute @ 20

  5 May 2021

  Join us for a panel discussion, with OII Directors past and present, reflecting on what the OII has achieved in the last 20 years, and how it hopes to address current and future technology challenges going forward.

• OII’s Wednesday Webinar Week 8 ‘The Future of Knowledge Governance: Sharing and Creating Knowledge for All’

  10 March 2021

  The Oxford Internet Institute welcomes Katherine Maher, the CEO and Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation, hosted by Professor Philip Howard, Director of the OII.

• OII’s Wednesday Webinar Week 2 ‘Understanding anti-vaxx communities on social media’

  27 January 2021

  The OII looks forward to this webinar featuring Dr Aliaksandr Herasimenka, a postdoctoral researcher at the Computational Propaganda Project (COMPROP). He's joined by Professor Philip Howard, Director of the OII and Principal Investigator for COMPROP.

• OII’s Wednesday Webinar Week 3 ‘Data, Governance and Geopolitics’

  28 October 2020

  The Oxford Internet Institute welcomes Pari Esfandiari and Greg Treverton Co-Founders, and respectively President and Chairperson of the Global TechnoPolitics Forum. Hosted by Professor Philip Howard, Director of the OII.

• OII’s Wednesday Webinar Week 2 ‘Artificial Intelligence & Social Justice’ Professor Meredith Broussard

  21 October 2020

  The Oxford Internet Institute welcomes Meredith Broussard, Associate Professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University. Hosted by Professor Philip Howard, Director of the OII.

• The Tech Response to COVID-19

  20 July 2020

  We host a conversation to explore the tech companies and industry response to COVID-19.

• ‘Lie Machines’ UK launch

  24 June 2020

  Professor Philip Howard presents his new book 'Lie Machines' in this UK launch, which offers new insights into the world's most damaging disinformation campaigns.

• ‘Lie Machines’ Online Book Launch

  20 May 2020

  Professor Philip Howard presents his new book 'Lie Machines', which offers new insights into the world's most damaging disinformation campaigns.

• OII London Lecture – Tomorrow’s Leviathan: Intelligent Machines in a Political World

  5 March 2019

  The Oxford Internet Institute is excited to present the Director of the OII, Professor Philip Howard for the lecture "Tomorrow’s Leviathan: Intelligent Machines in a Political World" in London.

• Professor Philip Howard’s Inaugural Lecture

  15 June 2017

  The Oxford Internet Institute presents Professor Philip Howard's Inaugural Lecture 'Is Social Media Killing Democracy? Computational Propaganda, Algorithms, Automation and Public Life'

Blog

• Black Heroes of the Internet – Professor Charlton McIlwain

  15 October 2020

  Authors: Philip Howard

  Dr. McIlwain has a global reputation for advancing scholarship in three domains:  political communication, race and the media, technology, and society.  He is a renowned scholar ...
  Read More Black Heroes of the Internet – Professor Charlton McIlwain

• Director’s statement on anti-racism

  18 June 2020

  Authors: Philip Howard

  The Oxford Internet Institute is committed to the work of eliminating discrimination, in all forms, and to creating equal opportunities to participate in the ...
  Read More Director’s statement on anti-racism

• Misinformation and the Coronavirus Resistance

  24 April 2020

  Authors: Philip Howard

  Multiplying threat, and the inspiring resistance Would you believe that the Coronavirus was created by a cruel government to weaken its foreign rivals? Or ...
  Read More Misinformation and the Coronavirus Resistance

• The COVID-19 ‘infodemic’: what does the misinformation landscape look like and how can we respond?

  15 April 2020

  Authors: Philip Howard, Professor Rasmus Kleis Nielson, Nic Newman, Dr. J. Scott Brennan

  In mid-February, the World Health Organization announced that the new coronavirus pandemic was accompanied by an ‘infodemic’ of misinformation. Cristina Tardáguila, Associate Director of the International Fact-checking ...
  Read More The COVID-19 ‘infodemic’: what does the misinformation landscape look like and how can we respond?

• Computational Propaganda: The Book

  18 October 2018

  Author: Philip Howard

  We’re very pleased to announce the publication of the Computational Propaganda project’s first book, Computational Propaganda: Political Parties, Politicians, and Political Manipulation on Social ...
  Read More Computational Propaganda: The Book

• Three reasons junk news spreads so quickly across social media

  26 March 2018

  Authors: Philip Howard, Samantha Bradshaw

  Why and how has the rise of social media contributed to the spread of what we at the Computational Propaganda Project call “junk news”–the ...
  Read More Three reasons junk news spreads so quickly across social media

• Computational Propaganda

  17 February 2018

  Author: Philip Howard

  Abstract Social media can have an impressive impact on civic engagement and political discourse. Yet increasingly we find political actors using digital media and ...
  Read More Computational Propaganda

• Activities

  16 February 2018

  Author: Philip Howard

  Computational Propaganda Social media can have an impressive impact on civic engagement and political discourse. Yet increasingly we find political actors using digital media ...
  Read More Activities

• Palo Alto Talk: Truth and Trust in Times of Junk News

  7 January 2018

  Author: Philip Howard

  The past year has been dominated by stories of how junk news has influenced major political decisions on both sides of the Atlantic. Algorithms, ...
  Read More Palo Alto Talk: Truth and Trust in Times of Junk News

• European Commission Multi-stakeholder Conference on Fake News

  18 November 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Lisa-Maria Neudert represented the project on a panel at the European Commission’s recent Multi-stakeholder Conference on Fake News, part of a large-scale consultation process on fake ...
  Read More European Commission Multi-stakeholder Conference on Fake News

• Social Media, News and Political Information during the US Election: Was Polarizing Content Concentrated in Swing States?

  28 September 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  US voters shared large volumes of polarizing political news and information in the form of links to content from Russian, WikiLeaks and junk news ...
  Read More Social Media, News and Political Information during the US Election: Was Polarizing Content Concentrated in Swing States?

• Junk News and Bots during the German Parliamentary Election: What are German Voters Sharing over Twitter?

  19 September 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Automation and propaganda can significantly impact public life during important policy debates, elections, and political crises. We collected Twitter data on bot activity and junk ...
  Read More Junk News and Bots during the German Parliamentary Election: What are German Voters Sharing over Twitter?

• Should Facebook Ads Be Regulated Like TV Commercials?

  14 September 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  I spoke to the Atlantic for this story about regulating political advertising on Facebook. Experts seem to agree on two principles with respect to ...
  Read More Should Facebook Ads Be Regulated Like TV Commercials?

• Confusion Before the German Election: What Influence Does Fake News Have?

  11 September 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  We are collaborating with our colleagues at the SNV and Reporters Without Borders on a ComProp Research Briefing in Berlin.  On October 20th we ...
  Read More Confusion Before the German Election: What Influence Does Fake News Have?

• Troops, Trolls and Troublemakers: A Global Inventory of Organized Social Media Manipulation

  17 July 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Cyber troops are government, military or political party teams committed to manipulating public opinion over social media. In this working paper, we report on ...
  Read More Troops, Trolls and Troublemakers: A Global Inventory of Organized Social Media Manipulation

• Video: Is Social Media Killing Democracy? Computational Propaganda, Algorithms, Automation and Public Life

  15 June 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  The Oxford Internet Institute presents Professor Philip Howard’s Inaugural Lecture. The design and implementation of social media platforms has put several advanced democracies into ...
  Read More Video: Is Social Media Killing Democracy? Computational Propaganda, Algorithms, Automation and Public Life

• Social Media and News Sources during the 2017 UK General Election

  6 June 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Platforms like Twitter and sources like Wikipedia are important parts of the information diet for many citizens. In this data memo, we analyse Twitter ...
  Read More Social Media and News Sources during the 2017 UK General Election

• Video: Ten things you wish you didn’t know about elections (and what to do about them)

  5 May 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  In this talk, Prof Phil Howard explains how we are targeted and manipulated by social media and bots trying to influence voter behaviour. Since 2012, ...
  Read More Video: Ten things you wish you didn’t know about elections (and what to do about them)

• Junk News and Bots during the French Presidential Election (Round II)

  5 May 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Computational propaganda distributes large amounts of misinformation about politics and public policy over social media platforms. The combination of automation and propaganda can significantly ...
  Read More Junk News and Bots during the French Presidential Election (Round II)

• Junk News and Bots during the French Presidential Election (Round I)

  21 April 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Computational propaganda distributes large amounts of misinformation about politics and public policy over social media platforms. The combination of automation and propaganda can significantly ...
  Read More Junk News and Bots during the French Presidential Election (Round I)

• Junk News and Bots during the German Federal Presidency Election: What Were German Voters Sharing Over Twitter?

  26 March 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Computational propaganda distributes large amounts of misinformation about politics and public policy over social media platforms. The combination of automation and propaganda can significantly ...
  Read More Junk News and Bots during the German Federal Presidency Election: What Were German Voters Sharing Over Twitter?

• Junk News and Bots during the U.S. Election: What Were Michigan Voters Sharing Over Twitter?

  26 March 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Computational propaganda distributes large amounts of misinformation about politics and public policy over social media platforms. The combination of automation and propaganda can significantly ...
  Read More Junk News and Bots during the U.S. Election: What Were Michigan Voters Sharing Over Twitter?

• Prezi: What is Public Opinion? Lessons From 4 Mistakes

  28 February 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  The science of opinion measurement often advances because of big mistakes. Three of the biggest mistakes are easy to identify. Did we just make ...
  Read More Prezi: What is Public Opinion? Lessons From 4 Mistakes

• Prezi – Collective Action in a Digital Era

  6 February 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Here is my Prezi on “Collective Action in a Digital Era“.

• Social Media, Civic Engagement, and the Slactivism Hypothesis: Lessons from Mexico’s “El Bronco

  14 January 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  Does social media use have a positive or negative impact on civic engagement? The cynical “slacktivism hypothesis” holds that if citizens use social media ...
  Read More Social Media, Civic Engagement, and the Slactivism Hypothesis: Lessons from Mexico’s “El Bronco

• Reuters: Facebook and Twitter’s real sin goes beyond spreading fake news

  3 January 2017

  Author: Philip Howard

  (This originally appeared as Facebook and Twitter’s real sin goes beyond spreading fake news.) Social media companies are taking heat for influencing the outcomes ...
  Read More Reuters: Facebook and Twitter’s real sin goes beyond spreading fake news

• Bots and Automation over Twitter during the U.S. Election

  17 November 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Bots are social media accounts that automate interaction with other users, and political bots have been particularly active on public policy issues, political crises, ...
  Read More Bots and Automation over Twitter during the U.S. Election

• Is Social Media Killing Democracy?

  15 November 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Donald Trump in Reno, Nevada, by Darron Birgenheier (Flickr). This is the big year for computational propaganda — using immense data sets to manipulate public opinion ...
  Read More Is Social Media Killing Democracy?

• Bots and Automation over Twitter during the Third U.S. Presidential Debate

  31 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Bots are social media accounts that automate interaction with other users, and political bots have been particularly active on public policy issues, political crises, ...
  Read More Bots and Automation over Twitter during the Third U.S. Presidential Debate

• Review in Journal of Democracy

  30 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  This essay appeared originally in July issue of the Journal of Democracy and is by Daniel O’Maley. What does the Internet mean for political systems, ...
  Read More Review in Journal of Democracy

• Cracking the Stealth Political Influence of Bots

  30 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research was covered on PBS. Among the millions of real people tweeting about the presidential race, there are also a lot accounts ...
  Read More Cracking the Stealth Political Influence of Bots

• Pro-Clinton Bots ‘Fought Back but Outnumbered in Second Debate’

  27 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research into the 2016 US election was covered in the BBC. Web robots dedicated to posting pro-Hillary Clinton tweets appear to have ...
  Read More Pro-Clinton Bots ‘Fought Back but Outnumbered in Second Debate’

• As Artificial Intelligence Evolves, So Does Its Criminal Potential

  25 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

    The project’s research was covered in The New York Times. This can already be seen in efforts by state governments and political campaigns ...
  Read More As Artificial Intelligence Evolves, So Does Its Criminal Potential

• Partisan Twitter bots distorting U.S. presidential candidates’ popularity

  23 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research on the 2016 US election was featured in the CBC. What sort of volume is out there? It’s — pardon the ...
  Read More Partisan Twitter bots distorting U.S. presidential candidates’ popularity

• Digital Mudslingers (in German)

  23 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research into the 2016 US election was covered in Der Speigel. Automatische Bots verzerren politische Diskussionen in sozialen Netzwerken und können Wahlen ...
  Read More Digital Mudslingers (in German)

• Bot Tweets Influencing U.S. Election

  23 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research was covered in this CBC news story on the US election. Automated accounts are sending out tweets that could amplify and ...
  Read More Bot Tweets Influencing U.S. Election

• One in four debate tweets comes from a bot. Here’s how to spot them.

  21 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research into the US presidential election was featured in the Washington Post. Philip Howard has a fancy name for partisan election bots. ...
  Read More One in four debate tweets comes from a bot. Here’s how to spot them.

• Donald Trump support during presidential debate was inflated by bots, professor says

  20 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s work into the 2016 US election was covered in the Independent. Many of the Twitter users supporting Donald Trump after the presidential ...
  Read More Donald Trump support during presidential debate was inflated by bots, professor says

• A third of pro-Trump tweets are generated by bots

  20 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s work into the 2016 US election was covered by CNN. University researchers who track political activity on Twitter have found that traffic ...
  Read More A third of pro-Trump tweets are generated by bots

• Bots and Automation over Twitter during the Second U.S. Presidential Debate

  19 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Bots are social media accounts that automate interaction with other users, and political bots have been particularly active on public policy issues, political crises, ...
  Read More Bots and Automation over Twitter during the Second U.S. Presidential Debate

• Trump’s Twitter debate lead was ‘swelled by bots’

  19 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research into the US election and presidential debates was covered in the BBC. More than four times as many tweets were made ...
  Read More Trump’s Twitter debate lead was ‘swelled by bots’

• Donald Trump Twitter Bot Announces Candidacy For President

  18 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research into the 2016 US election was covered in Newsweek. Donald Trump’s use of fourth grade-level language may be a powerful rhetorical ...
  Read More Donald Trump Twitter Bot Announces Candidacy For President

• A Twitter Bot Imitates Donald Trump in order to Attack him Better (Un « bot » Twitter imite Donald Trump pour mieux le dénoncer)

  18 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research into the 2016 US Election was featured in Le Monde. Mais Donald Trump sait lui aussi tirer profit des bots. Le chercheur d’Oxford ...
  Read More A Twitter Bot Imitates Donald Trump in order to Attack him Better (Un « bot » Twitter imite Donald Trump pour mieux le dénoncer)

• Bots and Automation over Twitter during the First U.S. Presidential Debate

  18 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Bots are social media accounts that automate interaction with other users, and political bots have been particularly active on public policy issues, political crises, ...
  Read More Bots and Automation over Twitter during the First U.S. Presidential Debate

• IJOC: Automation, Big Data and Politics: A Research Review

  15 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  We review the great variety of critical scholarship on algorithms, automation, and big data in areas of contemporary life both to document where there ...
  Read More IJOC: Automation, Big Data and Politics: A Research Review

• When Bots Tweet: Toward a Normative Framework for Bots on Social Networking Sites

  15 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Political actors are using algorithms and automation to sway public opinion, notably through the use of “bot” accounts on social networking sites. This article ...
  Read More When Bots Tweet: Toward a Normative Framework for Bots on Social Networking Sites

• Growing Bot Security: An Ecological View of Bot Agency

  15 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Political actors are now deploying software programs called social bots that use social networking services such as Facebook or Twitter to communicate with users ...
  Read More Growing Bot Security: An Ecological View of Bot Agency

• Auditing for Transparency in Content Personalization Systems

  15 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Do we have a right to transparency when we use content personalization systems? Building on prior work in discrimination detection in data mining, I ...
  Read More Auditing for Transparency in Content Personalization Systems

• When the Algorithm Itself is a Racist: Diagnosing Ethical Harm in the Basic Components of Software

  15 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Computer algorithms organize and select information across a wide range of applications and industries, from search results to social media. Abuses of power by ...
  Read More When the Algorithm Itself is a Racist: Diagnosing Ethical Harm in the Basic Components of Software

• Bots and Political Influence: A Sociotechnical Investigation of Social Network Capital

  15 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  This study explains how bots interact with human users and influence conversational networks on Twitter. We analyze a high-stakes political environment, the UK general ...
  Read More Bots and Political Influence: A Sociotechnical Investigation of Social Network Capital

• Where Do Bots Come From? An Analysis of Bot Codes Shared on GitHub

  15 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  An increasing amount of open source code is available on the Internet for quickly setting up and deploying bots on Twitter. This development of ...
  Read More Where Do Bots Come From? An Analysis of Bot Codes Shared on GitHub

• IJOC: Talking to Bots: Symbiotic Agency and the Case of Tay

  15 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  In 2016, Microsoft launched Tay, an experimental artificial intelligence chat bot. Learning from interactions with Twitter users, Tay was shut down after one day ...
  Read More IJOC: Talking to Bots: Symbiotic Agency and the Case of Tay

• IJOC: Keeping Ottawa Honest—One Tweet at a Time? Politicians, Journalists, Wikipedians and Their Twitter Bots

  14 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  WikiEdits bots are a class of Twitter bot that announce edits made by Wikipedia users editing under government IP addresses, with the goal of ...
  Read More IJOC: Keeping Ottawa Honest—One Tweet at a Time? Politicians, Journalists, Wikipedians and Their Twitter Bots

• IJOC: Political Communication, Computational Propaganda, and Autonomous Agents — Introduction

  14 October 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The Internet certainly disrupted our understanding of what communication can be, who does it, how, and to what effect. What constitutes the Internet has ...
  Read More IJOC: Political Communication, Computational Propaganda, and Autonomous Agents — Introduction

• BBC Click: A look at bots influencing social media in the US election

  25 September 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research was featured in a segment of the BBC show Click, which discussed the role of social media bots in modern political ...
  Read More BBC Click: A look at bots influencing social media in the US election

• A look at bots influencing social media in the US election, ways to take back control of your mobile, and the latest drone from GoPro

  25 September 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Our research was featured in a segment of the BBC show Click, about the role of social media bots in modern political communication. Watch ...
  Read More A look at bots influencing social media in the US election, ways to take back control of your mobile, and the latest drone from GoPro

• Creativity and Critique: Gap Analysis of Support for Critical Research on Big Data

  12 July 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  We define big data as large amounts of information, collected about many people, over multiple devices. We define critical big data research as efforts ...
  Read More Creativity and Critique: Gap Analysis of Support for Critical Research on Big Data

• Watch out for the Brexit bots

  24 June 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research into the Brexit referendum was covered in Quartz. As the Brexit vote draws closer, undecided voters will need to make up ...
  Read More Watch out for the Brexit bots

• Beware the Brexit bots: The Twitter spam out to swing your vote

  23 June 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research into the Brexit referendum was covered in the New Scientist. Watch out for the ballot bots. As the UK’s referendum on ...
  Read More Beware the Brexit bots: The Twitter spam out to swing your vote

• These ‘bots’ could sway the Brexit vote

  23 June 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Automated social media accounts are being used by both sides in the Brexit debate, a new report shows, with some experts fearing that a ...
  Read More These ‘bots’ could sway the Brexit vote

• Three Research Appointments in Computational Social Science

  21 June 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  **Update 23/09/2016 These posts have been filled, but we will likely advertise again, along similar themes, in a year.   We are looking for ...
  Read More Three Research Appointments in Computational Social Science

• Positions Filled: Three Research Appointments in Computational Social Science

  21 June 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  **Update 23/09/2016 These posts have been filled, but we will likely advertise again, along similar themes, in a year. We are looking for three ...
  Read More Positions Filled: Three Research Appointments in Computational Social Science

• Bots, #StrongerIn, and #Brexit: Computational Propaganda during the UK-EU Referendum

  21 June 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Bots are social media accounts that automate interaction with other users, and they are active on the StrongerIn-Brexit conversation happening over Twitter. These automated ...
  Read More Bots, #StrongerIn, and #Brexit: Computational Propaganda during the UK-EU Referendum

• A $1 Million Fight Against Hillary Clinton’s Online Trolls

  1 June 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research into the 2016 US election was covered in the Atlantic. Misinformation can easily take hold online, and spread quickly in the ...
  Read More A $1 Million Fight Against Hillary Clinton’s Online Trolls

• How Twitter Bots Could Sway the Outcome of the Presidential Election

  23 May 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  In the midst of the most unprecedented election season in recent history, questioning the political power of technology is now more important than ever. ...
  Read More How Twitter Bots Could Sway the Outcome of the Presidential Election

• Politics, Propaganda, and Bots–The Changing Nature of Cyber Warfare

  19 May 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Sam Woolley was a member of a panel at the News Impact Summit on the theme, “Trolls, Corruption, Falsehood: Reporting ‘Truth’ in the Digital Age”. ...
  Read More Politics, Propaganda, and Bots–The Changing Nature of Cyber Warfare

• Video: Politics, Propaganda, and Bots–The Changing Nature of Cyber Warfare

  19 May 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The News Impact Summit London on the theme, “Trolls, Corruption, Falsehood: Reporting ‘Truth’ in the Digital Age”. The event was held on Thursday 12 ...
  Read More Video: Politics, Propaganda, and Bots–The Changing Nature of Cyber Warfare

• Bots Unite to Automate the Presidential Election

  16 May 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Phil Howard and Sam Woolley wrote an article on the 2016 US election for Wired Magazine. But as the power of bots grows, so ...
  Read More Bots Unite to Automate the Presidential Election

• The Impact of Social Media on Political Debate (in Dutch)

  28 April 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research was featured in the Dutch Newspaper de Volskskrant. Sociale media en politiek activisme: even bracht het democratie 2.0 voort. Via de ...
  Read More The Impact of Social Media on Political Debate (in Dutch)

• These are the Droids You’re Looking For: Bots as a Tool For Journalism

  4 April 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  This originally appeared as “These are the Droids You’re Looking For:  Bots as a Tool For Journalism” by Samuel Woolley and Phil Howard on ...
  Read More These are the Droids You’re Looking For: Bots as a Tool For Journalism

• Presentation at Yale Law School

  2 April 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Project collaborators Phil Howard and Sam Woolley presented a coauthored paper, “Campaign Bots & The Law”, authored by Ryan Calo, Lisa Manheim, Sam Woolley ...
  Read More Presentation at Yale Law School

• Prezi: Campaign Bots & The Law

  2 April 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Here is an interactive Prezi on our recent paper “Campaign Bots & The Law”, authored by Ryan Calo, Lisa Manheim, Sam Woolley and Phil ...
  Read More Prezi: Campaign Bots & The Law

• Presentations at SXSW 2016

  1 April 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Project Researchers Samuel Woolley and Phil Howard presented twice at SXSW this year. There was a “Book Reading” of Pax Technica: The “internet of things” ...
  Read More Presentations at SXSW 2016

• Presentation at SXSW 2016

  1 April 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Project Researchers Samuel Woolley and Phil Howard presented twice at SXSW this year. There was a “Book Reading” of Pax Technica: The “internet of things” ...
  Read More Presentation at SXSW 2016

• Sam Woolley Speaks at Princeton

  1 April 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s Sam Woolley presented some of the project’s research findings at Princeton University’s Center for Information Technology and Policy. The video is available ...
  Read More Sam Woolley Speaks at Princeton

• Video: Polbots at Princeton

  1 April 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Polbots project manager Sam Woolley presented some of the project’s research findings at Princeton University’s Center for Information Technology and Policy.    

• Automating Power: Social Bot Interference in Global Politics

  1 April 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Over the last several years political actors worldwide have begun harnessing the digital power of social bots — software programs designed to mimic human ...
  Read More Automating Power: Social Bot Interference in Global Politics

• We’re in a Bot Gold Rush. Kik tells you how to strike it rich.

  9 March 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Quinn Brenner was living a nightmare. Her mother passed away. She was rejected from drama school. Then, as she was leaving an audition, she ...
  Read More We’re in a Bot Gold Rush. Kik tells you how to strike it rich.

• Les bots informatiques : énigmes légales dans un avenir rempli de robots

  2 March 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Selon Andrew Leonard, journaliste et auteur du livre Bots : The Origin of New Species, un bot est « un programme informatique autonome supposé ...
  Read More Les bots informatiques : énigmes légales dans un avenir rempli de robots

• Botifesto: How To Think About Bots

  28 February 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  This originally appeared as “How to Think About Bots” by Samuel Woolley, danah boyd, Meredith Broussard, Madeleine Elish, Lainna Fader, Tim Hwang, Alexis Lloyd, Gilad ...
  Read More Botifesto: How To Think About Bots

• The Good, Bad, and Ugly of the World of Bots, and the Journalistic Implications of Using Them

  26 February 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research was covered by the Nieman Lab. Bot or not? Vice’s Motherboard has a piece up today — a “botifesto,” if you ...
  Read More The Good, Bad, and Ugly of the World of Bots, and the Journalistic Implications of Using Them

• Essays on Data & Society Points

  23 February 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Sam Woolley curated a collection of Points/talking bots.  “What is the Value of a Bot?” is a series of essays from a  week-long workshop ...
  Read More Essays on Data & Society Points

• Curated Essays on Data & Society Points

  23 February 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Sam Woolley curated a collection of essays from a week-long workshop at Data & Society. The workshop brought together a group of experts to get ...
  Read More Curated Essays on Data & Society Points

• Prezi: Confronting Political Bot Attacks – Guidelines for Civil Society Leaders

  29 January 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Governments, militaries, and lone attackers increasingly use bots to attack civil society groups. This Prezi investigates how such groups should prepare and respond.   ...
  Read More Prezi: Confronting Political Bot Attacks – Guidelines for Civil Society Leaders

• Prezi: Creating Lasting Relationships Among Computer and Social Scientists

  29 January 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Here is an interactive Prezi about how the special collaborations within our project are going. We are tackling some important research questions, but doing ...
  Read More Prezi: Creating Lasting Relationships Among Computer and Social Scientists

• Prezi: About the Project

  9 January 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  Here is an interactive Prezi describing the goals, work plan and initial findings of the Computational Propaganda Research Project.

• Preconference Call for Papers: Algorithms, Automation and Politics

  6 January 2016

  Author: Philip Howard

  The international Politicalbots.org team will be meeting in Fukuoka, Japan in June 2016.  We invite other researchers who plan to come to the International ...
  Read More Preconference Call for Papers: Algorithms, Automation and Politics

• 5 Countries That Use Bots to Spread Political Propaganda

  16 December 2015

  Author: Philip Howard

  The project’s research was covered by Tech Insider. More recently, bots are being used by governments mimic social media users and manipulate public opinion. In ...
  Read More 5 Countries That Use Bots to Spread Political Propaganda

• Social Media, Revolution, and the Rise of the Political Bot

  28 August 2015

  Author: Philip Howard

  Uprisings and protests worldwide, from the Arab Spring across North Africa and the Middle East to Euromaidan in the Ukraine, have made use of ...
  Read More Social Media, Revolution, and the Rise of the Political Bot

• Political Bots and the Manipulation of Public Opinion in Venezuela

  28 August 2015

  Author: Philip Howard

  Social and political bots have a small but strategic role in Venezuelan political conversations. These automated scripts generate content through social media platforms and ...
  Read More Political Bots and the Manipulation of Public Opinion in Venezuela

• Prezi: Bots, Botnets and Political Culture

  2 June 2015

  Author: Philip Howard

  This short Prezi from 2015 describes what bots are, and what impact they have on political campaigning.

• Pax Technica: How the Internet of Things May Set Us Free or Lock Us Up

  9 January 2015

  Author: Philip Howard

  Should we fear or welcome the internet’s evolution? The “internet of things” is the rapidly growing network of everyday objects—eyeglasses, cars, thermostats—made smart with ...
  Read More Pax Technica: How the Internet of Things May Set Us Free or Lock Us Up

• Bad News Bots: How Civil Society Can Combat Automated Online Propaganda

  14 December 2014

  Author: Philip Howard

  Sam Woolley and Phil Howard wrote an article for TechPresident on the political effects of bots. It’s no secret that governments and political actors ...
  Read More Bad News Bots: How Civil Society Can Combat Automated Online Propaganda

• Let’s Make Candidates Pledge Not to Use Bots

  3 January 2014

  Author: Philip Howard

  Phil Howard wrote an article about bots and campaigns for Reuters. Bots — chunks of computer code that generate messages and replicate themselves — ...
  Read More Let’s Make Candidates Pledge Not to Use Bots

Press

• China invents Swiss expert for Wuhan lab propaganda

  12 August 2021 The Times

  
  

  China’s state media have been accused of spreading fake news and attempting to discredit the World Health Organisation after quoting a Swiss biologist who does not appear to exist.

• Growing online ‘influence-for-hire’ economy opens door for foreign interference: report

  10 August 2021 Sydney Morning Herald

  
  

  “What’s up with the BBC?” In November 2020, this hashtag – #AdaApaDenganBBC – began trending on Twitter in Indonesia. What may have seemed like an organic social media campaign was, in fact, a highly organised effort by vested interests.

• Disinformation for Hire, a Shadow Industry, Is Quietly Booming

  21 July 2021 New York Times

  
  

  Back-alley firms meddle in elections and promote falsehoods on behalf of clients who can claim deniability.

• Social media companies need more regulation

  12 May 2021 DW

  
  

  To prevent growing political polarization on social media, "minimal and clear regulations" are desperately needed. This is what Oxford Professor of Internet Studies Philip F. Howard told DW in an interview.

• File on 4 ‘The Disinformation Dragon’

  9 March 2021 BBC Radio 4

  
  

  OII Director Professor Philip N. Howard provides expert comment on the rise of state backed Chinese misinformation campaigns.

• Inside a Pro-Huawei Influence Campaign

  29 January 2021 The New York Times

  
  

  A covert online push to sway telecommunications policy in favor of the Chinese company may presage a new twist in social manipulation.

• Private firms pocketing millions from disinformation-for-hire, report says

  15 January 2021 The Irish News

  
  

  Private companies are increasingly being hired by governments and political parties to manipulate public opinion through social media, according to new research.

• Can We Develop Herd Immunity to Internet Propaganda?

  15 January 2021 Der Spiegel

  
  

  Internet propaganda is becoming an industrialized commodity, warns Phil Howard, the director of the Oxford Internet Institute.

• Are “cyber troops” secretly influencing you online

  14 January 2021 Bloomberg

  
  

  00:14:34 onwards Professor Philip Howard lifts the curtain on the murky world of media manipulation.

• Governments increasingly using private companies to manipulate public opinion

  14 January 2021 Engineering & Technology

  
  

  A report from Oxford University’s Oxford Internet Institute (OII) has found that governments and political parties are increasingly paying private companies to manipulate public opinion using social media platforms.

• Report: Malaysian cybertrooper teams employ full-time staff, used by politicians and businesses alike

  14 January 2021 Malay Mail

  
  

  Malaysia is among 81 countries where the manipulation of public opinion through social media remains a growing threat to democracies around the world, a global study has found.

• Private firms pocketing millions from disinformation-for-hire, report says

  13 January 2021 Press Association

  
  

  Private companies are increasingly being hired by governments and political parties to manipulate public opinion through social media, according to new research.

• Social media manipulation a growing threat to democracies: Oxford study

  13 January 2021 Hindustan Times

  
  

  Governments, public relations firms and political parties are producing misinformation on an industrial scale, the report says.

• Oxford Report Highlights Rise of ‘Disinformation-For-Hire’ on Social Media

  13 January 2021 Interesting Engineering

  
  

  Social media manipulation by political actors appears to be an industrial scale problem.

• Social media manipulation by political actors an industrial scale problem, report finds

  13 January 2021 Phys Org

  
  

  Social media manipulation of public opinion is a growing threat to democracies around the world, according to the 2020 media manipulation survey from the Oxford Internet Institute, which found evidence in every one of the 80+ countries surveyed.

• Social media political manipulation has ‘soared since 2019 to an industrial scale’

  13 January 2021 i News

  
  

  Coordinated social media campaigns are undermining democracy and spreading disinformation in 81 countries worldwide on an ‘industrial scale’ new report cautions.

• Private firms pocketing millions from disinformation-for-hire, report says

  13 January 2021 Central Fife Times

  
  

  Private companies are increasingly being hired by governments and political parties to manipulate public opinion through social media, according to new research.

• Private firms pocketing millions from disinformation-for-hire, report says

  13 January 2021 The Oxford Mail

  
  

  Private companies are increasingly being hired by governments and political parties to manipulate public opinion through social media, according to new research.

• Social media manipulation by political actors an industrial scale problem – Oxford report

  13 January 2021 Mirage News

  
  

  Social media manipulation of public opinion is a growing threat to democracies around the world, according to the 2020 media manipulation survey from the Oxford Internet Institute, which found evidence in every one of the 80+ countries surveyed.

• Covid disinformation sites often use tools from Google, Facebook and Apple, report finds

  4 December 2020 The Washington Post

  
  

  Companies that block fraud and disinformation on their platforms make computer code used by websites that push such content, Oxford researchers found.

• Fact-checking Trump was a volume business. How will that change with Biden?

  3 December 2020 Poynter

  
  

  How the incoming president may alter the directed course of journalists' fact-checking efforts.

• Trump’s power on Twitter, Facebook will outlive his presidency

  7 November 2020 The Washington Post

  
  

  President Trump will leave the White House with a massive social media following that he could use to shape the nation’s politics throughout his successor’s administration and beyond.

• The Coming Clash Over New Laws for AI

  30 October 2020 Medium

  
  

  Landmark Oxford forum sees agreement on ‘tech-lash’, but not new laws and regulations to address it.

• Automation, COVID, And The Future Of Work

  16 October 2020 Forbes

  
  

  Ever since Oxford's Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne published their paper on the potential for jobs to be automated in 2013, a groundswell of concern has emerged about the impact of the various technologies might have.

• Facebook bans marketing firm running ‘troll farm’ for pro-Trump youth group

  8 October 2020 The Washington Post

  
  

  A Washington Post investigation found that teenagers had been recruited to pepper social media with conservative messages.

• Oxford Internet Institute: Public AI opinion is divided

  7 October 2020 Irish Tech News

  
  

  In a new study by researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute, ‘Global Attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Automated Decision Making, analysis shows that public perceptions on the use of AI in public life is divided.

• Fake news tops list of online concerns worldwide

  5 October 2020 Computer Weekly

  
  

  Almost three-quarters of regular internet users recognised at least one of the three main online risks – fake news, cyber bullying and fraud – but fake news ranks as by far and away the biggest concern, according to the Lloyd’s Register Foundation’s World

• Inside Russia’s state-media propaganda machine

  28 September 2020 Politico

  
  

  Academics from the University of Oxford interviewed almost two dozen current and former RT journalists about their time at the Kremlin-backed media outlet.

• Facebook is hampering efforts to crack down on Covid-19 fake videos

  21 September 2020 The Telegraph

  
  

  YouTube had improved its algorithm to promote credible sources, but videos were still going viral elsewhere.

• PODCAST: AI captain to sail the Atlantic

  15 September 2020 BBC World Service

  
  

  AI captain to sail a ship across the Atlantic. How a farmbot is helping Australian farmers keep their cattle watered and from 18:44 Philip Howard discusses how to unravel online lie machines.

• Philip N Howard: ‘Social media need a radical rebuild’

  15 August 2020 The Guardian

  
  

  Professor Philip Howard on how social media doesn’t have to bring us only junk news and misinformation about coronavirus. But a radical rebuild needs to occur so platforms are designed to promote healthy debate, find consensus, or solve problems.

• Covid-19 misinformation websites benefit from Google and Amazon ad networks, study says.

  3 August 2020 New York Times

  
  

  Websites publishing coronavirus-related misinformation are being supported financially by tapping into internet advertising networks owned by Google and Amazon, according to a new Oxford University study.

• Oxford University launches commission on AI in the public sector

  28 July 2020 The New Statesman

  
  

  Today, the Oxford Internet Institute is launching a new commission on AI and good governance which will examine artificial intelligence in the public sector.

• Coronavirus: Legislation needed to stop ‘virulent’ spread of COVID disinformation

  21 July 2020 Sky News

  
  

  Report says a regulator is needed to tell social media companies they could face sanctions if they don't deal with misinformation.

• How the founder of the Telegram messaging app stood up to the Kremlin — and won

  28 June 2020 The Washington Post

  
  

  Telegram founder Pavel Durov used cyber-dodging tactics and the messaging app’s reach to outmanoeuvre Russia’s state telecommunications regulator.

• Bending The Fake Pandemic News Curve

  9 June 2020 The Asean Post

  
  

  Sadly, far too many people who have encountered disinformation about coronavirus online have shared it with their friends and family. Nonetheless, we are learning more about who produces fake pandemic news, and how to stop its circulation.

• George Floyd protests: Twitter bans over #DCBlackout hoax

  2 June 2020 BBC News

  
  

  Twitter has suspended hundreds of accounts for spreading claims about a Washington DC "blackout" which never happened.

• Twitter taking on Trump’s lies? About time too

  30 May 2020 The Guardian

  
  

  The platform’s moves to counter the president’s disinformation may be too little, too late, but it’s something.

• Putin FURY: Russia issues dire warning to US over coronavirus fight

  29 May 2020 The Express

  
  

  Russia has pleaded with the US for cooperation in the two countries fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

• COVID-19 disinformation being spread by Russia, China, say experts Social Sharing

  26 May 2020 CBC

  
  

  Questions about the origin of the virus are driving conspiracy theories.

• AI can battle coronavirus, but privacy shouldn’t be a casualty

  26 May 2020 Tech Crunch

  
  

  Many governments are turning to AI tools to both advance the medical research and manage public health, now and in the long term. These technologies are certainly promising, but they must be implemented in ways that do not undermine human rights.

• How a debunked COVID-19 video kept spreading after Facebook and YouTube took it down

  21 May 2020 CBC

  
  

  Alt-tech platforms champion free speech, and act as reservoirs for clips removed from major social media sites.

• Twitter to warn users about controversial or misleading coronavirus posts

  12 May 2020 The Evening Standard

  
  

  Twitter will warn its users if posts on coronavirus are controversial or contain misleading information about the virus.

• ‘Conspiracy bingo’: Transatlantic extremists seize on the pandemic

  12 May 2020 Politico

  
  

  The coronavirus is providing a global rallying cry for conspiracy theorists and far-right extremists on both sides of the Atlantic.

• Fake news in Covid-19: how misinformation is spreading online during the pandemic

  5 May 2020 The Evening Standard

  
  

  During this pandemic, fake news has spread as fast as the virus itself.

• Coronavirus: Twitter say they have not censored Donald Trump’s Covid-19 tweets

  30 April 2020 The Mirror

  
  

  The social network said they had taken action on tweets that break the firm's rules - including world leaders. But they say this has not included President Trump.

• Coronavirus fake news: Humans are weakest link in fake news propagation, DCMS hears

  30 April 2020 i News

  
  

  Prof Philip Howard was giving evidence to the DCMS Committee on fake news

• Fake coronavirus news seen by a billion accounts – and a quarter of Brits believe some of it

  30 April 2020 The Mirror

  
  

  Experts at Oxford University say research has found 25% of Brits believe the conspiracy theory that Covid-19 virus was created in a lab.

• Influencers and celebrities are the “gateway drug” to fake coronavirus news, experts warn

  30 April 2020 The Sun

  
  

  INFLUENCERS and celebrities are the “gateway drug” to fake news, according to a top internet professor.

• MPs express frustration at question-dodging tech giants in Covid-19 misinformation inquiry

  30 April 2020 The New Statesman Tech

  
  

  A parliamentary inquiry into how social media platforms are countering the spread of coronavirus-related misinformation saw representatives from Facebook, YouTube and Twitter summoned for interrogation before MPs.

• Chinese and Russian state-backed media ‘sharing misleading information on coronavirus with millions’

  14 April 2020 Evening Standard

  
  

  State-backed media organisations in Russia, China, Iran and Turkey are sharing misleading information on Covid-19 with millions during the pandemic, a report alleges.

• Washington Post: Russian Media Uses Pandemic for Anti-Western Propaganda

  14 April 2020 Georgia Today

  
  

  The Washington Post issued an article with the fact-based support of the Oxford Internet Institute report, which entails that some countries use their state-run media as propaganda tools amid these tough times of the pandemic.

• Russia’s state-backed media among Europe’s press using coronavirus to spin anti-Western views

  13 April 2020 Independent

  
  

  Some newspapers are portraying responses to the pandemic as incompetent and pushing conspiracy theories about the origins of Covid-19.

• Russia’s state-backed media uses the pandemic to spin anti-Western views. They are not alone.

  12 April 2020 The Washington Post

  
  

  How other countries use of state-backed media could potentially cloud and complicate global efforts to tackle the pandemic.

• They are not fake news, it is propaganda. And the state doesn’t create its “truth”

  9 April 2020 La Repubblica

  
  

  The pandemic is a huge test for the network, freedom and the growth of digital awareness. This epochal passage cannot be addressed only with governmental "task forces" that put the stamp on the sites.

• Majority of coronavirus misinformation ‘twists and reworks facts’, study finds

  9 April 2020 euronews

  
  

  Nearly two-thirds of inaccurate coronavirus claims have a grain of truth in them but are twisted into something false, a study has found.

• Coronavirus: Call for apps to get fake Covid-19 news button

  9 April 2020 BBC News

  
  

  Social networks need a dedicated button to flag up bogus coronavirus-related posts, an advocacy group has said.

• On Twitter, almost 60 percent of false claims about coronavirus remain online — without a warning label

  8 April 2020 The Washington Post

  
  

  Facebook and YouTube do better, but still leave some misinformation up.

• Influencers among ‘key distributors’ of coronavirus misinformation

  8 April 2020 The Guardian

  
  

  Study suggests mainstream news outlets struggling to compete with celebrities’ and politicians’ reach.

• “Reconfigured” or purely fabricated? Coronavirus misinformation comes in multiple forms and demands multiple solutions

  8 April 2020 Nieman Lab

  
  

  The wide variety and diversity of information about COVID-19.

• 900% Increase in Fact-Checks Around COVID-19 in 3 Months: Study

  8 April 2020 The Quint

  
  

  A report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has found that there has been a 900 percent increase in English fact-checks published between January and March 2020.

• What Corona false reports look like

  8 April 2020 Süddeutsche Zeitung

  
  

  False reports about the corona virus are currently booming, they are circulating on social networks and private chat groups.

• Lies in Corona times

  8 April 2020 Die Welt

  
  

  Drinking tea, gargling chlorine bleach, swallowing vitamin C - there is currently a flood of fake news about the corona virus. Researchers have analyzed the news. This shows a disturbing pattern.

• Coronavirus: Twitter, bad student in the fight against disinformation

  8 April 2020 Le Figaro

  
  

  Almost 60% of “fake news”, however verified, continues to circulate without warning on the social network.

• Former EU security commissioner Julian King joins Oxford Internet Institute

  5 March 2020 New Statesman

  
  

  The European Union’s former security commissioner, Julian King, has joined the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) as a visiting policy fellow.

• Less ‘junk news’ on Twitter but still shared widely on Facebook, research claims

  9 December 2019 ITV News

  
  

  So-called ‘junk news’ is on the decline on Twitter but still receives high engagement on Facebook, researchers claim.

• At Least 70 Countries Have Had Disinformation Campaigns, Study Finds

  26 September 2019 New York Times

  
  

  At Least 70 Countries Have Had Disinformation Campaigns, Study Finds.

• Viral visuals driving social media manipulation on YouTube, Instagram: researchers

  26 September 2019 reuters

  
  

  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-disinformation/viral-visuals-driving-social-media-manipulation-on-youtube-instagram-researchers-idUSKBN1WB0ED

• China becomes a ‘global disinformation superpower’ says report into online propaganda

  26 September 2019 Sky News

  
  

  More than 70 countries are now sharing misinformation online and politicians are using propaganda tools to garner support.

• Strengthen digital election rules before the next vote

  12 May 2019 Financial Times

  
  

  Facebook, Google and Twitter should build tools so the public can track political content

• A Way to Detect the Next Russian Misinformation Campaign

  27 March 2019 The New York Times

  
  

  As nearly a billion people prepare to vote in India and the EU - and with US campaigning underway - OII Director Philip Howard argues we need a public archive of online adverts to protect democracy.

• Russia ‘meddled in all big social media’ around US election

  17 December 2018 BBC News

  
  

  Russia used every major social media platform to try to influence the 2016 US election, a report claims.

• Junk News Still Spreading on Facebook, Twitter, Despite Efforts

  4 November 2018 Newsweek

  
  

  In a press release on Thursday, the Oxford Internet Institute said the proportion of junk news in circulation on social media sites since the presidential election grew by five percent.

• ‘Junk news’ still rising, study finds, as US midterms near

  1 November 2018 Financial Times

  
  

  Researchers see increase in deceptive or conspiratorial content on Twitter and Facebook

• The Cybersecurity 202: There is more phony political news on social media now than in 2016, report says

  1 November 2018 The Washington Post

  
  

  There’s even more phony or misleading political news circulating on social media than there was in 2016

• Russia now targeting elections in India, Brazil: Oxford expert tells US lawmakers

  3 August 2018 Times of India

  
  

  Russia may target elections in India and Brazil.

• Facebook fakers get better at covering tracks, security experts say

  3 August 2018 Reuters

  
  

  Creators of fake accounts and news pages on Facebook (FB.O) are learning from their past mistakes and making themselves harder to track and identify.

• Experts: Russian influence efforts constitute “informational warfare”, span beyond election

  1 August 2018 CBS News

  
  

  Experts were in agreement on Wednesday during the Senate Intelligence Committee's latest hearing into foreign actor's attempts to interfere in the U.S. election process.

• Once again, Facebook says meddlers trying to roil US with posts dividing Americans

  31 July 2018 McClatchy DC Bureau

  
  

  A new social-media influence campaign that Facebook divulged on Tuesday provides fresh evidence suggesting the Kremlin or others are seeking to magnify the anger felt by groups on the fringes of American society.

• Computational Propaganda: Bots, Targeting And The Future

  12 February 2018 NPR

  
  

  The December issue of the journal Big Data was dedicated to the problem of computational propaganda. In it, researchers Gillian Bolsover and Philip Howard, of the Oxford Internet Institute, define the dangers that need to be addressed.

• Dawn of the Techlash

  12 February 2018 The Guardian

  
  

  Once seen as saviours of democracy, tech giants are now viewed as threats to truth. But how did our faith in all things digital turn into an erosion of trust, particularly in the arena of information and politics?

• Study bashes Trumpites for promoting ‘junk’ news. But what’s that?

  8 February 2018 The Washington Post

  
  

  n three months leading up to President Trump’s first State of the Union address, the institute’s researchers combed through a heap of data on social-media networks, the better to understand who’s guilty of spreading bogus news out there in the world.

• Why the hysteria around the ‘fake news epidemic’ is a distraction

  7 February 2018 The Guardian

  
  

  Researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) found that “on Twitter, a network of Trump supporters shares the widest range of junk news and circulates more junk news than all other political audience groups combined”.

• How fares trust in journalism amid a sea of fake news?

  9 July 2017 The Guardian

  
  

  Three recent reports -- from Ofcom, the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, and the Oxford Internet Institute -- provide some pointers.

• ‘Bots used to bias online political chats’

  21 June 2017 BBC News

  
  

  If you've been chatting about politics on social media recently, there's a good chance you've been part of a conversation that was manipulated by bots, researchers say.

• Twitter and Facebook have become ‘vessels of propaganda and manipulation’

  21 June 2017 Wired

  
  

  A study from the Oxford Internet Institute warns that social networks have to do more to stymie the tide of fake news, which damages our democracies.

• Oxford profs tell Twitter, Facebook to take action against political bots

  20 June 2017 The Register

  
  

  The use of algorithms and bots to spread political propaganda is "one of the most powerful tools against democracy", top academics have warned.

• Facebook and Twitter are being used to manipulate public opinion — report

  19 June 2017 The Guardian

  
  

  Nine-country study finds widespread use of social media for promoting lies, misinformation and propaganda by governments and individuals.

• Junk news and democracy

  1 June 2017 BBC News

  
  

  Researchers at Oxford University have found that the quality of news available to British voters on Twitter is superior to that available to Americans ahead of the election of Donald Trump as president.

• How social media filter bubbles and algorithms influence the election

  22 May 2017 The Guardian

  
  

  With Facebook becoming a key electoral battleground, researchers are studying how automated accounts are used to alter political debate online.

• BBC News at Ten (Report on Political Bots)

  18 May 2017 BBC News

  
  

  Phil Howard and Sam Woolley discuss political bots and propaganda on BBC News at Ten.

• ‘Bots’ spam FCC website over proposed net neutrality reversal

  17 May 2017 BBC News

  
  

  Bots appear to be spamming a US regulator's website over a proposed reversal of net neutrality rules; Phil Howard comments.

• Unless The Government Acts Soon, Fake News Will Produce Deep Information Inequality

  6 April 2017 The Huffington Post

  
  

  Philip Howard writes: "My team and I collected data on junk news. Our conclusion: voters didn’t get the information they needed during the U.S. election."

• Fake news is shared as widely as the real thing

  27 March 2017 Financial Times

  
  

  Nearly a quarter of web content shared on Twitter by users in the battleground state of Michigan during the final days of last year's US election campaign were so-called fake news, according to a University of Oxford study.

• Twitter study shows pro-Trump tweets swamped Clinton’s in Michigan

  26 March 2017 McClatchy DC Bureau

  
  

  Voters in Michigan received nearly three times as many Twitter messages favoring Donald Trump in early November compared with tweets supporting Hillary Clinton, an OII research team has found.

• Harsh truths about fake news for Facebook, Google and Twitter

  21 November 2016 The Financial Times

  
  

  Digital platforms are urged to take responsibility and accept their role as publishers; Phil Howard comments.

• Fake News And Online Hate

  18 November 2016 BBC World Service

  
  

  Is the internet still a force for good as fake news and hate speech cause soul-searching for the likes of Facebook, Google, and Twitter? Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with Zoe Kleinman from BBC Online, and special guest Prof. Philip Howard of the OII.

• Automated Pro-Trump Bots Overwhelmed Pro-Clinton Messages, Researchers Say

  17 November 2016 The New York Times

  
  

  An automated army of pro-Donald J. Trump chatbots overwhelmed similar programs supporting Hillary Clinton five to one in the days leading up to the presidential election, according to a report published Thursday by researchers at Oxford University.

• Trump’s Twitter Bots Turned Out on Election Day

  17 November 2016 Bloomberg

  
  

  Throughout the campaign, automated propaganda accounts on Twitter leaned Republican, but that disparity increased in the race's final days.

• Is AI Cause For Fear Or Hope?

  21 October 2016 BBC World Service

  
  

  Phil Howard on TechTent (BBC World Service), discussing how "computational propaganda" is at play in the US election.

• Trump’s Twitter debate lead was ‘swelled by bots’

  18 October 2016 BBC News

  
  

  More than four times as many tweets were made by automated accounts in favour of Donald Trump around the first US presidential debate as by those backing Hillary Clinton, a study found.

• US election: experts fear Twitter bots could spread lies and sway voters

  18 October 2016 iNews

  
  

  A new study has found that a fair few pro-Trump tweets could have been sent by bots, which are automated accounts that can deliver news or even spread spam.

• Rise of the Brexit bots: Surge in automated Twitter accounts threaten to influence the outcome of Britain’s EU referendum

  22 June 2016 Mail Online

  
  

  The OII's Phil Howard warns that the upsurge in automatic Twitter accounts generating political statements before the EU Referendum could have a harmful effect, and that they can spread massive amounts of misinformation.

Integrity Statement

In the past five years my work has been financially supported by public science agencies in the UK and EU, and foundations such as the Adessium Foundation, Ford Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, and the Omidyar Network.

As part of my science communication and policy outreach, I have served in an unpaid advisory capacity to the Canadian Government, European Commission, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), UK House of Commons, UK House of Lords, and US House and Senate.

I have served in a paid advisory capacity to UNICEF, do strategic advising for public agencies and family offices, and am a co-founder of Oxford Pattrn.AI Analytics and Intelligence.

I conduct my research in line with the University's academic integrity code of practice.