Aliaksandr is a postdoctoral researcher and Director of Research at the Programme on Democracy and Technology at the Oxford Internet Institute and a fellow at the Oxford Martin Programme on Misinformation, Science and Media.
He utilises social data science approaches to investigate how political groups and governments use algorithms and technologies to manipulate public opinion. He also studies how people adopt technologies to increase political engagement in authoritarian settings. His current research focuses on health and environmental disinformation, misinformation on fringe digital platforms, as well as information operations during the Russia-Ukraine war.
Aliaksandr holds a PhD degree in Political Communication, MA in European Studies, and BAs in Political Science and Computer Science and Mathematics. His PhD dissertation investigated how the authoritarian contexts of Belarus and Russia shaped grassroots leadership and political organising.
He held visiting and graduate assistant teaching positions at Middlesex University, University College London, University of Portsmouth, and University of Westminster. He taught such subjects as digital methods, political communication, digital activism, communication theories and media production. He was a fellow at the German Marshal Fund of the United States and worked in a range of media, IT and international non-governmental organisations.
Political communication, computational methods, digital media, social movements, political disinformation, messaging platforms.
DemTech investigates the use of algorithms, automation, and computational propaganda in public life.
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.
I conduct my research in line with the University's academic integrity code of practice.
With Dr Aliaksandr Herasimenka, and Professor Philip Howard
Dr Aliaksandr Herasimenka, a postdoctoral researcher at the Computational Propaganda Project (COMPROP) is joined by Professor Philip Howard, Director of the OII and Principal Investigator for COMPROP.
With Dr Aliaksandr Herasimenka, and Professor Athina Karatzogianni
Athina Karatzogianni, editor of the book series Digital Activism and Society, talks to researcher Aliaksandr Herasimenka about the role played by ICT in the 2020 protests again President Alexander Lukashenko.
21 September 2020
YouTube videos with false coronavirus information gathered more shares on social media than the videos of five leading news broadcasters combined.
20 July 2020
New research shows the Telegram instant messaging service, used by 400 million people worldwide, has become a refuge for far-right commentators who have been removed from mainstream social media platforms.
Business Insider, 23 March 2022
Apple has cut business ties with Russia, but its App Store still hosts 45 apps by Yandex, the Russian internet giant that's been accused of censorship about Ukraine.
The Times, 22 March 2022
A university professor has been accused of spreading Russian propaganda about the war in Ukraine after tweeting a link to an article suggesting that the attack on a Mariupol theatre was a false flag operation.
Business Insider, 19 March 2022
As Russia's invasion of Ukraine entered its 11th day, Telegram's billionaire founder, Pavel Durov, wrote an unusually personal note to his followers.
