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Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO)

Website:

cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/io
Location:

Stanford, CA
Status:

Project of Stanford University Cyber Policy Center
Formation:

2019
Executive Directors:

Jeff Hancock and Nathaniel Persily

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO) is a research laboratory located within Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center for the Study of Information Technology that is focused on the concepts of “misinformation” and “disinformation.” 1 2 SIO is attempting to build technical research and analytical capabilities to monitor online speech regarding elections through researcher collaboration. 3

According to a 2023 staff report by the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, the U.S. Department of State and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) outsourced online social media censorship operations to SIO as a part of the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP) in an effort to “monitor and censor Americans’ online speech in advance of the 2020 presidential election.” 4 SIO also runs the Trust and Safety Teaching Consortium, which creates content to teach topics related to “disinformation” as a part of 13 modules at the university level. 5 6

In 2021, SIO received $748,437 of federal grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) as a part of a five-year grant to support research into the spread of what the NSF considers to be online misinformation. 7 8 SIO was launched in 2019 with a grant from the left-of-center William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. 9 10

History and Leadership

Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO) was founded in June 2019 with funding from the left-of-center William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s Hewlett Cyber Initiative. 11 12

In January 2023, Jeff Hancock 13 and Nathaniel Persily were appointed as co-directors of SIO. 14 Along with Francis Fukuyama and Clinton administration Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, Persily founded the Program on Democracy and the Internet with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. 15 16 Elena Cryst is SIO’s deputy director. Prior to joining Stanford in 2011, she was a research intern at the Carter Center. 17 18

Renee DiResta is SIO’s research manager. In remarks at an SIO-sponsored conference, she claimed that “disinformation is not a truth-in-narrative problem,” but a “system regulation problem” when discussing suppression of online speech. 19 Prior to joining SIO, she had fellowships with the left-leaning Truman National Security Project, Council on Foreign Relations, Vaccinate California, Resolution Project, Mozilla Foundation, and others. 20 In a 2022 article published by left-of-center magazine The Atlantic, DiResta characterized the release of The Twitter Files as a “missed opportunity” to explain to the public how online censorship and content moderation works. 21

Alex Stamos is the former director of SIO. Before joining SIO, he was the chief security officer of Facebook, where he investigated alleged manipulation of the 2016 United States presidential election. Stamos was a contributor to Harvard University’s Defending Digital Democracy Project (D3P) 22 and has claimed that X CEO Elon Musk has “cut off the good guys” and “empowered the bad guys” on Twitter. 23

Activities

Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO) is a cross-disciplinary research laboratory within Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center for the Study of Information Technology that is focused on the concepts of “misinformation” and “disinformation.” 24 25 The Cyber Policy Center is a joint initiative of Stanford Law School and the Spogli Institute for International Studies. 26

SIO is attempting to build technical research and analytical capabilities to monitor online speech regarding elections through researcher collaboration. 27 SIO also runs the Trust and Safety Teaching Consortium to create content that can be used to teach topics related to “disinformation” as a part of 13 modules at the university level 28 29 and hosts a GitHub page to help users collect information on social media sites including conservative-leaning Truth Social and GETTR for archival analysis. 30

In November 2023, Stanford Internet Observatory launched a call for proposals with support from the left-of-center Omidyar Network to fund researchers investigating the concept of “online trust and safety” in the developing world outside of the North American or Western European context. 31

In October 2023, SIO hosted the “Trust and Safety Research Conference” to discuss perceived artificial intelligence (AI) risks, content moderation, and other topics with guests including controversial former Twitter Head of Site Integrity Yoel Roth. As a part of this meeting, social media companies Meta (formerly Facebook) and TikTok held workshops on tools they offer and attendees participated in SIO’s the Trust and Safety Teaching Consortium to build university-level curriculum on the concepts of “trust and safety” online. 32

In 2020, SIO convened the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP) with the University of Washington Center for an Informed Public, National Conference on Citizenship, Graphika, and Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab to monitor what the group considers election misinformation. 33 SIO also helped convene the Virality Project, which recommends that social media platforms enforce existing policies and that governments communicate with government agencies and public health officials to address vaccine hesitancy and the what they consider vaccine “mis- and disinformation.” 34 35 36

Controversies

According to a 2023 staff report by the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, the U.S. Department of State and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) outsourced its online social media censorship operations to the Stanford Internet Observatory as a part of the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP) to “monitor and censor Americans’ online speech in advance of the 2020 presidential election.” 37 SIO and the EIP coordinated with DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of State’s Global Engagement Center (GEC) to guide censorship decisions on platforms including Twitter and Facebook to protect what they considered “election integrity.” 38

As a part of this work, EIP researchers submitted posts they believed were violating their guidelines to social media sites including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit and recommended censorship including reducing posts’ discoverability, account suspensions, and removal of posts. The Select Committee report alleged that true information posted by Republicans was labeled as “misinformation” while false information posted by Democrats was largely uncensored. 39

Funding

Stanford Internet Observatory was founded in 2019 with seed funding from the left-of-center William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s Hewlett Cyber Initiative and Felicis Ventures. 40 41

SIO has received U.S. government funding to support its work. In 2021, SIO received $748,437 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) as a part of a five-year grant to support research into the spread of what NSF considers to be online misinformation during real-time events. The NSF grant aims to develop models and theories of how “disinformation” is seeded, cultivated, and spread online and to develop rapid response frameworks for “responding to disinformation quickly” in real-time during real-world events. 42 43 44 45

In 2022, SIO received $350,000 from the left-of-center William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. 46

References

  1. “The Weaponization of “Disinformation” Pseudo-Experts and Bureaucrats: How the Federal Government Partnered with Universities to Censor Americans’ Political Speech.” Committee on the Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. November 6, 2023. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/EIP_Jira_Ticket_Staff_Report_11-6-23_Clean.pdf.
  2. Zimmerman, David. “State Department, DHS ‘Outsourced’ Social-Media Censorship to Stanford Researchers, House GOP Probe Finds.” National Review. November 7, 2023. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/state-department-outsourced-social-media-censorship-to-stanford-researchers-house-gop-probe-finds/.
  3. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” FSIStanford YouTube Channel. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESR9k0BtmXY&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&index=9.
  4. “The Weaponization of “Disinformation” Pseudo-Experts and Bureaucrats: How the Federal Government Partnered with Universities to Censor Americans’ Political Speech.” Committee on the Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. November 6, 2023. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/EIP_Jira_Ticket_Staff_Report_11-6-23_Clean.pdf.
  5. “Teaching Trust and Safety.” Stanford Internet Observatory. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://stanfordio.github.io/TeachingTrustSafety/.
  6. ‘Stanford Internet Observatory Launches the Trust and Safety Teaching Consortium.” Stanford Cyber Policy Center. May 30, 2023. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/news/stanford-internet-observatory-launches-trust-and-safety-teaching-consortium.
  7. “Background on the SIO’s Projects on Social Media.” Stanford Internet Observatory Cyber Policy Center. March 17, 2023. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/io/news/background-sios-projects-social-media.
  8. “Award Abstract # 2120098. Collaborative Research: SaTC: CORE: Large: Rapid-Response Frameworks for Mitigating Online Disinformation.” National Science Foundation. July 25, 2021. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2120098&HistoricalAwards=false.
  9. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” FSIStanford YouTube Channel. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESR9k0BtmXY&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&index=9.
  10. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” Stanford Cyber Policy Center YouTube. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StbT1OQ7G04&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&t=69s.
  11. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” FSIStanford YouTube Channel. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESR9k0BtmXY&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&index=9.
  12. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” Stanford Cyber Policy Center YouTube. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StbT1OQ7G04&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&t=69s.
  13. “Jeff Hancock.” Stanford University. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/people/jeff-hancock.
  14. Wright, Tara C. “Jeff Hancock Named Co-Director of the Cyber Policy Center and FSI Senior Fellow.” Stanford University. January 25, 2023. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://fsi.stanford.edu/news/jeff-hancock-named-co-director-cyber-policy-center-and-fsi-senior-fellow.
  15. “Nathaniel Persily.” Stanford University. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/news/profile-nathaniel-persily.
  16. “Jeff Hancock.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-hancock-3a2a783/.
  17. “Elena Cryst.” Stanford Internet Observatory. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://fsi.stanford.edu/people/elena-cryst.
  18. “Elena Cryst.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenacryst/.
  19. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” FSIStanford YouTube Channel. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESR9k0BtmXY&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&index=9.
  20. “Experience.” Renee DiResta LinkedIn Profile. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneediresta/details/experience/.
  21. DiResta, Renee. “The Twitter Files are a Missed Opportunity.” The Atlantic. December 15, 2022. Accessed via Web Archive November 22, 2023. https://archive.ph/d1Vdu.
  22. “Alex Stamos.” Stanford Internet Observatory Cyber Policy Center. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/io/people/alex-stamos#:~:text=Biography,and%20safety%20of%20the%20Internet.
  23. “Elon Musk has ‘cut off the good guys, empowered the bad guys’ on X, says Stanford’s Alex Stamos.” CNBC. October 5, 2023. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.cnbc.com/video/2023/10/05/elon-musk-has-cut-off-the-good-guys-empowered-the-bad-guys-on-x-says-stanfords-alex-stamos.html.
  24. “The Weaponization of “Disinformation” Pseudo-Experts and Bureaucrats: How the Federal Government Partnered with Universities to Censor Americans’ Political Speech.” Committee on the Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. November 6, 2023. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/EIP_Jira_Ticket_Staff_Report_11-6-23_Clean.pdf.
  25. Zimmerman, David. “State Department, DHS ‘Outsourced’ Social-Media Censorship to Stanford Researchers, House GOP Probe Finds.” National Review. November 7, 2023. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/state-department-outsourced-social-media-censorship-to-stanford-researchers-house-gop-probe-finds/.
  26. “Home.” Stanford University Internet Observatory. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/io.
  27. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” FSIStanford YouTube Channel. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESR9k0BtmXY&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&index=9.
  28. “Teaching Trust and Safety.” Stanford Internet Observatory. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://stanfordio.github.io/TeachingTrustSafety/.
  29. ‘Stanford Internet Observatory Launches the Trust and Safety Teaching Consortium.” Stanford Cyber Policy Center. May 30, 2023. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/news/stanford-internet-observatory-launches-trust-and-safety-teaching-consortium.
  30. “Stanford Internet Observatory.” GitHub. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://github.com/stanfordio.
  31. “Call for Proposals: Expanding Online Trust & Safety Research.” Stanford Internet Observatory. November 2, 2023. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/io/news/call-proposals-expanding-online-trust-safety-research.
  32.  “Trust & Safety Research Conference showcases leading research in preventing online harms.” Stanford Internet Observatory. October 25, 2023. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/io/news/trust-safety-research-conference-showcases-leading-research-preventing-online-harms.
  33. “The Election Integrity Partnership in 2022: Our Work Ahead.” Election Integrity Partnership. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.eipartnership.net/blog/about-eip-2022.
  34. “Home.” Virality Project. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.viralityproject.org/.
  35. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” FSIStanford YouTube Channel. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESR9k0BtmXY&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&index=9.
  36. “Home.” Election Integrity Partnership. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.eipartnership.net/.
  37. “The Weaponization of “Disinformation” Pseudo-Experts and Bureaucrats: How the Federal Government Partnered with Universities to Censor Americans’ Political Speech.” Committee on the Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. November 6, 2023. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/EIP_Jira_Ticket_Staff_Report_11-6-23_Clean.pdf.
  38. “The Weaponization of “Disinformation” Pseudo-Experts and Bureaucrats: How the Federal Government Partnered with Universities to Censor Americans’ Political Speech.” Committee on the Judiciary and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. November 6, 2023. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/EIP_Jira_Ticket_Staff_Report_11-6-23_Clean.pdf.
  39. Zimmerman, David. “State Department, DHS ‘Outsourced’ Social-Media Censorship to Stanford Researchers, House GOP Probe Finds.” National Review. November 7, 2023. Accessed November 20, 2023. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/state-department-outsourced-social-media-censorship-to-stanford-researchers-house-gop-probe-finds/.
  40. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” FSIStanford YouTube Channel. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESR9k0BtmXY&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&index=9.
  41. “Securing Our Cyber Future: Innovative Solutions to Digital Threats.” Stanford Cyber Policy Center YouTube. Uploaded June 19, 2019. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StbT1OQ7G04&list=PLhRtYtu5OQ5MZe_c-zZnjnQecfcD-lQIe&t=69s.
  42. Grass, Michael. “$2.25 million in NSF funding will support Center for an Informed Public Research.” University of Washington Information School. August 17, 2021. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://ischool.uw.edu/news/2021/08/225-million-nsf-funding-will-support-center-informed-public-research.
  43. “Background on the SIO’s Projects on Social Media.” Stanford Internet Observatory Cyber Policy Center. March 17, 2023. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/io/news/background-sios-projects-social-media.
  44. “Award Abstract # 2120098. Collaborative Research: SaTC: CORE: Large: Rapid-Response Frameworks for Mitigating Online Disinformation.” National Science Foundation. July 25, 2021. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2120098&HistoricalAwards=false.
  45. “Award Abstract # 2120098. Collaborative Research: SaTC: CORE: Large: Rapid-Response Frameworks for Mitigating Online Disinformation.” National Science Foundation. July 25, 2021. Accessed November 19, 2023. https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2120098&HistoricalAwards=false.
  46. “Stanford University.” William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. March 25, 2022. Accessed November 22, 2023. https://hewlett.org/grants/stanford-university-for-support-of-the-stanford-internet-observatory/.
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Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO)

Encina Hall, 616 Jane Stanford Way
Stanford, CA