17 July, 14:30 – 15:30 CEST
Recent research has shown that a quarter of all internet traffic comes from malicious bots. These bots are often used to steal personal data, spread disinformation, sow discord and division, and scam people out of money. Underneath all this is a thriving online manipulation market, where fake engagement and coordinated influence operations are readily available for sale.
Despite its scale and impact, this market has so far received little systematic study. In this talk, our guest speaker explores how the market operates – who is selling what, to whom, and why – as well as findings from a recent study examining the factors that influence the cost of online manipulation.
He also outlines potential avenues for future research and regulation, including a striking link between manipulation costs and the price of SIM cards in different countries. Finally, he introduces the Cambridge Online Trust and Safety Index – a free tool that tracks the daily price and availability of online manipulation services, broken down by platform and country.
Speaker:
Jon Roozenbeek, Lecturer in Psychology and Security, King’s College London & University of Cambridge
Jon Roozenbeek is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Security at King’s College London and Cambridge University. His research seeks to understand the interplay between modern communication technologies and polarisation, propaganda, and authoritarianism. He holds a PhD in Slavonic Studies (University of Cambridge, 2020) and has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications as well as two recent books: The Psychology of Misinformation (with Prof. Sander van der Linden) and Propaganda and Ideology in the Russian-Ukrainian War.
Moderator:
Inès Gentil, Project Officer, EU DisinfoLab
Inès Gentil is a Project Officer at EU DisinfoLab, where she contributes to the implementation of three EU-funded projects: ATHENA, vera.ai, and EDMO BELUX 2.0. She holds a double Master’s degree in Policies and Governance in Europe from King’s College London and LUISS, with a specialisation in European external relations. Before joining EU DisinfoLab, she worked at a London-based consultancy specialising in EU and UK public affairs, and has prior experience in the fields of defence, security, and public diplomacy.
The opinions expressed are those of the speakers/authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of EU DisinfoLab. This webinar does not represent an endorsement by EU DisinfoLab of any organisation.