UMass Global Technology for Social Justice Lab (Glotech) and the Social Science Research Council will host a webinar on Wednesday, November 20, at 10 a.m. to unveil findings from a groundbreaking study on the future of tech and democracy initiatives in combating global misinformation.
"As we witness the rise of authoritarian regimes with diverse political leanings worldwide, we will discuss the importance of building trust networks and other strategies to support at-risk researchers and pro-democracy advocates," said Jonathan C. Ong, UMass Amherst Communication Professor and GloTech lead researcher.
The study, a collaborative effort by GloTech and researchers from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), draws on insights from a yearlong project involving over 100 tech accountability advocates, journalists, and academics from 13 countries. It highlights the challenges and innovative approaches employed by frontline actors working on election integrity and media freedom from regions such as Brazil, India, Kenya, and the Philippines. The report also examines cross-border efforts to counter misinformation and explores lessons the Global North can learn from countries with longer histories of resisting authoritarian backsliding.
"In discussing our findings, we’ll also share insights on how researchers and activists in the Global North can adapt lessons from countries with more established experiences resisting authoritarianism," Ong added.
The webinar will be moderated by Ethan Zuckerman (GloTech & IDPI / UMass Amherst) and feature panelists including Jonathan Corpus Ong (GloTech / UMass Amherst), Marcelo Alves (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro), and Raquel Recuero (Federal University of Pelotas).
The discussion will include contributions from experts such as:
- Prof Herman Wasserman (Stellenbosch University, South Africa)
- Dr Nina Santos (Desinformante, Brazil)
- Paco Camacho (The Asia Foundation, Philippines)
- Sabhanaz Rashid Diya (Tech Global Institute)
- Dinita Putri (Luminate Group).
This research was made possible with the support of Luminate, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Open Society Foundations. The study also benefited from insights shared during Global Majority Knowledge Exchange workshops held in November 2023 at PUC-Rio and in April 2023 and April 2024 at UMass Amherst.
- Register for the webinar here: SSRC Webinar: Reforming Tech and Democracy Programs for the Global Majority
- Download the report here: GloTech Lab Report