Programme On
Democracy
& Technology

About DemTech

The Programme on Democracy & Technology (previously known as ComProp) investigates the interaction of algorithms, automation and politics. This work includes analysis of how tools like social media bots are used to manipulate public opinion by amplifying or repressing political content, disinformation, hate speech, and junk news.

We use perspectives from organizational sociology, human computer interaction, communication, information science, and political science to interpret and analyze the evidence we are gathering. Our project is based at the Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford.

DemTech Newsletters

DemTech recently launched two newsletters, the COVID-19 Misinformation Newsletter and the China Information Operations Newsletter.

The COVID-19 Misinformation Newsletter summarizes the latest research on the production and consumption of computational propaganda, fake news, censorship and campaigns to manipulate public understanding of the health crisis. It identifies new trends in COVID-19 influence operations around the world. It highlights the latest reports from investigative journalists and think tanks, reviews the most relevant academic research, and offers insight from the original research coming out of the Programme on Democracy and Technology.

The China Information Operations Newsletter summarizes the latest research on computational propaganda, censorship, strategic use of artificial intelligence technologies, and data manipulation. It identifies the most recent trends in Chinese government influence operations, both internal and international. It highlights the latest reports from investigative journalists and think tanks, reviews the most relevant academic research, and offers insight from the original research coming out of the Programme on Democracy and Technology.

Latest Research

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