--- title: UMD Experts Working to Stop the Spread of Misinformation date: 2024-08-21T00:00:00-04:00 author: Hafsa Siddiqi canonical_url: "https://umdrightnow.umd.edu/news-releases/umd-experts-working-to-stop-the-spread-of-misinformation" section: News Releases --- News Releases # UMD Experts Working to Stop the Spread of Misinformation Educators from across the university available for interviews on research and tools to keep Americans accurately informed this election cycle ![UMD Brand](https://omc-system.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/images/umdrn/UMD_Brand.jpeg?w=1920&h=1080&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1770151397&s=b0eeca7d6211518f7678120a9b228814) Stephanie S. Cordle August 21, 2024 ## Contacts Media Relations: **COLLEGE PARK, Md.** - As the nation prepares for the next presidential election, University of Maryland experts are studying how misinformation spreads and impacts American democracy, as well as developing steps people can take to avoid falling for falsehoods. Misinformation refers to incorrect or misleading information, while its more sinister cousin, disinformation, is false information deliberately spread to influence public opinion or to suppress the truth. Both have flourished on social media and elsewhere and eroded trust in recent elections. Now, lawmakers and a range of experts and officials are concerned about the country’s preparedness for disinformation from foreign and domestic sources in the coming months. **The following UMD faculty members are available to discuss their work and expertise around mis- and disinformation with the media:** - [**Media literacy**](https://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2020-10-13/election-2020-learning-to-vote-in-america/)**, weaponization of mis- and disinformation** - [Susan Moeller](https://merrill.umd.edu/directory/susan-moeller), Philip Merrill College of Journalism ([video](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OrFoUsyMm0mIv__ns_qtDED5WxaqdtaI/view?usp=sharing)) - **Search engines and** [**mis- and disinformation**](https://www.thedailyupside.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/special-report-how-ai-and-election-misinformation-go-hand-in-hand/) - [Daniel Trielli](http://merrill.umd.edu/directory/daniel-trielli), Philip Merrill College of Journalism ([video](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dw9YPd7cdmA9B2bEho8ALLa57-X6miAH/view?usp=sharing)) - [**Russian propaganda**](https://today.umd.edu/dont-fall-for-it)**, conspiracy narratives as a force in U.S. politics** - [Sarah Oates](https://merrill.umd.edu/directory/sarah-oates), Philip Merrill College of Journalism ([video](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KgmpbN_OEt9gP65xRGWbiDMN1ENYQAij/view?usp=sharing)) - [**Embedded-AI and smart devices**](https://today.umd.edu/system-fights-fakes-deep-or-shallow) **to identify tampered audio-visual content** - [Nirupam Roy](https://www.cs.umd.edu/people/nirupam), College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences ([video](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G8f8G4Fj3mnKvAVi4WswZSOs3Z9oeZGn/view?usp=sharing)) - **Election integrity** - [Paul Brown](https://spp.umd.edu/our-community/faculty-staff/paul-brown), School of Public Policy - **Detecting** [**disinformation**](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/13/are-influence-campaigns-trolling-your-social-media-feeds/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzI0MTI2NDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzI1NTA4Nzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3MjQxMjY0MDAsImp0aSI6ImI3M2QwMDRiLWNiNWMtNGU5NC04MTkyLWQ2ZTAyNDY3ZmNiMyIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy8yMDIwLzEwLzEzL2FyZS1pbmZsdWVuY2UtY2FtcGFpZ25zLXRyb2xsaW5nLXlvdXItc29jaWFsLW1lZGlhLWZlZWRzLyJ9.zODIp6Bi2paSiLM1yah0S5CXvVDbkKK2m6qG74i7-8g)**, especially during elections, protests, social unrest and disasters** -[Cody Buntain](https://ischool.umd.edu/directory/cody-buntain/), College of Information - **Tools for middle/high school teachers and students to** [**detect disinformation**](https://today.umd.edu/letting-the-hot-air-out-of-climate-change-misinformation)**, confront science denial** - [Doug Lombardi](https://education.umd.edu/directory/doug-lombardi), College of Education - **How** [**young people evaluate misinformation,**](https://today.umd.edu/op-ed-students-and-many-adults-cant-tell-fact-from-fiction-online) **classroom tools to find credible information -** [Sarah McGrew](https://education.umd.edu/directory/sarah-mcgrew), College of Education - **How social media algorithms can be exploited to** [**spread misinformation**](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/generative-ai-will-create-a-tsunami-of-disinformation-during-the-2024-election-173001900.html) **and fuel extremism** - [Jennifer Golbeck](https://ischool.umd.edu/directory/jennifer-golbeck/), College of Information Please contact for more information or help setting up an interview. ## About the University of Maryland The University of Maryland (UMD) is the state's flagship university driven by a community of more than 50,000 fearless Terrapins. As a leading research university and top 20 public institution, UMD is proud to be part of the Association of American Universities. Dedicated to excellence and impact for the public good, the university is propelled by a $1.4 billion joint research enterprise. UMD is the nation’s first Do Good campus, and is consistently ranked for its innovation, research and top-tier academic programs. Located in the National Capital Region, the university offers an unparalleled student experience with federal internship opportunities, hundreds of academic programs and study abroad options, and top-ranked living-learning programs. Spurred by a culture of innovation and creativity, UMD’s faculty are global leaders in their fields and include Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and members of the national academies. For more information about the University of Maryland, College Park, visit [umd.edu](http://umd.edu/) Topics [ Artificial Intelligence ](/news-releases?topic[]=artificial-intelligence) [ Communication ](/news-releases?topic[]=communication) [ Journalism ](/news-releases?topic[]=journalism) [ Information Science ](/news-releases?topic[]=information-science) [ Election ](/news-releases?topic[]=election)