CCI Researchers Meet to Discuss How Cybersecurity Can Combat Misinformation and Disinformation
October 18, 2021
With misinformation and disinformation campaigns in full swing worldwide, Virginia researchers from multiple disciplines and across the state met for the first time this month to discuss ongoing Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI)-funded research and build the groundwork to pursue future collaborations and large-scale projects.
“Mis/disinformation has always existed, but what has changed is its pervasiveness, speed, and the extent and variety of communication channels available to spread it,” said Karen A. Roberto, University Distinguished Professor and executive director of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment at Virginia Tech. “Collective expertise from multiple fields is required to address the complexity of this growing problem.”
CCI researchers from such fields as computer science, social and behavioral sciences, humanities, engineering, and other disciplines are collaborating to identify and resolve the social and technical challenges associated with the spread of mis/disinformation by integrating innovative uses of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI) tools and concepts, Roberto added.
The workshop on the Role of Cybersecurity on Curbing the Spread of Disinformation and Misinformation was held at the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science's Link Lab. CCI-funded researchers from George Mason University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Virginia participated.
Virginia researchers gather for the first time to discuss how to use cybersecurity to combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Photo by Tom Cogill for Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.
Old Dominion University graduate student McKayla Hagerty, who is part of a CCI-funded research project, listens to presentations about mis/disinformation. Photo by Tom Cogill for Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.
Gretchen Matthews (Virginia Tech), regional director of the CCI Southwest region, listens to Hemant Purohit (George Mason University), who is a principal investigator on a CCI-funded project. Photo by Tom Cogill for Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.
Teresa Kouri Kissel (Old Dominion University), assistant professor of philosophy and religious studies, discusses how research about conversations can be applied to social media to detect mis/disinformation campaigns. Photo by Tom Cogill for Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.
Old Dominion University research team (from left) led by PI Sachin Shetty, Co-PI Teresa Kissel, along with graduate students McKayla Hagerty and Peter Foytik. Photo by Tom Cogill for Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.
Jennifer West, dean of engineering and applied science at the University of Virginia, kicked off the workshop. The researchers discussed their current research funded by CCI this summer as a springboard for additional collaborations.
CCI Executive Director Luiz DaSilva encouraged the two dozen Virginia researchers to think big about future projects in what is sure to be an expanding field of study. “I think we have the collective expertise that can really make us stand out,” he said.
The CCI-funded multidisciplinary teams are unraveling what makes misinformation and disinformation campaigns tick and how cybersecurity and AI tools can slow them down. Misinformation can be as simple as people misunderstanding bad information but sharing it anyway, while disinformation is a deliberate attempt to spread harmful information.
Researchers are working on seven separate projects, including projects designed to help local, state, and federal authorities fight misinformation and disinformation campaigns, minimize the damage of fake news by using AI tools, build human trust in autonomous vehicle systems, study what makes conversations effective to show how they can morph into disinformation campaigns, and more.
The Role of Cybersecurity on Curbing the Spread of Disinformation and Misinformation workshop was divided into three research areas. Click here to learn more about the CCI-funded projects.
CCI Fellow Jack Davidson, a computer science professor at the University of Virginia, facilitated the Cybersecurity Tools against Disinformation through Social Media session, which featured presentations from:
- Hemant Purohit, assistant professor, information sciences and technology, George Mason University
- Hamdi Kavak, assistant professor, computational and data sciences, George Mason University
- Saltuk Karahan, lecturer and program coordinator, political science and geography, Old Dominion University
Karen A. Roberto, University Distinguished Professor and executive director of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment at Virginia Tech, facilitated the Disinformation Targeting the Scientific Community session, which featured presentations from:
- Jian Wu, assistant professor, computer science, Old Dominion University
- Sachin Shetty, associate professor, computational modeling and simulation engineering, Old Dominion University
- Teresa Kissel, assistant professor, philosophy and religious studies, Old Dominion University
Jamil Jaffer, executive director of the National Security Institute at George Mason University, facilitated the AI for Disinformation Detection session, which featured presentations from:
- Kurt Luther, associate professor, computer science, Virginia Tech
- Michael Gorman, professor, engineering and society, University of Virginia
Jamil Jaffer, executive director of the National Security Institute at George Mason University. Photo by Tom Cogill for Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.
Karen A. Roberto, University Distinguished Professor and executive director of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment at Virginia Tech, facilitating the Disinformation Targeting the Scientific Community session. Photo by Tom Cogill for Commonwealth Cyber Initiative.