CCJS498P

The spread of disinformation, deep fakes and other types of misinformation have serious implications for homeland and national security. In this course, we will explore the psychological and social factors that make us susceptible to propaganda, disinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories. We will discuss the power of false narratives in shaping what we think, how we feel and what we do. Armed with this framework, students will explore the role of social media in legitimizing hate groups (e.g., Holocaust denial) and facilitating foreign information operations (e.g., Russian election interference and Iranian Impersonator Operations). Finally, we will examine efforts by Facebook, Twitter and other media outlets to counter the spread of misinformation, and discuss the effectiveness of current strategies (e.g., fact-checking, improving media literacy, examining source credibility). A large component of this class will be on developing expertise at spotting, diagnosing and responding to different types of misinformation.