AI-Generated Visual Misinformation, Propaganda, and Democracy
Renée DiResta, Santiago Lyon, Samuel Woolley, Mona Kasra (Moderator)
The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning techniques have led to the creation of increasingly sophisticated visual misinformation, posing a multifaceted challenge for individuals, organizations, and democratic societies. The potential consequences of AI-generated visual content and propaganda, including the erosion of public trust in information and institutions, call for an urgent and collaborative response from industry, policy, and academia experts.
In this panel discussion, Renée DiResta, Santiago Lyon, and Samuel Woolley discuss the challenges and opportunities of visual generative AI and examine potential solutions for addressing the complex ethical, policy, and technical issues that lie at the heart of this rapidly evolving technology. The conversation is moderated by UVA professor Mona Kasra.
If you plan to drive, free parking is available at Bond House beginning at 5:00 PM. There is also paid parking available within walking distance at the Oakhurst Inn and Central Grounds Garage.
Speakers
Renée DiResta
Social Media Researcher and Author
Renée DiResta
Social Media Researcher and Author
Renée DiResta is a social media researcher and the author of Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality. She studies adversarial abuse online, ranging from state actors running influence operations, to spammers and scammers, to issues related to child safety. From 2019–2023 she was the technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory, a cross-disciplinary program of research, teaching, and policy engagement for the study of abuse in current information technologies. DiResta has advised Congress, the executive branch, and academic, civic, and business organizations on issues related to technology and policy, including information operations, generative AI, election security, researcher transparency, child safety, and more. DiResta is a contributor at The Atlantic.
Santiago Lyon
Head of Advocacy and Education, Content Authenticity Initiative
Santiago Lyon
Head of Advocacy and Education, Content Authenticity Initiative
Santiago Lyon is the head of advocacy and education for the Adobe-led Content Authenticity Initiative, working to combat misinformation through digital content provenance. He is an award-winning photojournalist, media executive, and educator, with a photography career spanning over 40 years. He was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University (2003–2004) and later became VP/director of photography at the Associated Press until 2016. Under his direction, the AP won three Pulitzer Prizes for photography. In 2012, he was a Sulzberger Fellow at Columbia University and was chair of the jury for the 2013 World Press Photo contest. He serves on the board of Eddie Adams Workshop and on the advisory board for the VII Foundation.
Samuel Woolley
William S. Dietrich II Endowed Chair in Disinformation Studies, University of Pittsburgh
Associate Professor, Department of Communication
Samuel Woolley
William S. Dietrich II Endowed Chair in Disinformation Studies, University of Pittsburgh
Associate Professor, Department of Communication
Samuel Woolley is the inaugural William S. Dietrich II Endowed Chair in disinformation studies and an associate professor in the department of communication at the University of Pittsburgh. His internationally recognized work on computational propaganda has revealed the ways in which a wide variety of groups around the world leverage automation, artificial intelligence, and coordinated armies of users to control the flow of information during pivotal events. He is the author of four books and numerous articles and essays on propaganda, disinformation, and emerging technologies. His most recent book, Manufacturing Consensus: Understanding Propaganda in the Age of Automation and Anonymity, is an in-depth exploration of the people behind modern propaganda campaigns. His PhD is from the University of Washington.
Mona Kasra (Moderator)
Faculty Co-Lead, Digital Technology for Democracy Lab, University of Virginia
Associate Professor of Digital Media Design
Mona Kasra (Moderator)
Faculty Co-Lead, Digital Technology for Democracy Lab, University of Virginia
Associate Professor of Digital Media Design
Mona Kasra is a faculty co-lead at the University of Virginia's Digital Technology for Democracy Lab. She is a new media artist, interdisciplinary researcher, and associate professor of digital media design. Her work explores the political and theoretical implications of visual media technologies within our culture and cross-culturally. Kasra has exhibited in galleries and film festivals throughout the United States and internationally and has received two Helen Hayes Award nominations for her media design work for live performances. She serves as the chair of ACM SIGGRAPH (2023–2024) and is a board member for the New Media Caucus.