Oxford University

The Oxford Internet Institute's (OII) computational propaganda program is one of the leading scholarly programs tracking the impact of social media on public life. This grant will allow creation of a dedicated US Election Observatory to track political polarization through the use of algorithms, automation, and junk news. OII will develop (1) an investigative program into computational propaganda and political communication during critical moments—such as elections, security crises, and polarizing debates—in the US, and (2) a policy program to increase OII's ability to assist policy makers, journalists, and the interested public in understanding how new information technologies impact public life. This support will deepen OII's research capacity, provide the flexibility to investigate changing technologies, and sustain relationships with the US institutions and organizations that depend on OII for insight.