24. Special Transatlantic Talks Series: Countering Foreign Information Manipulation

In this last episode of the Special Transatlantic Talks series, we explore approaches to counter foreign information manipulation, the different approaches in the US and the Europe, as well as specific tools such as the Hamilton 2.0 dashboard.Moderated by AIES Director Michael Zinkanell, this discussion features Bret Schafer, Senior Fellow for Media and Digital Disinformation at the Alliance for Securing Democracy and creator of Hamilton 2.0, a tool tracking Russian, Chinese, and Iranian state media. The session focuses on foreign interference, emphasizing how disinformation, distinct from misinformation, involves deliberate efforts to mislead. Bret explores tools like the Hamilton 2.0 Dashboard and Information Laundromat that expose state-sponsored narratives and promote transparency. The discussion also addresses how global coordination, media literacy, and individual responsibility are essential to counter disinformation, while contrasting the U.S. and EU approaches to regulation and platform accountability.This special series is conducted in partnership with YATA Austria, the Young Transatlantic Initiative, and supported by the U.S. Embassy in Vienna.