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Stanford Internet Observatory winds down its election work (2024)

In June 2024, Platformer reported that the Stanford Internet Observatory was being wound down after leadership departures and costly lawsuits and congressional probes tied to the EIP and Virality Project. Stanford disputed that SIO was being dismantled but confirmed it would not continue election research.

Jun 13, 2024
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Whose side it served: Neither party

A private university decision made amid Republican-led litigation and congressional investigations.

What the record shows

Founding director Alex Stamos left in November 2023 and research director Renee DiResta's contract was not renewed in June 2024; other staff were told to look for jobs. Platformer reported SIO and its researchers had been sued three times by conservative groups, costing Stanford 'millions of dollars' in legal defense. The lab would not study the 2024 election; remaining work, including child-safety research, moved under faculty sponsor Jeff Hancock. The House Judiciary Committee publicly welcomed the news. The University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public said it would continue its election rumor research.

In their words

“deeply concerned about efforts, including lawsuits and congressional investigations”— Stanford University statement, June 2024 · source
The other side

Stanford said SIO's work would continue under new leadership and that it was 'deeply concerned' about lawsuits and congressional investigations chilling academic research. Researchers have argued the pressure campaign itself harmed legitimate study of online information.

Sources

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