Propaganda and fake news are nothing new. They have been forms of communication since Roman times. The invention of Gutenberg’s printing press in 1493 dramatically amplified the dissemination of disinformation. Sensational stories have always sold well, and in the early 19th century, when the modern newspaper appeared on the scene, scoops and exposés were all the rage – but fake stories also helped boost circulation. With the advent of radio and then television, it became possible to transmit false narratives more widely. The arrival of the internet in the late 20th century, followed by social media in the 21st century dramatically increased the risks of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda. In its modern form, disinformation is very different from its historical precursors: It can spread at a velocity and magnitude that was previously unimaginable.

Join the American Council on Germany and the German Consulate General New York on Thursday, April 18, at 11 am ET for the next installment of the virtual series “Dealing with Disinformation.” Experts Dr. Walter J. Scheirer (author of A History of Fake Things on the Internet) and Dr. Heidi Tworek (author of News from Germany: The Competition to Control World Communications, 1900-1945) will join us to talk about the history of disinformation, the role of technology in its spread, and the future of fake news.

The Panelists:

Dr. Walter J. Scheirer is the Dennis O. Doughty Collegiate Professor of Engineering in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Notre Dame and the author of A History of Fake Things on the Internet. He is a computer scientist by training who also studied international relations. An expert in machine learning and recognition in his book, Dr. Scheirer breaks down the technical advances that made new developments in digital deception possible and shares behind-the-screens details of early Internet-era pranks that have become touchstones of hacker lore.

Dr. Heidi Tworek is a Canada Research Chair and associate professor of international history and public policy at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. She is an award-winning researcher of media, history, health communications, international organizations, and platform governance. She directs the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions at UBC. She is a senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation as well as a non-resident fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States and the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. She co-edits the Journal of Global History. Her most recent book is News from Germany: The Competition to Control World Communications, 1900-1945.

Date and Time: April 18 11:00 AM- 12:00 PM EDT

Location: online

More Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5917115720500/WN_uml-bO7GR42CJ5xmAFy6mQ#/registration