Abstract: The proliferation of online disinformation has dramatically increased, driven significantly by the activities of both state and non-state actors. These entities exploit the vast reach and relative anonymity of social media platforms to spread false information for various motives, including political influence, economic gain, or societal destabilization. State actors often engage in disinformation campaigns to sway foreign elections or promote national interests, while non-state actors, such as extremist groups or financially motivated individuals, use similar tactics to achieve their goals. A report by the European Commission highlights the growing sophistication and impact of such disinformation campaigns, noting their role in undermining democratic processes and trust in public institutions (European Commission, 2020). Research on how individuals react to these campaigns has increased in recent years. During this presentation, Jonas Colliander will discuss an ongoing research project on whether consumers are affected by online disinformation even though they know that it is in fact false.

Bio: Jonas Colliander is an associate professor at the Center for Retailing at the Stockholm School of Economics. His work centers around the effects of various forms of communication in digital media. His work has appeared in Journals such as the Journal of Advertising, the Journal of Advertising Research, Psychology & Marketing, and Computers in Human Behavior among others. 

Register for the seminar here