Cambridge Disinformation Summit

Thursday 27 July 2023

Time	Event
08:30-08:45	Conference welcome This session will discuss the objectives of the Summit, including a vision for future interdisciplinary research, curriculum, and policy project collaboration. Alan Jagolinzer, Professor of Financial Accounting, Co-Director, Cambridge Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability King’s College Hall
08:45-09:15	Disinformation: definition, history, strategy, consequences This session will define key terms and offer important historical perspective regarding disinformation strategy and consequences. Stephen Jolly, Former senior British Defence official; Fellow Commoner, St Edmund’s College, Cambridge; Senior Adviser, Reputation Inc., Oslo King’s College Hall
09:15-10:15	Belief systems: why is disinformation effective? This session will offer key psychological insights for why and how disinformation can polarise societal groups and entrench people in belief systems. Diane Benscoter, Founder, antidote.ngo and author of “Shoes of a Servant – My unconditional Devotion to a Lie” Sunita Sah, Professor of Management Studies, Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business Sander van der Linden, Professor of Social Psychology in Society, University of Cambridge King’s College Hall
10:15-10:45	Break
10:45-12:00	Societal implications of disinformation This session will offer current perspectives regarding the effects of disinformation on climate, health, business, and democracy. Abdullahi Alim, Head of Project 2030 at the International Chamber of Commerce Todd Helmus, Senior Behavioural Scientist, RAND Corporation Heidi Larson, Professor of Anthropology, Risk and Decision Science, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine & Director, Vaccine Confidence Project Mark Manning, Technical Specialist, Sustainable Finance and Stewardship, Financial Conduct Authority Gabriella Stern, Director of Communication, World Health Organisation King’s College Hall
12:00-13:00	Lunch
13:00-14:00	Platform accountability vs free speech rights This session will offer legal, policy, and societal impact perspectives regarding the balance between information dissemination platform accountability and free speech rights. Nerissa Brown, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Professor of Accountancy, University of Illinois Gies College of Business M. Todd Henderson, Michael J. Marks Professor of Law, The University of Chicago Law School Julie Inman Grant, Australia eSafety Commissioner Agne Kaarlep, Head of Policy at Tremau & Former Policy Officer for Digital Services and Platforms at European Commission Stefan Thiel, John Thornely Fellow and Director of Studies in Law, Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge King’s College Hall
14:00-14:30	Break
14:30-15:30	Discerning information credibility: fact-checking, natural language processing, and audit This session will discuss the benefits and limitations of current technology to identify and disclose evidence of false or inaccurate information that may affect society. Kalina Bontcheva, Professor of Computer Science and Head of Natural Language Processing Research Group, University of Sheffield Christabel Cowling, EY UK&I Audit Partner and UK Head of Regulatory and Public Policy Craig Lewis, Madison S. Wiggington Professor of Finance, Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management and former Chief Economist at the US Securities and Exchange Commission Lee Mwiti, Chief Editor, Africa Check Michael Willis, Management Practice Associate Professor and Director of the Cambridge Executive Master of Accounting Programme King’s College Hall
15:30-16:00	Break
16:00-17:00	Potential benefits and risks from Generative AI This session will discuss the potential benefits and risks of Generative Alternative Intelligence. Beth Goldberg, Head of Research, Jigsaw at Google Joe McFadden, Deputy General Counsel at McKinsey & Company Daniele Quercia, Head of Responsible AI, Nokia Bell Labs and Professor in Urban Informatics, King’s College London King’s College Hall
19:00-22:00	Private showing: The YouTube Effect documentary, with introduction from Alex Winter This session will discuss the rise of YouTube and its positive and damaging effects on society. Alex Winter, movie actor, director, and producer, will introduce the documentary and answer questions after the viewing. The Cambridge Union

Friday 28 July 2023

Time	Event
08:30-09:30	Profiteering: the business of disinformation This session will discuss the financial and power incentives from disinformation and which actors engage disinformation for profit. Emma Briant, Research Affiliate, University of Cambridge Judge Business School Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability Joshua Braun, Associate Professor of Journalism, University of Massachusetts at Amherst Henry Friedman, Associate Professor of Accounting, UCLA Anderson School of Management Marie Santini, Professor, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro School of Communication King’s College Hall
09:30-10:30	Journalistic integrity This session will discuss the current state of journalistic integrity, including the effects of economic incentives on news media platforms, and offer recommendations to improve integrity. Veena McCoole, VP Communications and Marketing, NewsGuard Raju Narisetti, Leader and Publisher, Global Publishing, McKinsey & Company Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications, & founding director of The Center for Media, Technology and Democracy, Max Bell, School of Public Policy, McGill University. Richard Sambrook, Emeritus Professor, Cardiff University School of Journalism, Media and Culture King’s College Hall
10:30-11:00	Break
11:00-12:00	Micro targeting This session will discuss how to identify micro communities who hold shared beliefs and the societal implications of customising disinformation for these micro communities. Ioana Belu, Executive Director, Business Intelligence Unit Alan Jagolinzer, Professor of Financial Accounting, Co-Director, Cambridge Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability David Stillwell, Professor of Computational Social Science, University of Cambridge Judge Business School Rafi Mendelsohn, VP Marketing, Cyabra King’s College Hall
12:00-13:00	Lunch
13:00-14:00	Open-source intelligence This session will discuss open-source intelligence techniques and current and potential future applications for this technology. Dessi Lange-Damianova, Chief Operating Officer, Bellingcat Clare Wang, Professor of Accounting and Director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility Research, University of Colorado King’s College Hall
14:00-14:30	Break
14:30-16:00	Combatting disinformation: counterprogramming, inoculation, education, and community This session will discuss the efficacy and promise of methods currently employed to minimise the societal effects of disinformation. Brad Badertscher, Deloitte Professor of Accountancy, University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business Bram Alkema, COO of DROG Group Stephan Lewandowsky, Chair in Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol Andrea Liebman, Senior Analyst, Lead Social Media, Swedish Psychological Defence Agency Jussi Toivanen, Head of Communications, Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, National Cyber Security Centre Sander van der Linden, Professor of Social Psychology in Society, University of Cambridge King’s College Hall
18:00-18:45	Drinks
18:45-19:30	Keynote: Social media responsibility and accountability This session will discuss perspectives on social media platforms’ responsibility to society. Frances Haugen, Advocate for Accountability & Transparency in Social Media and Co-Founder of Beyond the Screen Discussion facilitated by Brian Klaas, Associate Professor in Global Politics, University College London King’s College Hall
19:30-19:45	Closing comments Alan Jagolinzer, Professor of Financial Accounting, Co-Director, Cambridge Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability King’s College Hall
19:45-21:45	Dinner King’s College Hall

Dinner keynote

Frances Haugen
Advocate for Accountability & Transparency in Social Media and Co-Founder of Beyond the Screen

Speakers

Abdullahi Alim
Head of Project 2030 at the International Chamber of Commerce

Bram Alkema
COO of DROG Group

Brad Badertscher
Deloitte Professor of Accountancy, University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business

Ioana Belu
Executive Director, Business Intelligence Unit

Diane Benscoter
Founder, antidote.ngo and author of “Shoes of a Servant – My Unconditional Devotion to a Lie”

Robert Bloomfield
Nicholas H. Noyes Professor of Management, Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business

Kalina Bontcheva
Professor of Computer Science and Head of Natural Language Processing Research Group, University of Sheffield

Joshua Braun
Associate Professor of Journalism, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Emma Briant
Research Affiliate, University of Cambridge Judge Business School Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability

Nerissa Brown
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Professor of Accountancy, University of Illinois Gies College of Business

Christabel Cowling
EY UK&I Audit Partner and UK Head of Regulatory and Public Policy

Henry Friedman
Associate Professor of Accounting, UCLA Anderson School of Management

Alexandra Geese
Member, European Parliament

Beth Goldberg
Head of Research, Jigsaw at Google

Julie Inman Grant
Australia eSafety Commissioner

Todd Helmus
Senior Behavioural Scientist, RAND Corporation

M. Todd Henderson
Michael J. Marks Professor of Law, The University of Chicago Law School

Alan Jagolinzer
Professor of Financial Reporting, University of Cambridge Judge Business School

Stephen Jolly
Former senior British Defence official; Fellow Commoner, St Edmund’s College, Cambridge; Senior Adviser, Reputation Inc., Oslo

Agne Kaarlep
Head of Policy at Tremau & Former Policy Officer for Digital Services and Platforms at European Commission

Brian Klaas
Associate Professor in Global Politics, University College London

Dessi Lange-Damianova
Chief Operating Officer, Bellingcat

Heidi Larson
Professor of Anthropology, Risk and Decision Science, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine & Director, Vaccine Confidence Project

Stephan Lewandowsky
Chair in Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol

Craig Lewis
Madison S. Wiggington Professor of Finance, Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management and former Chief Economist at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Andrea Liebman
Senior Analyst, Lead Social Media, Swedish Psychological Defence Agency

Mark Manning
Technical Specialist, Sustainable Finance and Stewardship, Financial Conduct Authority

Veena McCoole
VP Communications and Marketing, NewsGuard

Joe McFadden
Deputy General Counsel at McKinsey & Company

Rafi Mendelsohn
VP Marketing, Cyabra

Lee Mwiti
Chief Editor, Africa Check

Raju Narisetti
Leader and Publisher, Global Publishing, McKinsey & Company

Taylor Owen
Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications, & founding director of The Center for Media, Technology and Democracy, Max Bell, School of Public Policy, McGill University

Daniele Quercia
Head of Responsible AI, Nokia Bell Labs and Professor in Urban Informatics, King’s College London

Sunita Sah
Professor of Management Studies, Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business

Richard Sambrook
Emeritus Professor, Cardiff University School of Journalism, Media and Culture

Marie Santini
Professor, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro School of Communication

Gabriella Stern
Director of Communications, World Health Organization

David Stillwell
Professor of Computational Social Science, University of Cambridge Judge Business School

Stefan Thiel
John Thornely Fellow and Director of Studies in Law, Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge

Jussi Toivanen
Head of Communications, Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, National Cyber Security Centre

Sander van der Linden
Professor of Social Psychology in Society, University of Cambridge

Clare Wang
Professor of Accounting and Director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility Research, University of Colorado

Michael Willis
Management Practice Associate Professor and Director of the Cambridge Executive Master of Accounting Programme

Alex Winter
Director, writer, movie actor, and founder of Trouper Productions, which produces documentaries

• Abdullahi Alim, Head of Project 2030 at the International Chamber of Commerce
• Brad Badertscher, Deloitte & Touche Professor of Accountancy, University of Notre Dame
• Robert Bloomfield, Nicholas H. Noyes Professor of Management, Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business
• Hui Chen, Professor of Accounting, University of Zurich
• Angus Crawford, Correspondent, BBC News
• Stephen Cushion, Director of Postgraduate Research, School of Journalism, Media and Culture, Cardiff University
• Mark de Rond, Professor of Organisational Ethnography, Cambridge Judge Business School
• Peter Easton, Director, Center for Accounting Research & Education, University of Notre Dame
• Michelle Ferrier, Executive Director, Media Innovation Collaboratory; Professor, FAMU School of Journalism & Graphic Communication; Founder of TrollBusters
• Duncan Green, Professor of Practice in International Development, London School of Economics; Senior Strategic Adviser, Oxfam GB
• Alan Jagolinzer, Professor of Financial Accounting, Co-Director, Cambridge Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability
• Stephen Jolly, Professeur Agrégé de Géopolitique, ESC Rennes School of Business, Grande École; Fellow Commoner, St Edmund’s College, Cambridge; former senior British Defence official and propagandist
• Brian Klaas, Associate Professor in Global Politics, University College London
• Sander van der Linden, Professor of Social Psychology in Society and Director, Cambridge Social Decision-Making Laboratory, University of Cambridge
• Miriam Matthews, Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist, RAND Corporation
• Sarah McVay, Deloitte & Touche Endowed Professor in Accounting, University of Washington Foster School of Business
• Joseph Pierre, MD, Health Sciences Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California at San Francisco
• Rafael Rogo, Professor of Accounting, Co-Director, Cambridge Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability
• Thomas Roulet, University Senior Lecturer in Organisation Theory, University of Cambridge Judge Business School
• Sunita Sah, Associate Professor of Management and Organizations, Cornell University
• Marietje Schaake, International Policy Director, Stanford University Cyber Policy Center; International Policy Fellow at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence; former Member of European Parliament.
• David Stillwell, Lecturer in Big Data Analytics and Quantitative Social Science, Cambridge Judge Business School; Academic Director, The Psychometrics Centre, University of Cambridge
• Ben Taylor, Global Climate Change and Sustainability Services Strategy Partner, EY London
• Kate Wilkinson, Senior Product Manager, Full Fact

The Advisory Board membership is evolving and subject to change.

The Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability and the Psychometrics Centre are partnering with Mendoza College of Business, the Center for Accounting Research & Education, the University of Zurich and the Journal of Financial Reporting.

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Professor Shimon Kogan and Professor Marina Niessner
Professors Shimon Kogan and Marina Niessner from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School discuss their research regarding social media and financial news manipulation

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Wilful ignorance, delusion-like beliefs, and conspiracy theories

19:00-20:30, 27 January 2022

Dr Joseph Pierre, MD
Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

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The use and efficacy of propaganda

12:00-13:00, 25 February 2022

Stephen Jolly
Professeur Agrégé de Géopolitique at Rennes School of Business, Fellow Commoner of St Edmund’s College, Cambridge, and former senior British Defence official

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The process and impact of media fact-checking

12:00-13:00, 24 March 2022

Kate Wilkinson
Deputy chief editor at Africa Check

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Business risk of disinformation

19:00-20:00, 28 April 2022

Matt Gorham
Senior Fellow, Cyber & Privacy Innovation Institute, PwC US

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Disinformation for profit: the dark business behind disinformation

19:00-20:00, 23 May 2022

Dr Emma Briant
Associate Researcher in the Human Rights Program at Bard College and research affiliate of the Cambridge Centre for Financial Reporting & Accountability

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