Reflecting on the state of “misinformation” research during a turbulent time

Kate Starbird is an Associate Professor at the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) at the University of Washington (UW) and is currently the Director of the UW Center for an Informed Public. Dr. Starbird’s research sits at the intersection of human-computer interaction and the field of crisis informatics — i.e. the study of the how social media and other information-communication technologies are used during crisis events. Currently, her work focuses on the production and spread of online rumors, misinformation, and disinformation during crises — including natural disasters, political disruptions, and a global pandemic. In particular, she investigates the participatory nature of online disinformation campaigns, exploring both top-down and bottom-up dynamics. Dr. Starbird received her BS in Computer Science from Stanford (in 1997) and her PhD in Technology, Media and Society from the University of Colorado (in 2012).