Renee DiResta

Renée DiResta is a prominent expert in online disinformation and the Technical Research Manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory. Here are some key details about her background and work:

Professional Roles

• Technical Research Manager at Stanford Internet Observatory, where she investigates the spread of malign narratives across social networks12
• 2019 Mozilla Fellow in Media, Misinformation, and Trust2
• 2019 Truman National Security Project security fellow23
• Ideas contributor at Wired and The Atlantic1

Research Focus

Renée specializes in studying:

• The spread of disinformation and propaganda online
• How social media platforms and technologies are used for malicious purposes
• State-sponsored information warfare
• Conspiracy theories and pseudoscience narratives online

Notable Work

• Led investigations for the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee into Russian interference in the 2016 election14
• Advised Congress, the State Department, and other organizations on technology policy and online manipulation24
• Featured in the 2020 Netflix documentary "The Social Dilemma"4
• Author of the upcoming book "Invisible Rulers: The People who Turn Lies into Reality"4

Background

Prior to her current roles, Renée has worked in various tech and finance positions, including:

• Director of Research at cybersecurity company New Knowledge
• Head of Policy for the nonprofit Data for Democracy
• Part of the founding team of Haven, a supply chain logistics platform
• Principal at O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures, a seed-stage venture capital fund
• Equity and derivatives trader at Jane Street5

Renée holds a BS in Computer Science and Political Science from Stony Brook University.3