Information Laundering Cycle Report

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For the ILC Report Document Database, please click here.

The American Sunlight Project Unveils Detailed Report on Disinformation Laundering Networks

New report details coordinated campaign to discredit counter-disinformation research

(Washington, DC) – Today, The American Sunlight Project (ASP) released a report detailing the findings of an extensive investigation into the coordinated effort by congressional actors, a network of fringe media outlets and bloggers, and accompanying legal campaigns to attack independent researchers dedicated to combating disinformation.

This report offers a thorough analysis of these efforts, showcasing a five-step cycle — the Information Laundering Cycle (ILC) — which members of Congress, various media amplifiers, and online personalities from the political fringe have used to manipulate public perception of disinformation research and erode the integrity of democratic discourse over the past four years.

In the report, ASP reveals the opaque funding streams, coordinated intimidation campaigns, frivolous legal actions, and weaponization of government resources that have targeted disinformation researchers, forcing academics to appear before Congress to defend their work. ASP highlights how the ILC continues to enable false narratives to spread unchecked today.

The report lays out a comprehensive four-year timeline of events around the formation of the ILC and demonstrates how it has operated, step-by-step, in several case studies. One of these case studies details how, from March to May 2023, the ILC was used to target academic researchers at institutions including Stanford University and the University of Washington, undermining their disinformation research programs.

The case studies reveal a coordinated effort to limit academic freedom, halt initiatives dedicated to countering disinformation, and falsely label any efforts to protect the information environment as government censorship.

"Disinformation is not just an abstract concept; it’s a calculated tool used by bad actors to manipulate public discourse and deceive the public," said Nina Jankowicz, Co-founder and CEO of the American Sunlight Project. "This report uncovers the intricate web of disinformation networks that have been constructed to undermine trust in credible information sources. By exposing bad actors and their tactics, we are holding those responsible accountable and shining a light on the threats they pose to our information ecosystem. As we approach the 2024 presidential election, our nation is less safe because of these coordinated smear campaigns."

The American Sunlight Project remains committed to exposing threats to the American information ecosystem. Through rigorous research and a commitment to transparency, ASP is working to protect the democratic process from the corrosive effects of disinformation and to ensure that truth prevails in public discourse.

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Contact: Eddie Vale, eddie@npagency.com