Stanford Internet Observatory Shuts Down After Five Years Amid Twitter Files Controversy

Jun 14, 2024, 01:01 PM

The Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO), a prominent research center focused on the abuse of social platforms, is shutting down after five years of operation. The decision follows revelations from the 'Twitter Files' that SIO collaborated with Twitter to suppress factually true information. The Observatory played a significant role in analyzing and reporting on misinformation and election integrity, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 election. The Department of Homeland Security had outsourced censorship to the Election Integrity Partnership, which included SIO. Stanford may retain SIO's branding despite the shutdown. The closure comes amid a Republican campaign to discourage academics from investigating political speech and influence campaigns. Renée DiResta and Alex Stamos, leaders of SIO, have been dismissed. The shutdown is seen as a significant loss ahead of the 2024 election.