The Critical Internet Studies Institute turns emerging technology intelligence into action.
CISI combines research & engagement to mobilize knowledge, combat misinformation-at-scale, and ensure community safety.
Dr. Joan Donovan
Dr. Chris Gilliard
We study the active phenomena of surveillance & networked incitement.
Dr. Joan Donovan:
Networked Incitement
Networked incitement is the use of social media to organize political violence through disinformation and harassment. CISI tracks these threats to help institutions & vulnerable groups build resilience to them through knowledge, analysis, and tools.
Dr. Chris Gilliard:
Luxury Surveillance Lab
The Luxury Surveillance Lab studies how digital consumer tracking devices, even if consensual, contribute to broader surveillance systems & impact bodily autonomy while harvesting data that can help companies influence public policy.
We partner with peers to build resilience, beyond industry.
CISI deploys workshops & teach-ins on technology & society for journalists, investigators, & concerned citizens.
We produce informative media to help empirical evidence reach the streets.
We help truth-tellers reach the public with strong narrative frames on technology, power, & society.
Our outreach prioritizes independent & local knowledge networks that help defend democratic resilience.
In the Press:
CISI is an active voice in the public debate about emerging technology.
The Control Shift Podcast:
Debuting in 2026 with co-host Dr. Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, our podcast elevates practitioners in truth-telling.
Season 1
The future of journalism is unwritten
The first season of Control Shift, The Future of Journalism is Unwritten, explores how participatory media is reshaping journalism, making everyone a “journal-ish.” It examines four key futures for journalism—unionization, nonprofit news, indie media, and the democratization of journalistic practices—to build new infrastructures for real TALK (Timely Accurate Local Knowledge).