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 on technology and society for journalists, investigators, civil society, & concerned citizens around the country.
We produce tip sheets, 'zines, & podcasts to help empirical evidence reach the streets.
We help truth-tellers reach the public by providing stronger narrative frames on technology, power, & society.
Iterative & lean, we embody democratic resilience by helping revive independent local knowledge networks.
In the Press:
CISI speaks out in the public debate about knowledge and emerging technology.
Explore CISI press
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).