About IIID
In an era where technology shapes every aspect of democratic life, the Institute for Information, the Internet and Democracy (IIID) stands at the forefront of critical research and innovation. We aim to advance public-interest research that examines how the internet and emerging information technologies impact democratic societies—from the algorithms that curate our news feeds to the AI systems that increasingly mediate our access to information.
OUR MISSION
IIID conducts high-impact, responsive research that keeps pace with rapidly evolving technology while addressing its profound implications for users and society. We don't just study technology's effects on democracy—we actively work to understand, evaluate, and improve how these powerful tools can better serve democratic values and institutions.
What We Do
Groundbreaking Research
Through initiatives like the National Internet Observatory, we collect real-time data on how people actually interact with internet technologies. Our research spans from understanding user behavior with algorithms and AI systems to evaluating the governance of major tech platforms.
Independent Testing & Auditing
As AI models deploy at unprecedented speed, we provide crucial independent assessment of new technologies. Our work includes auditing social media platforms, testing AI systems, and developing new methods to identify both benefits and harms of emerging technologies.
Practical Solutions
We don't just identify problems—we develop and test solutions. From creating support systems for experts facing online harassment to designing safer features for decentralized social media platforms, our research directly translates into tools and guidance that make technology work better for everyone.
Leadership & Expertise
IIID is led by four distinguished principal investigators whose groundbreaking work spans the critical intersection of technology and democracy:
David Lazer directs the National Internet Observatory, a $16 million NSF initiative that represents the largest-scale effort to understand how people actually use the internet. His pioneering approach to collecting behavioral data directly from consenting users has created an invaluable resource for researchers worldwide studying digital behavior and its societal impacts.
Laura Edelson leads the Cybersecurity for Democracy Lab and has developed innovative auditing methods that reveal significant differences in how teens experience various social media platforms. Her work has produced widely-used research libraries that help scholars access transparency APIs from major platforms like Meta and TikTok, democratizing access to crucial platform data.
Rebekah Tromble has conducted vital research on the relationship between online extremist communication and offline violence, including groundbreaking studies of the Proud Boys' activities on Telegram. She leads the $6 million NSF-funded Expert Voices Together project, which develops support systems for experts facing technology-facilitated harassment, and has played a key role in helping European regulators develop their researcher data access frameworks.
John Wihbey focuses on the governance of information technology companies and the deployment of AI in news media. His research examines how corrective information and AI-powered tools can combat misinformation while exploring the ethical implications of AI integration in journalism and platform moderation. He is also the Director of the AI-Media Strategies (AIMES) Lab at Northeastern University.
Global Impact
With research hubs spanning Boston, Washington DC, and Dublin, IIID builds bridges between researchers, policymakers, and technologists across the US and Europe. We regularly brief government officials, collaborate with former tech industry professionals, and convene journalists and researchers to ensure our findings reach those who can act on them.
This interdisciplinary leadership team brings together expertise in political science, communication, journalism, computer science, and network science—because the challenges of technology and democracy require perspectives from across disciplines and borders.
Building the Future
IIID is uniquely positioned to help shape how information technologies evolve to support rather than undermine democratic societies. Through our research, capacity-building initiatives, and direct engagement with policymakers and the public, we're working to ensure that the digital tools transforming our world serve the values of democracy, transparency, and human flourishing.