The Internet

Featured

  • Motion blur. Abstract technology and cyber space environment, photo by Quardia/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Three 'New Rules' Worth Considering for the Internet

    May 10, 2019

    Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has called for new internet regulation starting in four areas: harmful content, election integrity, privacy, and data portability. But why stop there? His proposal could be expanded to include much more: security-by-design, net worthiness, and updated internet business models.

  • Woman using smartphone

    Tool

    What's Being Done to Fight Disinformation Online

    Nov 12, 2019

    With the rise of the internet and social media, false or intentionally misleading information can spread further and faster than ever before. What tools exist to fight disinformation online?

Explore The Internet

  • Two digital faces facing each other, photo by wildpixel/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Artificial Intelligence and the Manufacturing of Reality

    Humans carry flaws in deciding what is or is not real. The internet and other technologies have made it easier to weaponize and exploit these flaws. And artificial intelligence will likely be used to exploit these weaknesses at an unprecedented scale, speed, and level of effectiveness.

    Jan 20, 2020

  • News Release

    News Release

    One-Third of Americans Use News Sources They Consider Less Reliable

    One-third of Americans rely on news platforms they acknowledge are less reliable, mainly social media and peers. The other two-thirds of the public consider their primary news sources trustworthy, mainly print news and broadcast television.

    Dec 10, 2019

  • Man looking at his phone on the subway, photo by Westend61/Getty Images

    Report

    How Americans Consume the News

    Where do Americans get their news? What news sources do they view as reliable? And how are choices about news consumption linked to demographics or political affiliation? Results from a national survey provide insights into these questions and more.

    Dec 9, 2019

  • Blog

    Disinformation, Drug Policy, Artificial Intelligence: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on tools to fight disinformation online, the negative consequences of punishing pregnant women for drug use, how to ensure public trust in artificial intelligence, and more.

    Nov 15, 2019

  • Woman reading the newspaper on a tablet

    Tool

    Fighting Disinformation Online: A Database of Web Tools

    RAND researchers created a database of web tools that aim to fight the spread of disinformation. These include fact-checking tools, bot detectors, media literacy applications, and more.

    Nov 12, 2019

  • Cybercrime concept of handcuffs icon on a digital background, photo by blackboard/Adobe Stock

    Report

    What Could Help Law Enforcement Deal with Crime on the Dark Web?

    Crime in traditional online forums often leaves a trail of data that can be followed. But on the dark web, the process of collecting those data and turning them into evidence can be difficult. A panel of law enforcement practitioners and researchers identified ways to address this challenge.

    Oct 29, 2019

  • Concept of artificial intelligence winning at chess, photo by JohnDWilliams/Getty Images

    Report

    The Emerging Risk of Virtual Societal Warfare

    Living in an information society opens unprecedented opportunities for hostile rivals to cause disruption, delay, inefficiency, and harm. Social manipulation techniques are evolving beyond disinformation and cyberattacks on infrastructure sites. How can democracies protect themselves?

    Oct 9, 2019

  • The entrance to Lakhta-2 business center, which reportedly houses news organizations and internet research companies known for trolling on social media, in St. Petersburg, Russia, February 20, 2018, photo by Anton Vaganov/Reuters

    Commentary

    What Translation Troubles Can Tell Us About Russian Information Warfare

    Russian information warfare has attracted significant international attention since 2014. But little research has focused on its apparent shortcomings. Most notable are the confusing translation mistakes that undermine Moscow's attempts at covert influence efforts.

    Oct 4, 2019

  • Report

    Characterization of the Synthetic Opioid Threat Profile to Inform Inspection and Detection Solutions

    The opioid overdose crisis has accelerated in recent years because of the arrival of potent synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and related substances. Analysis of regional trends can help inform decisions about how and where to deploy law enforcement interventions.

    Sep 9, 2019

  • A young boy waves a black flag inscribed with Islamic verses at a rally of Tunisian Salafi Islamists in the central town of Kairouan, May 20, 2012, photo by Anis Mili/Reuters

    Report

    What Will Drive the Next Generation of Salafi-Jihadis?

    Continued economic stagnation and a high youth unemployment rate, exacerbated by the Muslim youth bulge, could lead to failed expectations and spur radicalization among disenchanted Gen Z Muslims. And this cohort's familiarity with the internet could foreshadow an adaptive, tech-savvy terrorist threat.

    Aug 22, 2019

  • Senior political scientist Jennifer Kavanagh discusses Truth Decay at RAND's headquarters in Santa Monica, California, May 24, 2018, photo by Diane Baldwin/RAND Corporation

    Q&A

    Searching for Truth: Q&A with Jennifer Kavanagh

    Senior political scientist Jennifer Kavanagh helps lead RAND's work on Truth Decay, the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life. In this interview, she discusses her latest research on how news presentation has changed over time and across platforms.

    Jun 26, 2019

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Behavioral Study on Advertising and Marketing Practices in Online Social Media: Annex 1.2 Business Model Identification

    An exploratory study to assess advertising and marketing practices in online social media, and to identify possible remedies for any problematic practices identified.

    Jun 4, 2019

  • A Facebook like icon with a camouflage sleeve, image by Ben Sherman/army.mil

    Report

    Social Media Helps the Army Connect with Potential Recruits

    Social media can be used to raise awareness of the Army among the public, but it's especially important for potential recruits and the adults who might influence them. An analysis of how people are engaging with GoArmy.com and the Army's Facebook and Twitter accounts suggests ways the Army could improve its outreach strategy.

    Jun 3, 2019

  • The Olympic torch of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan June 1, 2019, photo by Issei Kato/Reuters

    Commentary

    Japan Prepares for Olympic-Level Cybersecurity

    The world's attention will be fixed on Japan as it hosts the Rugby World Cup in September and the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Japan's cyber defenses will need to be strong enough to keep attackers out and resilient enough to restore systems should things go wrong.

    Jun 3, 2019

  • Blog

    Journalism, U.S.–Iranian Tensions, School Reform: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on how the news has changed in the digital age, rising U.S.–Iranian tensions, how educators feel about school improvement plans, and more.

    May 17, 2019

  • News Release

    News Release

    U.S. Journalism Has Become More Subjective

    U.S.-based journalism has gradually shifted away from objective news and offers more opinion-based content that appeals to emotion and relies heavily on argumentation and advocacy.

    May 14, 2019

  • Newspapers and social media terms in LED display, photos by artisteer/Getty Images and phive2015/Adobe Stock

    Research Brief

    Facts vs. Opinions: How the News Is Changing in the Digital Age

    Technology has transformed how people get information. But it has also affected the way that information is produced, shared, and disseminated. How much has the presentation of news actually changed over the last three decades?

    May 14, 2019

  • Person scrolling through the news on a smartphone, photo by Adobe Stock/terovesalaine

    Report

    News in a Digital Age: Comparing the Presentation of Information over Time and Across Platforms

    In what ways has news reporting in print, on television, and online changed over the last 30 years? Overall, there has been a shift toward more-subjective reporting, but many of the changes have been subtle.

    May 13, 2019

  • Close-up of a person reading/texting on their smartphone, photo by sam thomas/Getty Images

    Blog

    RAND's Analysis of News in the Digital Age: Three Takeaways

    How has the rise of digital technology shaped the way that news is presented? RAND researchers conducted an empirical study to find out. Here's what you need to know from their findings.

    May 13, 2019