Disinformation researchers lament ‘chilling’ US legal campaign

The Peace Monument with a figure of Grief weeping on the shoulder of History is seen in front of the US Capitol in Washington, DC. US conservatives have mounted a sweeping legal offensive against academics and think-tanks researching disinformation, who call it an intimidation campaign to silence efforts to combat falsehoods ahead of next year's presidential election. — AFP

WASHINGTON: The study of disinformation has emerged as a political lightning rod in the United States, with conservative advocates launching a sweeping legal offensive that researchers fighting falsehoods denounce as an intimidation campaign ahead of the 2024 election.

As next year's vote approaches, many US academics and think-tanks focused on disinformation research are facing lawsuits by right-wing groups and inquiries from a Republican-led congressional panel.