The ConnectLab at the São Paulo School of Economics (EESP - FGV) comprises a team of dedicated researchers committed to understanding the spread of misinformation in democratic societies, with a particular focus on developing democracies. Our research spans a variety of approaches, from examining the effectiveness of fact-checking during elections to exploring innovative preemptive interventions and developing advanced methods for detecting false stories in digital spaces.
Our studies have revealed critical insights into the challenges of reducing political misinformation, particularly in contexts like Brazil. Our work highlights the need for tailored strategies to address misinformation across diverse contexts, urging scholars, journalists, and policymakers to adopt nuanced approaches.
Additionally, our innovative text-based approach for detecting false stories offers a new perspective on how misinformation is shared by political leaders. By leveraging natural language processing, supervised learning methods, and human review, our approach provides a more accurate and context-specific tool for identifying false information, particularly in regions where misinformation often lacks conventional digital footprints.
Our mission is to contribute robust, evidence-based insights that not only enhance academic understanding but also inform practical solutions for preserving the integrity of democratic discourse. We are passionate about advancing research that meets the evolving challenges of misinformation and empowers communities to engage with trustworthy information.
Our research has benefitted from generous funding from CNPq, Facebook/Meta, Stanford Internet Observatory, FAPEMIG, Quaest Pesquisa & Consultoria, and Emory University.
We also collaborate with organizations (such as Folha de São Paulo and Redes Cordiais) in conducting our studies.