The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced investments totaling $5.5 million to advance research of issues related to online content moderation, mis- and disinformation, freedom of expression across digital platforms, and liability for online content.

Funding includes support for three existing grantees and a $1.5 million open call for proposals for new research with the potential to provide effective interventions to mitigate the effects of racialized disinformation or targeted manipulation of communities of color. Recipients include the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, which was awarded $2 million for Rebooting Social Media, a three-year initiative that will bring together experts to develop tractable solutions to false information, radicalization, and harassment online; the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, which will receive $1 million in support of a technology policy program, which will conduct research and develop policy solutions to ensure that Black communities are not harmed by — and have an opportunity to benefit from — emerging technologies; and the Lincoln Network, which was awarded $1 million to support and augment technology policy research, convening, communications and its Policy Hacker Fellowship, which brings together policy thinkers from Washington and Silicon Valley to collaborate on solutions to modern technology challenges.

"Demand is only growing for fresh thinking about our democracy's digital information challenges," said Knight Foundation director of learning and impact John Sands. "As more of our lives are lived online, independent research is increasingly needed to drive actionable insights and equitable solutions."