Disinformation and Conspiracy Theories in the Digital Age: Analysis and Counterstrategies

On 26–27 March 2026, the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa will host the international workshop Disinformation and Conspiracy Theories in the Digital Age: Analysis and Counterstrategies. The initiative brings together experts from different disciplinary backgrounds to discuss the transformations of the information ecosystem in the digital age and the challenges posed by the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories.

The first two sessions, scheduled for 26 March, are respectively dedicated to Media Monitoring, Fact-checking and Disinformation and Dynamics of Information, Disinformation and Conspiracism. The contributions will examine the impact of digitalization - particularly social media and artificial intelligence - on the production and circulation of information and conspiracy narratives, as well as the monitoring and countermeasures aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the information environment.

The second day, 27 March, will feature additional sessions: Disinformation and Speech Governance: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Conspiracy Theories and Disinformation. In this context, the relationships between disinformation, hate speech, conspiracism, and foreign interference will be explored, with particular attention to issues of public speech regulation and their implications for political theory.

The workshop will conclude with a roundtable dedicated to presenting and discussing the interdisciplinary research carried out at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies on the prevention and countering of online disinformation.

This workshop is organized as part of the NRPP Project “Partenariato Esteso” PE 7 SERICS Security and Rights in the Cyber Space/ Spoke 1: Project CybeRights Identification code: M4C2 11.3 - PE0000014 - CUPJ53C22003110001