We regret to inform you that this event has been postponed. Apologies for the inconvenience and thank you for your interest in Atlantic Council’s events.

The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) invites you to join us virtually on Tuesday, May 30 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET/ 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. PT for a presentation and panel discussion on its new report “Telegram, WeChat, and WhatsApp Usage in the United States: Trends and Implications of Messaging App Usage,” a yearlong project exploring how misinformation and disinformation narratives spread on peer-to-peer messaging apps.

Messaging apps are deeply embedded in daily life for more than 3 billion people worldwide as a primary means of communication with friends and family, buying and selling products and services, following the news, and discussing public affairs. Senior Research Fellow Iria Puyosa will share the trends and implications of messaging app usage, explaining how misinformation, political extremism, and foreign influence operations spread – or do not spread – across these services.

Introductory remarks and a video presentation will be followed by an expert conversation discussing the tradeoffs of different approaches messaging platforms may undertake for identifying, mitigating, or ending the spread of harmful content in encrypted messaging apps. Panelists will explore different remedies platforms they may employ, including behavioral signals, metadata analysis, in-app reporting, and client-side scanning. The discussion will illuminate how different approaches can affect user security, data privacy, and human rights around the world.

Panelists

Moderator

Introduction