Recent meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.
Mission & Goals
I am a cognitive scientist interested in the pressure points between the architecture of online information technologies and human cognition, and the consequences for democracy that arise from those pressure points. This has led me to examine the persistence of misinformation and spread of “fake news” in society, including conspiracy theories, and how platform algorithms may contribute to the prevalence of misinformation. I am also interested in the variables that determine whether or not people accept scientific evidence, for example surrounding vaccinations or climate science. Because my research speaks to important contemporary issues, I work with policy makers, mainly at the European level, to make democracy more resilient to toxicity online.
EU Legislative Interests
Digital Services Act Code of Practice Political Advertising
Communication Activities
Principal author of report "Technology and Democracy" (Lewandowsky, S., Smillie, L., Garcia, D., Hertwig, R., Weatherall, J., Egidy, S., Robertson, R.E., O’connor, C., Kozyreva, A., Lorenz-Spreen, P., Blaschke, Y. and Leiser, M., Technology and Democracy: Understanding the influence of online technologies on political behaviour and decision-making, EUR 30422 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2020, ISBN 978-92-76-24088-4, doi:10.2760/709177, JRC122023.)
Interests Represented
Does not represent commercial interests
Member Of
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Organisation Members
Homepage here: https://www.lewan.uk