"Disinformation. Spam and Scams. Trolls." For those of us paying attention, one thing is clear: We got problems! Fortunately, Renée DiResta is helping with exactly that by studying online manipulation, and what we can do about it. And yeah, we get quite a primer on the concept of "bespoke realities."   We're on Patreon! Join the community:  https://www.patreon.com/politicsandreligion   It would mean so much if you could leave us a review:  https://ratethispodcast.com/goodfaithpolitics    Renée DiResta is the Technical Research Manager at Stanford Internet Observatory. In this conversation we delve into the challenges of misinformation, online manipulation, and the impact of algorithmic curation on public discourse. Renée discusses her career journey, her work on election integrity, and the concept of "bespoke realities." The episode explores how media ecosystems shape our perception and the importance of fostering meaningful dialogue across differing viewpoints.   02:56 Renée DiResta's Background and Career Journey  06:35 The Birth of Vaccinate California  07:22 Facing Harassment and Public Backlash  16:01 Understanding Bespoke Realities  17:44 The Influencer-Algorithm-Crowd Trinity  27:17 The Role of Free Expression in Social Media  29:50 The Complexity of Free Expression and Moderation  31:10 Platform Policies and Government Regulation  32:23 Engaging with Conspiracy Theorists  33:48 Understanding Algorithmic Curation  34:38 Reflecting on January 6th and Political Polarization  39:51 Election Integrity Partnership: An Inside Look  46:22 Recognizing and Combating Propaganda  50:37 Concerns About a Second Trump Term 53:20 Fostering Better Conversations Across Differences  57:08 Engaging on Social Media: Strategies and Reflections   You can also find Corey on all the socials @coreysnathan such as www.threads.net/@coreysnathan.   Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.   Very grateful for our sponsor Meza Wealth Management. Reach out to Jorge and his team: www.mezawealth.com   https://www.reneediresta.com/    https://www.threads.net/@renee.diresta