Organizations

ByteDance is a Chinese multinational internet technology company that owns TikTok. The company has faced scrutiny over potential Chinese government influence and data security concerns. TikTok has removed influence operations linked to various countries including China, Russia, and Iran.

Google LLC is an American multinational technology company that owns YouTube, the largest video-sharing platform. YouTube has been a significant vector for disinformation spread through recommendation algorithms. The company has implemented policies to reduce recommendations of borderline content and removed millions of videos violating COVID-19 and election integrity policies.

Gab is an American alt-tech social networking service known for its far-right userbase. Founded in 2016 by Andrew Torba, the platform explicitly markets itself as a protector of free speech and has hosted numerous extremists banned from other platforms. The Pittsburgh synagogue shooter posted on Gab before his attack, leading to temporary suspension by hosting providers. Gab has been a major platform for QAnon content and election conspiracy theories.

Telegram is a cloud-based instant messaging service founded by Russian entrepreneurs Pavel and Nikolai Durov in 2013. The platform has become a popular destination for extremist groups, conspiracy theorists, and those banned from mainstream platforms due to its encryption features and limited content moderation. Telegram has been used to spread disinformation and organize extremist activity, though the company has taken some action against public channels promoting violence.

Parler is an American alt-tech social networking service launched in 2018. The platform positions itself as a "free speech" alternative to mainstream social networks and gained popularity among conservatives and far-right users banned from other platforms. Parler was used to plan the January 6 Capitol attack and was removed from app stores and AWS hosting following the attack. The platform has struggled to maintain operations and has been acquired multiple times.

FactCheck.org is a nonprofit website that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, it was launched in 2003. The site monitors the factual accuracy of statements by major U.S. political players and provides analysis of political advertising. It is nonpartisan and nonprofit.

Snopes is the oldest and largest fact-checking website, founded in 1994 by David Mikkelson. Originally focused on urban legends and folklore, Snopes expanded to cover political fact-checking. The site is independently owned and has investigated over 50,000 claims. Snopes has been a member of Facebook's fact-checking partnership and has faced criticism and legal challenges from those it has fact-checked.

PolitiFact is an American nonprofit fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others. Founded in 2007 by the Tampa Bay Times and now owned by the Poynter Institute, PolitiFact uses its Truth-O-Meter rating system. The organization has partnered with Facebook since 2016 to fact-check content on the platform. PolitiFact has won a Pulitzer Prize and is a member of the International Fact-Checking Network.

X Corp. (formerly Twitter) is a social media company owned by Elon Musk since October 2022. Under Musk's ownership, the platform has significantly reduced content moderation, restored previously banned accounts including Donald Trump, and laid off most of the Trust and Safety team. X has seen an increase in hate speech and misinformation following the acquisition. The platform was a primary target of Russian IRA operations in 2016 and banned political advertising in 2019.

Meta Platforms is an American multinational technology conglomerate founded by Mark Zuckerberg. The company owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other services. Facebook was the primary platform for Russian IRA operations in 2016 and has faced criticism for its role in spreading election misinformation and COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Meta has invested billions in content moderation, fact-checking partnerships, and election integrity efforts while facing ongoing criticism for its algorithms amplifying divisive content.

Smartmatic is a multinational company that specializes in building and implementing electronic voting systems. The company, founded in Venezuela but now headquartered in London, became the target of conspiracy theories after the 2020 election falsely linking it to Dominion and claiming it was controlled by Venezuela or George Soros. Smartmatic filed defamation lawsuits against Fox News, OAN, and Newsmax, settling with OAN in April 2024. The company has consistently denied all allegations.

Dominion Voting Systems is a company that produces electronic voting hardware and software. Following the 2020 election, Dominion became the target of baseless conspiracy theories promoted by Trump allies and right-wing media claiming their machines switched votes from Trump to Biden. Dominion filed defamation lawsuits against Fox News, Newsmax, OAN, and various individuals. The company settled with Fox News for $787.5 million in April 2023. Dominion has consistently denied all fraud allegations.

WikiLeaks is an international non-profit organization that publishes news leaks and classified media provided by anonymous sources. Founded by Julian Assange in 2006, WikiLeaks published thousands of DNC emails in 2016 that U.S. intelligence assessed were stolen by Russian operatives. The organization has been criticized for serving as a conduit for Russian disinformation and for its selective publication practices. Assange has been in custody since 2019 fighting extradition to the U.S.