Ove the past year, the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) produced a collection of 12 in-depth reports, interviews and op-eds focused on disinformation, its impact on democracy and rights, with particular emphasis on electrical integrity.
In 2024, Sri Lanka concluded two national elections – presidential and parliamentary. This article series drew lessons from the recent elections and considered future scenarios where tech will play a decisive role in shaping public opinion and even electoral outcomes.
This initiative, “Strengthening Resilience Against Disinformation in Sri Lanka: Creating Counter-Narratives to Tackle Harmful Content,” focused on producing evidence-based, high-quality journalism covering a range of topics including information disorder, AI-driven disinformation, gendered disinformation, and crisis communications. Through this work, we aimed to strengthen public awareness, encourage critical thinking, and contribute to a more informed and resilient media landscape in Sri Lanka.
These stories reflect our continued commitment to in-depth reporting to unpack complex narratives, counter harmful content, and strengthen Sri Lanka’s democratic discourse.
Links to the in-depth reports, op-eds, and interviews are provided below.
In-Depth:
- Deepfakes, disinformation, and defiance by Divya Thotawatte
https://cir.lk/deepfakes-disinformation-and-defiance/ - How meme pages, anonymous accounts shape polls by Buddhika Samaraweera
https://cir.lk/how-meme-pages-anonymous-accounts-shape-polls/ - Public panic, mass displacement and criminal culpability by Divya Thotawatte
https://cir.lk/public-panic-mass-displacement-and-criminal-culpability/ - Platform accountability and elections: When global tech platforms collide with democracies by Buddhika Samaraweera
https://cir.lk/platform-accountability-and-elections-when-global-tech-platforms-collide-with-democracies/ - உடைந்த அணையும் உடையாத மௌனமும் (A broken dam and an unbroken silence) by R. Ramkumar
- Deepfakes, democracy and the gendered battle for truth by Gagani Weerakoon
https://cir.lk/deepfakes-democracy-and-the-gendered-battle-for-truth/
Op-Eds:
- Rising Representation, Rising Abuse: The Digital Battle Faced by Sri Lanka’s Women Politicians by Shreen Saroor
https://cir.lk/rising-representation-rising-abuse-the-digital-battle-faced-by-sri-lankas-women-politicians/ - The Role of AI-Generated Disinformation in Elections by Manjula Gajanayake
https://cir.lk/the-role-of-ai-generated-disinformation-in-elections/ - AI, InfoWars and Storm 1516: New frontiers in election misinformation and disinformation by Niresh Eliatamby
https://cir.lk/ai-infowars-and-storm-1516-new-frontiers-in-election-misinformation-and-disinformation/ - Will AI Disinformation Become a Gendered Tool of Exclusion? by Gagani Weerakoon
https://cir.lk/will-ai-disinformation-become-a-gendered-tool-of-exclusion/
Interviews:
- Unpacking misinformation behind PCs the Delayed PC by Ayodhya Kiriella
https://cir.lk/unpacking-misinformation-behind-pcs-and-delayed-pc-polls/ - Elections and info disorders: SL’s experience holds global significance by Buddhika Samaraweera
https://cir.lk/elections-and-info-disorders-sls-experience-holds-global-significance/
