Faculty members from the School of Communication joined the John Glenn College Leadership Forum Friday to present on the phenomenon of disinformation in the digital age.

A dialogue between lecturer Jeffrey Trimble and Dr. Nicole Kraft, associate professor of clinical communication, closed the daylong session for those engaged in public services, as the pair identified the phenomenon of disinformation, including fake news, its sources and the damage it causes.

Trimble and Kraft looked at disinformation – the purposeful spread of false or misleading information — and how it has exploded in recent years thanks to modern technologies including social media. They also addressed differences between disinformation and malinformation, the phenomenon of fake news, Russian interference in news dissemination and how it all impacts free speech. 

Trimble has been an international journalist, editor and media manager for more than 35 years. He served most recently as deputy director of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the U.S. government agency that oversees all U.S.-funded non-military international broadcasting, including Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 

He came to Ohio State in 2018 as lecturer in the School of Communication and the Department of Political Science.

Kraft is a 30-year journalism professional, who has covered politics and government at the local, state and national level, and previously served as a Congressional press secretary. She joined the Ohio State faculty in 2010 and teaches all levels of journalism education, including newswriting and reporting, features, sports and media law and ethics. She is also director of Ohio State’s Sports and Society Initiative and chair of the university senate Council on Distance Education, Libraries and Information Technology. 

Kraft and Trimble also presented on this topic at the WOSU “Dialogue” series. View the full video on YouTube.