The Social Media Manipulation (SSM) Project
Social media has transformed political communication, but scholars debate whether it ultimately strengthens democracy or empowers authoritarian control. While it can expand access to information, mobilize activism, and foster public debate, it has also enabled covert manipulation campaigns that fabricate public support and distort online discourse. As these tactics evolve with digital innovation, understanding and countering social media manipulation has become crucial for protecting democratic institutions and public trust, both by educating and mobilizing people (
THE LATEST PRESENTATIONS
Moses has been invited to present to various stakeholders, including ordinary citizens, especially youths, local and national policymakers, scholars, and university students, in Indonesia, the Netherlands, the UK, the US, and other parts of the world. His research on cyber troop operations is widely regarded as novel and the only causal study of the impact of such operations on political behavior.
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Findings are presented to 300 Bogor Youths in collaboration with the National Unity and Political Agency, the Bogor Government, and the MIDGround Project.
Moses was invited as a presenter in the "Online Influence Operations and Democracy in Southeast Asia" Conference, hosted by KITLV-UvA-UNDIP, regarded as the only research that causally (and truly) measures the impact of influence operations in the world.
Findings are presented to the Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs to explore strategies to counter disinformation.
Research is presented to the LSE Indonesian Society, moderated by Professor Erik Baurdoux, where Gordon Flake, CEO of USAsia Perth Centre was present.
Going Forward
Moses's paper is under review in a political science journal. He is also starting his PhD in Political Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science, supervised by Ryan Jablonski, Florian Foos, and John Sidel. His research will expand to the UK, in collaboration with CampaignLab, in addition to Indonesia and Southeast Asia, as well as other social media features that constantly evolve (e.g., AI inclusions). He will also work on understanding how elites' understanding of public opinion is shaped by such manipulation. Contact Moses to request materials from the project at: