September 21, 2023
Dr. Yu-Ru Lin (Associate Professor, Department of Informatics and Networked Systems; Research and Academic Director, Pitt Cyber) has been awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to study the online behavior of U.S. officials across major social platforms.
The project, “Digitally Accountable Public Representation,” will collect data to analyze the interactions, responsiveness, and transparency of more than 10,000 U.S. officials across platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter), YouTube, and Facebook. It will focus particularly on officials’ responses during critical times, such as public crises and near elections. The project’s objective is to promote digital accountability among leaders and contribute to a healthier democracy.
This project is a collaboration between Pitt, led by Lin as the PI, and Pennsylvania State University, with Professor Bruce A. Desmarais also serving as the PI. The team was awarded $1.2 million in total for the project, which will continue until the end of August 2026.
Please join us in congratulating Lin on this achievement and read more about the project here.