Knight Foundation Commits Nearly $50 Million to Study Impact of Technology on Democracy

The Knight Foundation will commit almost $50 million to help the public better understand how technology is changing the political landscape ahead of the 2020 presidential elections and beyond.

A total of 11 American universities and research institutions will receive $38.7 million in funding, which includes the creation of five centers of study. The foundation has also pledged $11 million for future investments “that support policy and legal research on issues including internet governance and the implications of technology for democracy.”

“We’re experiencing the most profound change to how we receive information since Gutenberg invented the printing press,” said Alberto Ibargüen, president of the Knight Foundation, in a news release. “Even as we embrace the benefits of the internet, we need to grapple with its effect on our democracy. We need more research, data, and insights to do it effectively and avoid unintended consequences.”

The grantees were selected from more than 100 applicants. The new funding is part of a $300-million commitment announced by the foundation in February to support local journalism.

Sam Gill, vice president for communities and impact at the Knight Foundation, said it can be difficult to get funding for studies of technology issues because such projects are expensive and often require scholars from multiple academic disciplines, like political science, computer science, and philosophy, to work together

The money will be used to explore privacy concerns related to established information sources like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, which was just fined $5 billion by the Federal Trade Commission for privacy violations. Gill said the grants will fund research on how smaller platforms, too, can cause privacy concerns. One example is the FaceApp tool, developed by a Russian company, which collects users’ images.

“This is about investing in the few people who are producing the insights that we need today to make decisions and help answer the emerging questions of tomorrow,” Gill said.

Some recipients of the Knight grants have previously received funds from the Charles Koch Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Omidyar Network, and the Hewlett Foundation for similar technology-focused projects. (The Hewlett Foundation is a financial supporter of the Chronicle of Philanthropy.)

The University of Washington, Indiana University, and Stanford University are among the grantees.