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Disinformation has proven to be a deeply corrosive force – one that undermines democracy and erodes social cohesion. In our latest report, we explore how disinformation circulates among UK university students through three revealing case studies.

First, we examine the spread of vaccine-related falsehoods, where despite overwhelming scientific evidence, disinformation continues to thrive – with our polling showing it can dangerously affect people’s willingness to vaccinate themselves or their children.

Second, we analyse the online reaction to the Southport stabbing, where an initial lack of official information created fertile ground for rumours and false narratives to spread.

Finally, we investigate Candace Owens’ baseless claim that the French President’s wife, Brigitte Macron, is a man – a striking example of how personal attacks and conspiracy theories can gain traction online.

Across all three cases, the consequences of disinformation are alarmingly clear. Join us as we launch our new report and unpack what this means for the next generation of British society.

Chris Pleasance

Chris Pleasance is a global affairs journalist with 10 years’ experience in the industry. He has written for The Independent, The Sun and The Times, and currently works for The Daily Mail. He covered Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea as a junior reporter for MailOnline, and by the time Putin re-invaded Ukraine in 2022, he was their chief foreign reporter and led their coverage. He now produces YouTube content for the Mail on world affairs, and is a masters student at King’s University where he is writing his dissertation on Russian information warfare.

Tal Hagin

Tal Hagin is an independent OSINT analyst and media literacy educator specialising in information warfare, AI-driven disinformation, and digital verification. He works with organisations and professionals worldwide to investigate malicious content, enhance verification processes, and strengthen the public’s resilience against manipulation. Currently a Senior OSINT Analyst at Golden Owl and a Research Fellow at FakeReporter, his work is widely cited in global media and research. He also designs and leads media literacy and AI verification training for journalists, academics, and government professionals.

Dr Theo Zenou

Dr Theo Zenou is a Research Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society. He recently completed a PhD in history at Cambridge University, where he also taught undergraduates. He has been a Theodore Sorensen Fellow at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and a Visiting Researcher at Boston University. Theo has written features, essays and reviews for The Washington Post, The Economist, FT, The Guardian, The Times and Sunday Times, TLS, Spectator and others. Prior to his doctorate, he worked in TV for several years.

Dr Helena Ivanov

Dr Helena Ivanov is an Associate Research Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society. She recently completed a PhD in International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her research focuses on the relationship between propaganda and violence against civilians. In her thesis, Helena examined the role propaganda played during the Yugoslav Wars and produced a model for studying propaganda which details the key phases, functions, discourses, and techniques of propaganda (the model itself is applicable to other contexts). Additionally, Helena also served as a Manager at the Centre for International Studies at the LSE.

Prior to her PhD, Helena completed an MPhil in Political Theory at the University of Oxford, and holds a BA in Politics from the University of Belgrade.