Notice2022-05683
Request for Information on Federal Priorities for Information Integrity Research and Development
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 17, 2022
Issuing agencies
National Science Foundation
Abstract
The NITRD NCO and the NSF, as part of an interagency working group on information integrity, request input from interested parties on a range of questions pertaining to Federal priorities for research and development efforts to address misinformation and disinformation. The purpose of this RFI is to understand ways in which the Federal Government might enable research and development activities to advance the trustworthiness of information, mitigate the effects of information manipulation, and foster an environment of trust and resilience in which individuals can be discerning consumers of information.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 52 (Thursday, March 17, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 52 (Thursday, March 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15274-15275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05683]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Request for Information on Federal Priorities for Information
Integrity Research and Development
AGENCY: Networking and Information Technology Research and Development
(NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) and National Science
Foundation (NSF).
ACTION: Request for information.
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SUMMARY: The NITRD NCO and the NSF, as part of an interagency working
group on information integrity, request input from interested parties
on a range of questions pertaining to Federal priorities for research
and development efforts to address misinformation and disinformation.
The purpose of this RFI is to understand ways in which the Federal
Government might enable research and development activities to advance
the trustworthiness of information, mitigate the effects of information
manipulation, and foster an environment of trust and resilience in
which individuals can be discerning consumers of information.
DATES: Interested persons or organizations are invited to submit
comments on or before 11:59 p.m. (EST) on May 15, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in response to this notice may be sent by
the following methods:
<bullet> Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d79e9e8593fa85919e97b9bea3a5b3f9b0b8a1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="672e2e35234a35212e27090e13150349000811">[email protected]</span></a>. Email submissions should be
machine-readable and not be copy-protected. Submissions should include
``RFI Response: Information Integrity R&D'' in the subject line of the
message.
<bullet> Mail: Attn: Tomas Vagoun, NCO, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue,
Alexandria, VA 22314, USA.
Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Each individual or
organization is requested to submit only one response. Submissions must
not exceed 10 pages in 12 point or larger font, with a page number
provided on each page. Responses should include the name of the
person(s) or organization(s) filing the comment. Responses to this RFI
may be posted online at <a href="https://www.nitrd.gov">https://www.nitrd.gov</a>. Therefore, no business
proprietary information, copyrighted information, or other personally
identifiable information should be submitted in response to this RFI.
In accordance with FAR 15.202(3), responses to this notice are not
offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding
contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated
with responding to this RFI.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tomas Vagoun at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d79e9e8593fa85919e97b9bea3a5b3f9b0b8a1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d69f9f8492fb84909f96b8bfa2a4b2f8b1b9a0">[email protected]</span></a> or
202-459-9685, or by post mailing to NCO, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue,
Alexandria, VA 22314, USA. Individuals who use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., ET, Monday
through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: Accurate and reliable information is central to our
Nation's democratic, economic, geopolitical, and security interests,
guiding decisions that impact the well-being of society. Information
that is, knowingly or unknowingly, manipulated and disseminated for
political, ideological, or commercial gain can have destabilizing
consequences for democratic processes, the economy, individual health
and well-being, the environment, local and national crisis response
efforts, human rights and protections, and national security. New
technological advances have enabled manipulated information [1] to
reach vast audiences around the world at an unprecedented speed. Thus,
preserving the integrity of information--ensuring our society is
protected against information manipulation--is of national importance.
As announced by the White House [2], Federal Government agencies
have formed the Information Integrity Research and Development
Interagency Working Group (IIRD IWG) to develop a strategic plan
concerning government-wide research and development. The purposes of
IIRD IWG are to better understand the full information ecosystem, to
design strategies for preserving information integrity and mitigating
the effects of information manipulation, to support information
awareness and education, and to foster a multi-disciplinary and
collaborative research environment in which to reach deeper
understanding, while upholding these information integrity goals.
Information Requested: Protecting the integrity of the information
ecosystem requires an understanding of: Actors and consumers of
information (including individuals, organizations, and nation states)
and their different capabilities, actions, plans, and intentions;
strategies and technologies for creating, disseminating, and sharing
manipulated information; solutions for detecting and mitigating
information manipulation across a wide range of information media,
forms, and communication modalities; social, psychological, and
physiological responses to experiencing information manipulation; ways
to increase public awareness of information manipulation; the societal
benefits of accurate information and vibrant discussion; and
protections of the First Amendment.
The IIRD IWG seeks public input on Federal priorities for
information integrity research and development (R&D). Responders are
asked to answer one or more of the following questions:
1. Understanding the information ecosystem: There are many
components, interactions, incentives, social, psychological,
physiological, and technological aspects, and other considerations that
can be used to effectively characterize the information ecosystem. What
are the key research challenges in providing a common foundation for
understanding information manipulation within this complex information
ecosystem?
2. Preserving information integrity and mitigating the effects of
information manipulation: Strategies for protecting information
integrity must integrate the best technical, social, behavioral,
cultural, and equitable approaches. These strategies should accomplish
a range of objectives including to detect information manipulation,
discern the influence mechanisms and the targets of the influence
activities, mitigate information manipulation, assess how individuals
and organizations are likely to respond, and build resiliency against
information manipulation. What are the key gaps in knowledge or
capabilities that research should focus on, in order to advance these
objectives? What are the gaps in knowledge regarding the differential
impact of information manipulation and mitigations on different
demographic groups?
3. Information awareness and education: A key element of
information integrity is to foster resilient and empowered individuals
and institutions that can identify and abate manipulated information
and create and utilize trustworthy information. What issues should
research focus on to understand the barriers to greater public
awareness of information manipulation? What challenges should research
focus on to support the development of effective educational pathways?
[[Page 15275]]
4. Barriers for research: Information integrity is a complex and
multidisciplinary problem with many technical, social, and policy
challenges that requires the sharing of expertise, data, and practices
across the full spectrum of stakeholders, both domestically and
internationally. What are the key barriers for conducting information
integrity R&D? How could those barriers be remedied?
5. Transition to practice: How can the Federal government foster
the rapid transfer of information integrity R&D insights and results
into practice, for the timely benefit of stakeholders and society?
6. Relevant activities: What other research and development
strategies, plans, or activities, domestic or in other countries,
including in multi-lateral organizations and within the private sector,
should inform the U.S. Federal information integrity R&D strategic
plan?
7. Support for technological advancement: How can the Federal
information integrity R&D strategic plan support the White House Office
of Science and Technology Policy's mission:
<bullet> Ensuring the United States leads the world in technologies
that are critical to our economic prosperity and national security; and
<bullet> maintaining the core values behind America's scientific
leadership, including openness, transparency, honesty, equity, fair
competition, objectivity, and democratic values.
References
[1] ``Manipulated information'' refers to information content that
is inaccurate, misleading, or deceptive within the context of its
intended use and that has the effect of causing harm to individuals,
communities, or institutions. ``Information manipulation'' refers to
activities that aim to influence specific or multiple audiences
through disinformation, misinformation, malinformation, propaganda,
manipulated media, and other tactics and techniques that
intentionally create or disseminate inaccurate, misleading, or
unreliable information.
[2] FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Administration is Taking Action to
Restore and Strengthen American Democracy (December 8, 2021), The
White House, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/08/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administration-is-taking-action-to-restore-and-strengthen-american-democracy/">https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/08/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administration-is-taking-action-to-restore-and-strengthen-american-democracy/</a>.
Submitted by the National Science Foundation in support of the
Networking and Information Technology Research and Development
(NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) on March 14, 2022.
(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1861.)
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2022-05683 Filed 3-16-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P
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