Fabio Giglietto
Professor of Internet Studies
University of Urbino
Department of Communication Sciences, Humanities and International Studies
About Me
Fabio Giglietto, PhD, is Professor of Internet Studies at the Department of Communication Sciences, Humanities and International Studies at the University of Urbino Carlo Bo. His research explores the intricate relationships between social systems, media, and digital technologies, with a focus on the theory of information, communication, and society. He currently teaches courses such as Generative AI and Media, and Digital Social Network Analysis.
Professor Giglietto's work encompasses social media analysis, computational social science, digital methods, and the study of information disorder. His research also focuses on how digital platforms influence public opinion and democratic processes. He leads the Mapping Italian News Research Program (MINE), which investigates Italian news media coverage and the impact of social media on Italian elections. He is also involved in the EU-funded Horizon Europe project VERAAI, developing AI-based tools for journalists and fact-checkers to verify multimedia content and combat disinformation, with a focus on detecting coordinated behavior and inauthentic networks. Additionally, he contributes to the EU-funded PROMPT initiative, which addresses disinformation narratives across Europe.
His publications have appeared in leading journals, including the Journal of Communication, Information, Communication & Society, the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, Social Media + Society, and Social Science Computer Review. His publications have garnered over 2200 citations. Recent work includes an analysis of Meta's political content reduction policy and its impact on the reach of Italian parliamentarians on Facebook. Professor Giglietto actively participates in professional discussions on platforms like BlueSky (@fabiogiglietto.bsky.social) and Mastodon, addressing topics such as platform policies and research methodologies.
Recent Publications
"A Pretty Blunt Approach": Meta's Political Content Reduction Policy and Italian Parliamentarians' Facebook Visibility
Giglietto, F. (2025). "A Pretty Blunt Approach": Meta's Political Content Reduction Policy and Italian Parliamentarians' Facebook Visibility. Center for Open Science. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/8dqag_v2
The State of Social Media Research APIs & Tools in the Digital Service Act Era
Giglietto, F. (2025). The State of Social Media Research APIs & Tools in the Digital Service Act Era. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16269197
Manipolazione dei media ed influenza digitale. Sfide, tecnologie e risposte
Giglietto, F. (2025). Manipolazione dei media ed influenza digitale. Sfide, tecnologie e risposte. .
Viralità
Giglietto, F. (2025). Viralità. .
"A Pretty Blunt Approach": Meta's Political Content Reduction Policy and Italian Parliamentarians' Facebook Visibility
Giglietto, F. (2025). "A Pretty Blunt Approach": Meta's Political Content Reduction Policy and Italian Parliamentarians' Facebook Visibility. Center for Open Science. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/8dqag_v1
Research Projects
vera.ai - VERification Assisted by Artificial Intelligence
An EU-funded Horizon Europe project that developed advanced AI-based tools to assist journalists and fact-checkers in verifying multimedia content and combating disinformation. As Work Package 4 leader, I focused on the detection of coordinated behavior and inauthentic networks spreading misleading content.
Learn more
PROMPT - Predictive Research On Misinformation and Narratives Propagation Trajectories
An EU-funded initiative focused on detecting and analyzing disinformation narratives across Europe, addressing sensitive issues including the war in Ukraine, LGBTQI+ rights, and European elections through the development of language models, monitoring dashboards, and educational resources for fact-checkers and journalists.
Learn more
MINE - Mapping Italian News Research Program
A research program investigating Italian news media coverage and the impact of social media on Italian elections, leveraging data from Social Science One and grant funding from the Social Science Research Council (SSRC).
Learn moreNews & Updates
-
April 04, 2026
Recent publications highlight the evolving landscape of online information ecosystems. This includes explorations into the affective-discursive ecologies of the far-right on Instagram, analysis of misinformation spread on major European platforms, and investigations into how jihadist supporters exploit algorithmic recommendations on TikTok.
Read more -
March 22, 2026
Several studies explore the impact of algorithmic systems and online communication. One paper examines how recommender systems on X (formerly Twitter) inadvertently profile users' ideological positions. Another investigates how large language models (LLMs) can infer political alignment from online conversations. Further research considers the role of platform actors and news media in information pathways within online science communication.
Read more -
March 13, 2026
Research examines the influence of AI on online manipulation and fraud. Investigations explore the use of conversational AI in political persuasion, and the global regulation of AI-driven scams, specifically focusing on deepfake financial fraud.
Read more
Recent Web and News Mentions
SOS! Ora l'algoritmo punta sui complottisti: "Intervenire subito!"
Facebook, troppa visibilità a estremisti e complottisti: ecco come impatta Meta sulle elezioni
Facebook premia gli estremisti: la ricerca dell'Università di Urbino - Lumsanews
SOS! ORA L’ALGORITMO PUNTA SUI ‘COMPLOTTISTI’: “INTERVENIRE SUBITO!” - ByoBlu
Meno contenuti politici nei feed, la stretta di Meta è stata meno efficace contro gli estremisti - Il Sole 24 ORE
While they're pretty smart, they might occasionally hallucinate a publication or get creative with facts. Take it with a grain of digital salt! 🧂