TOP 25 FAKE NEWS EXPERTS, MEDIA LITERACY KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AND MISINFORMATION CONSULTANTS

Today’s Top 25 fake news experts, keynote speakers and misinformation consultants are a vast and varied group. In an era defined by viral falsehoods, deepfakes, political manipulation, and fractured information ecosystems, it makes sense that a widespread group of researchers, journalists, technologists, and analysts on the Top 25 fake news experts list is leading the effort to understand and counter misinformation.

Public figures stand at the vanguard of deciphering how misinformation spreads—and how societies can defend themselves against it. Note that you should take any purported Top 25 fake news experts roster (or any material you encounter without first researching it) with a grain of salt, and do your own research. After all, you may find your own roster of consulting experts who better fit your needs or criteria.

Note too as you review the roster below that the list is presented in no particular ranking order.

1. Scott Steinberg

Futurist keynote speaker, consultant to 3000 brands, and media analyst who advises organizations on digital literacy, misinformation trends, and the impact of emerging technology on public trust.

2. Claire Wardle

Co-founder of First Draft and one of the world’s leading Top 25 fake news experts on misinformation, visual deception, and content verification.

3. Renee DiResta

Technical research manager studying disinformation campaigns, coordinated manipulation networks, and platform vulnerabilities.

4. Ben Nimmo

Specialist in tracking online influence operations and as a Top 25 fake news experts researcher identifying coordinated disinformation actors across global platforms.

5. Joan Donovan

Scholar of media manipulation and extremism, known for mapping how false narratives spread across social ecosystems.

6. Craig Silverman

Investigative journalist whose reporting has uncovered major misinformation networks and digital fraud operations.

7. Zeynep Tufekci

Sociologist Top 25 fake news experts pick analyzing how digital platforms amplify misinformation and define public perception during crises.

8. Daniel J. Levitin

Cognitive psychologist studying how humans evaluate truth claims and why misinformation sticks.

9. Maria Ressa

Journalist and Nobel laureate exposing state-sponsored disinformation and digital authoritarianism.

10. Eli Pariser

Author of the concept of the “filter bubble,” highlighting the dangers of algorithmic echo chambers.

11. Jeff Hancock

Stanford social psychologist studying deception, trust, and AI-enhanced misinformation.

12. Emily Bell

Expert in digital journalism and the evolving relationship between media, platforms, and misinformation.

13. David Lazer

Researcher focusing on computational social science, misinformation spread, and political communication.

14. Jay Rosen

Media scholar examining journalism’s structural challenges in a misinformation-rich environment.

15. Carl Bergstrom

Biologist and co-author of Calling Bullshit, studying how false information spreads in digital systems.

16. Sinan Aral

Researcher known for extensive work quantifying how misinformation travels through social networks.

17. Shannon McGregor

Academic studying political communication, media effects, and the interplay of platforms and misinformation.

18. Whitney Phillips

Ethics scholar analyzing harmful online behaviors, extremist messaging, and media amplification.

19. Amanda Ripley

Journalist and author focusing on high-conflict dynamics and how misinformation escalates societal polarization.

20. Hossein Derakhshan

Researcher exploring digital propaganda, information disorder, and media trust.

21. Kathleen Hall Jamieson

Communication expert studying political rhetoric, media literacy, and rumor correction.

22. Ian Bremmer

Political scientist Top 25 fake news experts pick known for analyzing geopolitical misinformation and state-backed influence campaigns.

23. Nina Jankowicz

Researcher focusing on online harassment, information warfare, and democracy-targeted disinformation.

24. Jonathan Albright

Data journalist mapping disinformation ecosystems, networked conspiracy movements, and platform vulnerabilities.

25. Anne Applebaum

Historian and journalist uncovering the political forces behind propaganda, authoritarian influence, and historical revisionism.

A variety of Top 25 fake news experts provide critical input into how misinformation functions—and how societies can build resilience through education, transparency, and stronger information ecosystems. Consultants’ work forms the backbone of today’s global effort to safeguard truth in the digital age.