Policy Brief No. 20 Policy Brief No. 44 APLN/CNND1 July 2019 Polarisation and Peacebuilding Strategy on Digital Media Platforms: The Current Research Lydia Laurenson1 Abstract This is the first of two policy briefs on the topic of polarisation. This first brief is a research overview about polarisation and policy issues related to digital media. There are plenty of unreliable research and dueling studies in this area, so each study was independently examined and methodologically verified by independent researchers Shauna Gordon-McKeon or Rachel Lazerus Although no human can lay claim to absolute knowledge, we are confident these studies are relatively sound. After summarising the studies, the policy brief closes with a series of questions highlighting where further information and research is most needed. The second brief, “Polarisation and Peacebuilding Strategy on Digital Media Platforms: Current Strategies and Their Discontents,” can be found on the website for the Toda Peace Institute. Author Note: Any opinions, biases, and/or mistakes in this policy brief are my own. However, I would like to give enormous thanks to Rachel Lazerus and Shauna Gordon-McKeon for their work in methodologically evaluating the studies I cited. I would also like to credit some of the people I spoke to, in alphabetical order: Zahed Amanullah of the Institute on Strategic Dialogue; Alisha Bhagat of Forum for the Future; Kelly Born of the Hewlett Foundation; George Davis; Renee DiResta; Helena Puig Larrauri of Build Up; An Xiao Mina; Jonathan Stray of Columbia University; Aviv Ovadya; and others who asked not to be named. 1 Research support from Rachel Lazerus and Shauna Gordon-McKeon