---
title: "Sanjana H. - Independent Researcher and Consultant: Information Integrity in Colombo | Tal"
description: "Meet Sanjana H., I study information disorders, influence operations, and information integrity in order to evaluate the impact on public opinion, political discourse and democratic institutions. based in Colombo."
image: "https://tal.club/meet/sanjana-h/share-image"
---

# Sanjana H\. on Tal

## Headline

I study information disorders, influence operations, and information integrity in order to evaluate the impact on public opinion, political discourse and democratic institutions\.

## About

I hold a doctorate in social media and politics, and my research practice centres on the confluence of influence operations, disinformation, truth decay, and information integrity\. I design and implement methodologies to analyse complex online data to trace how online content shapes public opinion and often distorts political discourse\. My work sits at the intersection of critical media analysis and policy, interpreting how narratives circulate through online information ecosystems and identifying meaningful interventions to address the harms they produce\. I communicate these insights to audiences across research, media, and policymaking communities\. With over 25 years of experience in peacebuilding, civic media, and digital security, with grounded experience across five continents, I have a deep understanding of how social media and politics interact and influence each other\. My work is driven by an interest in promoting democratic governance, human rights, and media freedom, as well as a curiosity for exploring the potential and challenges of new technologies for social change\. I have a PhD in Social Media and Politics from the University of Otago\. I am Sri Lanka's first TED Fellow, and also had fellowships from Ashoka, and Rotary World Peace\. I founded, and served as Editor of Groundviews, Sri Lanka's first, and award\-winning citizen journalism website for over 15 years \- during, and after the war\.

## Location

Colombo

## Work experience

Independent Researcher and Consultant: Information Integrity at Self\-Employed, Oct 2024 \- Present · 1 yr 9 mos, Remote, I specialise in strategic risk and threat intelligence concerning influence operations, disinformation, and information integrity challenges facing democratic societies\. I provide comprehensive threat and risk assessments for individuals and institutions, having designed safeguarding frameworks that address online exposure, offline vulnerabilities, and psychographic targeting, with particular expertise in protecting public figures and progressive advocates from coordinated harassment campaigns and technology\-facilitated violence\. My consultancy services encompass sector\-specific reports on the evolving disinformation landscape and generative AI implications, in\-depth analysis of specific developments, vulnerability assessments with mitigation strategies, future scenario planning addressing violent extremism and far\-right ideologies, and comprehensive landscape reports identifying key trends, actors, and narratives shaping the information environment\.

Special Advisor at ICT4Peace Foundation, Jun 2006 \- Present · 20 yrs 1 mo, I lead the ICT4Peace Foundation's research and advocacy on the use of ICTs for peacekeeping and peacebuilding\. This involves high\-level liaisons with and strategic input into UN policymaking and programmes in related areas, as well as regular output on social media's role in democracy, electoral integrity, incitement to hate and violence\.

Research Director at The Disinformation Project, Jul 2021 \- Sep 2024 · 3 yrs 3 mos, Auckland, New Zealand, Studying confluence of influence operations, truth decay, information integrity & meaningful policies to address online harms in New Zealand\.

Founding Editor at Groundviews, Nov 2006 \- Jun 2020 · 13 yrs 8 mos, Colombo District, Western Province, Sri Lanka, Groundviews is Sri Lanka’s first and only award winning citizens journalism website and features an unparalleled range of ideas, opinions and analyses on humanitarian issues, media freedom, human rights, peace, democratic governance and constitutional reform\. See http://www\.groundviews\.org

Senior Researcher at Centre for Policy Alternatives, Feb 2002 \- Jun 2020 · 18 yrs 5 mos, Colombo District, Western Province, Sri Lanka, From 2002 to 2020, I worked with the Centre for Policy Alternatives as the lead researcher looking at issues related to peace process design, technology, social media, democracy and electoral integrity\.

## Education

Doctor of Philosophy \- PhD, Social media and politics, University of Otago

Master of International Studies \(MIS\) Advanced, International Relations, Conflict Resolution, The University of Queensland

[View the original profile](https://tal.club/meet/sanjana-h)

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