TrueMedia finds new home at Georgetown’s McCourt School
McCourt School of Public Policy researchers will continue developing the AI platform to detect deepfakes and false information, furthering Georgetown University’s commitment to research and technology in the public interest.
As the information environment grows more complex and technological advances make it easier to manipulate content, knowing what’s true online has never been more difficult. Aligned with its commitment to advancing the common good, Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy will serve as the new base for TrueMedia.org, a non-partisan, nonprofit organization focused on tackling AI-driven false information and manipulated media.
Founded by Dr. Oren Etzioni, professor emeritus of computer science at the University of Washington, TrueMedia was established to safeguard democratic processes and the integrity of information. Leading researchers at the McCourt School’s Massive Data Institute (MDI) and affiliated with its Tech & Public Policy (TPP) program will carry forward the organization’s work to identify and label deepfakes and false information shared on social media platforms.
“We are at a pivotal moment where our information environment is saturated with poor-quality text, images and audio,” said Dr. Lisa Singh , director of MDI. “By extending and broadening what TrueMedia has built, we can help foster a more informed and resilient digital society.”
Dr. Singh and Michelle De Mooy , director of TPP, will oversee the new TrueMedia initiative at Georgetown. Sejin Paik , MDI postdoctoral fellow and former product manager at TrueMedia, will lead community and user engagement, and Julie Kanzler Dang, MDI technical manager, will lead the technical development.
“Information integrity is at the heart of a functioning democratic society and, therefore, must be researchers’ top priority,” said De Mooy. “States have moved quickly on deepfakes, but federal law has stalled, so universities must step up to leverage their interdisciplinary expertise. Our TrueMedia work will be innovative and impactful, aligning us with broader tech policy and digital governance initiatives.”
Leveraging AI for the public good
TrueMedia was founded on the belief that AI can be leveraged for the public good — to increase transparency, strengthen digital trust and counteract the harms of false information.
“I launched the organization with a simple premise: AI can help restore trust in what we see and hear online by detecting deepfakes,” said Etzioni. “Georgetown’s McCourt School is the ideal home for the platform’s next chapter — grounded in public service, rich in interdisciplinary talent and positioned to ensure its long-term impact.”
Building on this mission, Georgetown University invites researchers, policymakers and digital media experts to collaborate with MDI and TPP to develop stronger safeguards for information integrity in the digital age, strengthen the community working on these issues and provide resources to the public to help them navigate the current information environment. For updates and inquiries, visit Massive Data Institute and Tech & Public Policy .