Dr Julia Ebner

Dr Julia Ebner’s talks include, but are not limited to:

The Trust Gap: Restoring Trust in an Age of Misinformation 

Trust in science, the media, and democracy have been dwindling in recent years. But in this new era of misinformation and distrust, the private sector has been a rare source of hope: according to the Edelman Trust Barometer, private sector firms and employers enjoy the highest trust levels in society. Julia addresses questions such as: What drives the enemies of science and democracy? Why are we more susceptible to conspiracy myths and disinformation in a world of growing uncertainty? And what can companies and institutions do to reverse this trend and restore trust?

Making Sense of the Insentient: Artificial Intelligence, Targeted Disinformation Campaigns and Conspiracy Myths in the Modern Age

The risk of systematic disinformation campaigns that can lead to delegitimisation, hate, and agitation has been further aggravated by the next generation of technologies. From Large Language Models (LLMs) and deep fakes to Decentralized Autonomous Organisations in the Metaverse, what risk do new technologies pose to organisations from a reputational perspective as well as a security perspective, and what can they do to prevent campaigns directed at their brand, employees or activities?

Going Dark: Understanding Extremists

By day, Julia Ebner worked at a counter-extremism think tank, monitoring radical groups from the outside. However, in her spare hours – late nights, holidays, and weekends – she adopted five different identities and joined a dozen extremist groups from across the ideological spectrum. Based on her undercover investigations, Julia gives insights into how extremists across the world have skillfully expanded their reach by using cutting-edge technologies, attracted the youngest generations by gamifying their communication, and impacted politics by entering surprising coalitions.

Going Mainstream: Managing Societal Polarization  

Incels. Anti Vaxxers. Conspiracy theorists. Neo-Nazis. Once, these groups all belonged on the fringes of the political spectrum. Today, accelerated by a pandemic, global conflict, and rapid technological change, their ideas are becoming more widespread. Based on Julia’s undercover investigations for her latest book Going Mainstream, she explores: why outlandish ideas have taken hold and conspiracy myths are spreading faster than ever, and how united by a shared sense of grievance and skepticism about institutions, radicalised individuals are influencing the mainstream like never before.

Here you can find links to books by Dr Julia Ebner. For bulk book orders for your event please speak with a member of the team.