[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 52 (Thursday, March 17, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15274-15275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05683]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Request for Information on Federal Priorities for Information 
Integrity Research and Development

AGENCY: Networking and Information Technology Research and Development 
(NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) and National Science 
Foundation (NSF).

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The NITRD NCO and the NSF, as part of an interagency working 
group on information integrity, request input from interested parties 
on a range of questions pertaining to Federal priorities for research 
and development efforts to address misinformation and disinformation. 
The purpose of this RFI is to understand ways in which the Federal 
Government might enable research and development activities to advance 
the trustworthiness of information, mitigate the effects of information 
manipulation, and foster an environment of trust and resilience in 
which individuals can be discerning consumers of information.

DATES: Interested persons or organizations are invited to submit 
comments on or before 11:59 p.m. (EST) on May 15, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in response to this notice may be sent by 
the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Email submissions should be 
machine-readable and not be copy-protected. Submissions should include 
``RFI Response: Information Integrity R&D'' in the subject line of the 
message.
     Mail: Attn: Tomas Vagoun, NCO, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 
Alexandria, VA 22314, USA.
    Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Each individual or 
organization is requested to submit only one response. Submissions must 
not exceed 10 pages in 12 point or larger font, with a page number 
provided on each page. Responses should include the name of the 
person(s) or organization(s) filing the comment. Responses to this RFI 
may be posted online at https://www.nitrd.gov. Therefore, no business 
proprietary information, copyrighted information, or other personally 
identifiable information should be submitted in response to this RFI.
    In accordance with FAR 15.202(3), responses to this notice are not 
offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding 
contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated 
with responding to this RFI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tomas Vagoun at [email protected] or 
202-459-9685, or by post mailing to NCO, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 
Alexandria, VA 22314, USA. Individuals who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., ET, Monday 
through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Background: Accurate and reliable information is central to our 
Nation's democratic, economic, geopolitical, and security interests, 
guiding decisions that impact the well-being of society. Information 
that is, knowingly or unknowingly, manipulated and disseminated for 
political, ideological, or commercial gain can have destabilizing 
consequences for democratic processes, the economy, individual health 
and well-being, the environment, local and national crisis response 
efforts, human rights and protections, and national security. New 
technological advances have enabled manipulated information [1] to 
reach vast audiences around the world at an unprecedented speed. Thus, 
preserving the integrity of information--ensuring our society is 
protected against information manipulation--is of national importance.
    As announced by the White House [2], Federal Government agencies 
have formed the Information Integrity Research and Development 
Interagency Working Group (IIRD IWG) to develop a strategic plan 
concerning government-wide research and development. The purposes of 
IIRD IWG are to better understand the full information ecosystem, to 
design strategies for preserving information integrity and mitigating 
the effects of information manipulation, to support information 
awareness and education, and to foster a multi-disciplinary and 
collaborative research environment in which to reach deeper 
understanding, while upholding these information integrity goals.
    Information Requested: Protecting the integrity of the information 
ecosystem requires an understanding of: Actors and consumers of 
information (including individuals, organizations, and nation states) 
and their different capabilities, actions, plans, and intentions; 
strategies and technologies for creating, disseminating, and sharing 
manipulated information; solutions for detecting and mitigating 
information manipulation across a wide range of information media, 
forms, and communication modalities; social, psychological, and 
physiological responses to experiencing information manipulation; ways 
to increase public awareness of information manipulation; the societal 
benefits of accurate information and vibrant discussion; and 
protections of the First Amendment.
    The IIRD IWG seeks public input on Federal priorities for 
information integrity research and development (R&D). Responders are 
asked to answer one or more of the following questions:
    1. Understanding the information ecosystem: There are many 
components, interactions, incentives, social, psychological, 
physiological, and technological aspects, and other considerations that 
can be used to effectively characterize the information ecosystem. What 
are the key research challenges in providing a common foundation for 
understanding information manipulation within this complex information 
ecosystem?
    2. Preserving information integrity and mitigating the effects of 
information manipulation: Strategies for protecting information 
integrity must integrate the best technical, social, behavioral, 
cultural, and equitable approaches. These strategies should accomplish 
a range of objectives including to detect information manipulation, 
discern the influence mechanisms and the targets of the influence 
activities, mitigate information manipulation, assess how individuals 
and organizations are likely to respond, and build resiliency against 
information manipulation. What are the key gaps in knowledge or 
capabilities that research should focus on, in order to advance these 
objectives? What are the gaps in knowledge regarding the differential 
impact of information manipulation and mitigations on different 
demographic groups?
    3. Information awareness and education: A key element of 
information integrity is to foster resilient and empowered individuals 
and institutions that can identify and abate manipulated information 
and create and utilize trustworthy information. What issues should 
research focus on to understand the barriers to greater public 
awareness of information manipulation? What challenges should research 
focus on to support the development of effective educational pathways?

[[Page 15275]]

    4. Barriers for research: Information integrity is a complex and 
multidisciplinary problem with many technical, social, and policy 
challenges that requires the sharing of expertise, data, and practices 
across the full spectrum of stakeholders, both domestically and 
internationally. What are the key barriers for conducting information 
integrity R&D? How could those barriers be remedied?
    5. Transition to practice: How can the Federal government foster 
the rapid transfer of information integrity R&D insights and results 
into practice, for the timely benefit of stakeholders and society?
    6. Relevant activities: What other research and development 
strategies, plans, or activities, domestic or in other countries, 
including in multi-lateral organizations and within the private sector, 
should inform the U.S. Federal information integrity R&D strategic 
plan?
    7. Support for technological advancement: How can the Federal 
information integrity R&D strategic plan support the White House Office 
of Science and Technology Policy's mission:
     Ensuring the United States leads the world in technologies 
that are critical to our economic prosperity and national security; and
     maintaining the core values behind America's scientific 
leadership, including openness, transparency, honesty, equity, fair 
competition, objectivity, and democratic values.

References

[1] ``Manipulated information'' refers to information content that 
is inaccurate, misleading, or deceptive within the context of its 
intended use and that has the effect of causing harm to individuals, 
communities, or institutions. ``Information manipulation'' refers to 
activities that aim to influence specific or multiple audiences 
through disinformation, misinformation, malinformation, propaganda, 
manipulated media, and other tactics and techniques that 
intentionally create or disseminate inaccurate, misleading, or 
unreliable information.
[2] FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Administration is Taking Action to 
Restore and Strengthen American Democracy (December 8, 2021), The 
White House, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/08/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administration-is-taking-action-to-restore-and-strengthen-american-democracy/.

    Submitted by the National Science Foundation in support of the 
Networking and Information Technology Research and Development 
(NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) on March 14, 2022.

(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1861.)

Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2022-05683 Filed 3-16-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P