Report: ‘Global Disinformation Index’ Inaccurately Listed Anne Applebaum as Advisor

The Global Disinformation Index (GDI), one of the many “disinformation trackers,” is having a bad month, with scandal after scandal rocking the online censorship pusher. In the latest allegation, leftist journalist Anne Applebaum claims that GDI is itself guilty of misinformation, inaccurately listing her as an advisor on its website.

While GDI is just one of many “disinformation tracking” organizations that emerged in the wake of the 2016 election to push online censorship and financial blacklisting of non-progressive viewpoints, it has come under focus recently due to a series of controversies.

Chief among them was the leak of its blacklist, which listed virtually every American conservative news outlet as a source of “disinformation.” This list was sent to digital advertisers, advising them that these were “high risk” brands.

When contacted by Reason editor Robby Soave, Applebaum said that she was unaware that GDI had listed her as an advisor, and that the claim was inaccurate. Per Soave, GDI then removed Applebaum’s name without publicly acknowledging the error.

via Reason:

Notably, Applebaum was also listed on the GDI’s website as one of its principle journalistic advisors. Given GDI’s misguided approach to the lab leak theory, I wondered if Applebaum was partly responsible—or whether she would now advise GDI to change course. So I emailed her.

Her response was surprising, to say the least.

“Until a few days ago I was not aware that I was listed as an advisor on the GDI website,” writes Applebaum. “I last spoke to them when they were still raising money—probably 2018 or 2019—and have not advised them on anything or had any contact since. I have asked to have my name taken off their website, which they agreed to do.”

GDI was a recipient of funding from the U.S. State Department, and had an important partnership with Xandr, an online advertising platform owned by Microsoft. Following the leak of GDI’s blacklist, Microsoft suspended its relationship with the organization.

Breitbart News has reached out to GDI for comment.

Allum Bokhari is the senior technology correspondent at Breitbart News. He is the author of #DELETED: Big Tech’s Battle to Erase the Trump Movement and Steal The Election.