How the “Disinformation Dozen” narrative moved into academic literature—and why major publishers must answer for the claims they published.
An open letter to Springer Nature, ACM, Sage, and The BMJ, exposing discrepancies between their published claims and editorial correction policies—with highlighted policy-versus-passage exhibits and a demand for stronger scientific accountability and the issuance of formal corrections.
This investigation is part of a broader effort to establish accountability for the use of misinformation designations against identifiable Americans.
In September 2026, we launched Restore the First, a national citizens’ coalition bringing together 20 organizations and eight independent media outlets to address censorship, government accountability, and enforceable protections for First Amendment rights.
The coalition was convened by six Americans named in the original “Disinformation Dozen” report. Our work now extends beyond the conduct of government agencies and technology platforms to a question of scientific accountability: What happens when published research perpetuates inaccurate or unsupported allegations against the very people targeted for censorship?
We are calling on scientific publishers to examine the documented discrepancies, correct consequential errors, and strengthen their correction policies so that no individual is denied an impartial review because of their views or reputation.
The institutions that claim authority to identify misinformation must themselves be accountable for the accuracy of their claims.