Portrait photo
Dr. Daria Dergacheva
Platform & AI governance · Disinformation & Digital authoritarianism
Researcher & Consultant.
  • Research how platforms and generative AI models govern information and speech globally
  • Study algorithms and Russian disinformation as systemic risks
  • Write and comment on topics of Digital Authoritarianism
  • Have profound jouralistic experience as an editor covering Eastern Europe countries for many years.

Affiliation
2022 - 2026. Platform Governance, Media and Technology Lab (PGMT), ZeMKI, University of Bremen
Location
Barcelona, Spain
Focus
Platform & AI Governance + Russian Disinformation & Digital Authoritarianism

Projects

Disinformation campaigns & and AI powered search

Governance of mis/disinformation, studying algorithmic amplification of Russian disinformation in AI powered search and social media

Platform Governance in authoritarian countries & concept of 'digital sovereignty'

Tracking the latest developments of 'digital sovereignty', censorship and Internet shutdowns. Comparing narratives globally

Content moderation and transparency requirements in the EU

How EU regulations affect moderation outcomes and creator experiences on platforms and AI models

Selected publications

  • Richter, V., Dergacheva, D., & Katzenbach, C., Kuznetsova, V. (2026, forthcoming, under peer review). "Who’s driving the AI Hype in its Formative Phase? A Longitudinal Analysis of Stakeholders in the US and German AI Discourse on Twitter 2012–2021".
  • Dergacheva, D., & Katzenbach, C. (2024). Mandate to overblock? Understanding the impact of the European Union’s Article 17 on copyright content moderation on YouTube. Policy & Internet. DOI: 10.1002/poi3.379
  • Dergacheva, D., Kuznetsova, V., Scharlach R., & Katzenbach, C. (2023). One Day in Content Moderation: Analyzing 24 h of Social Media Platforms’ Content Decisions through the DSA Transparency Database DOI: 10.1177/20563051231220329
  • Dergacheva, D., & Katzenbach, C. (2023). “We Learn Through Mistakes”: Perspectives of Social Media Creators on Copyright Moderation in the European Union. Social Media + Society, 9(4). DOI: 10.1177/20563051231220329
  • Quintais, J. P., Katzenbach, C., Schwemer, S. F., Dergacheva, D., Riis, T., Mezei, P., Harkai, I., & Magalhães, J. C. (2024). Copyright Content Moderation in the European Union: State of the Art, Ways Forward and Policy Recommendations. IIC. DOI: 10.1007/s40319-023-01409-5
  • Dergacheva, D. & Tous-Rovirosa, A. (2021). Government's echo. Twitter discussions around news topics in Russian networked authoritarianism. Russian Journal of Communication. DOI: 10.1080/19409419.2021.1874790
  • Tous-Rovirosa, A. & Dergacheva, D. (2021). # EsteVirusloParamosUnidos: Comunicación política de guerra en Twitter. Creación de comunidades homogéneas en la crisis de Covid-19. Estudios sobre el Mensaje Periodistico. DOI: 10.1080/19409419.2021.1874790

Selected media publications

  • Global Voices (Oct 8, 2025). "Inside-net: Russia is dismantling free internet connections. Other autocracies are taking note". Link
  • Oxford Internet Institute (Mar 13, 2024). “2024 Russian Presidential Elections – How Digital Technologies Are Used to Wield Authoritarian Power”. Link
  • The Russian Post (Jan 9, 2023). “Doors wide shut. Has Vladimir Putin managed to build a sovereign RuNet?” Link
  • The Russian Post (Jun 22, 2022). “The limits of compromise: how Yandex is falling apart”. Link
  • Global Voices (Apr 4, 2022). “WAR IS WAR: Vkontakte users discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine”. Link

Selected public presentations

  • AoIR 2025 Flashpoint Symposium (Jun. 2-3, 2025).From Platform Governance to Generative AI. Concepts, Methods, and Data for Studying Tech Governance. Member of Organizing committee, panel chair. Bremen, Germany
  • AoIR 2024 (Oct. 30, 2024). Alternative Platform Archives: Methods, Politics, Impact Workshop. Platform Governance Archive. Sheffield, UK
  • ECREA 2024 (Sep 25, 2024). The making of misinformation: A longitudinal analysis of platforms’ misinformation policies. Ljubljana, Slovenia.
  • CPDP (May 17, 2024). Governing (mis)information. Is overblocking a systemic risk? Brussels, Belgium.
  • DSA and Platform Regulation Conference (Feb 16, 2024). Researching the DSA. One day in content moderation. Amsterdam. Event page
  • IAMCR 2023 (Jul 10, 2023). AI Stakeholders in US and German Twitter Discourse: Who is Shaping AI Debates and Trajectories? Lyon.
  • IAMCR 2023 (Jul 12, 2023). A ***, not a war: Development of sensitive word culture in social media as a form of everyday resistance during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Lyon.

Teaching

  • AI and the media: from history to innovations (BA, original course)
  • Studying platform governance: misinformation, hate speech, and election intervention (BA)
  • Governing hate speech and misinformation (BA)
  • Computational Methods in Communication Science (MA, original course)
  • Datafied Society (MA)
  • Supervision of PhD, MA and BA theses

CV snapshot

Education

  • Ph.D., Communication Sciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona
  • MA, International Journalism, University of Westminster (London)
  • MA, Sociology, Central European University (Warsaw, Poland)
  • BA, Sociology, Urals State University (Yekaterinburg, Russia)

Funding & memberships

  • Collective grant for PGMT Lab from AOiR for organysing a Platform Governance Symposium in Bremen (2025)
  • Seed Grant (University of Bremen Data Science Center): DuNdR dataset (2023/24)
  • Central Research Fund (University of Bremen): conference participation (2022/24)
  • Chevening Scholarship (FCDO, UK): MA at University of Westminster (2012–2013)
  • IAMCR
  • Platform Governance Network
  • Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR)

Skills

Languages

  • English — C2
  • Spanish — C1
  • German — A1
  • Russian — Native

Data & programming

  • R — Advanced user
  • Python — Advanced user

Contact

ORCID: 0000-0001-8773-7934
Email: DariaDergachevaUAB@gmail.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daria-dergacheva-32710310