The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary research unit at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, University of Toronto. We apply our collective expertise in the fields of law, computer science, cybersecurity, political science, and social sciences to investigate complex issues of the 21st century.
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Recent news
Chasing Shadows Out Now in Paperback
Chasing Shadows, the best-selling book by Citizen Lab director Ron Deibert, is now out in paperback form on the one-year anniversary of its launch. This edition includes a new afterword describing “the disturbing descent into techno-fascism” that Deibert witnessed during his travels to the US in spring 2025, and includes an endorsement by Canadian novelist […]
The Right to Remember
Memorializing in Syria
Senior researcher Noura Aljizawi speaks with Nalah Ayed from CBC Ideas about her personal experience of returning to Syria to grieve for the first time in 13 years following the fall of the al-Assad regime. Aljizawi recalls how grieving publicly was not allowed in the wake of the 2011 revolution, despite the importance of collective […]
London PR Firm Rewrites Wikipedia for Governments and Billionaires
A recent story by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism reveals that a communications firm in London paid an editor to launder Wikipedia pages for high-profile clients. Senior researcher Alberto Fittarelli speaks with the Bureau, explaining that “influence operators are attracted to Wikipedia because it is a means of shaping perceptions in large populations.” Blatant changes […]
Job Posting
Citizen Lab Research Officer in the Area of Spyware and Digital Targeted Threats
The Citizen Lab is now accepting applications for the position of Research Officer in the Area of Spyware and Digital Threats. Under the supervision of the senior legal advisor, the research officer will assist with building case databases, implement training workshops, and conduct legal research on methods used in digital accountability research as well as […]


