Alex Mahadevan is Director of MediaWise at the Poynter Institute, leading its digital media literacy project to teach people of all ages how to spot misinformation online. In this role, Mahadevan oversees program and curriculum development, research and editorial content, which has reached more than 80 million people in 12 countries. He also co-leads the Empowering Diverse Digital Citizens Lab at Stanford University, which studies media literacy interventions on TikTok and YouTube.

Mahadevan has taught media literacy to thousands of middle and high schoolers, created curricula for first-time voters, and has trained hundreds of international journalists in verification and digital investigative tools. He follows and writes about the use of generative AI models in journalism and their potential to spread misinformation. He also co-wrote Poynter’s AI ethics guide.

Before becoming director, Mahadevan was MediaWise's Program Manager, overseeing the launch of programs for college students and older adults. Prior to joining Poynter, he launched content management systems, newsletters and video series as a data reporter and audience editor. He holds both a BS and an MS from Florida State University.

SXSW, Digital Media Journalism, News & Media, Data, Artificial Intelligence, Education, Social Media, Internet, Ethics & Integrity,