Cy Pres Awards

Deinfluence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting people from manipulation and deception in digital environment. We combine advocacy, public education, investigation and litigation to address practices that can undermine consumers' ability to make informed choices about what they buy, watch, believe and do.

Our work focuses on the rapidly evolving ways that technology, advertising, social media, influencers and artificial intelligence can be used to influence human behavior. We believe that people should be able to recognize when they are being advertised to, understand why they are seeing particular content, and make meaningful choices without being subjected to hidden or deceptive manipulation.

Deinfluence is particularly well positioned to use cy pres awards because our work is designed to benefit consumers affected by the very practices at issue in many emerging digital consumer protection cases. Cy pres funding can allow us to investigate emerging practices, educate the public, advocate for stronger protections and pursue litigation when existing laws are violated.

Artificial Intelligence, Advertising & Manipulation

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way advertising is created, targeted, delivered and optimized. AI can create new opportunities for deception and manipulation while making it increasingly difficult for people to understand when and how they are being influenced.

Deinfluence's work includes issues such as:

  • AI-generated advertising and marketing content that may make it difficult for consumers to distinguish advertising from authentic or independent content;

  • AI-generated influencers, endorsements, testimonials and product reviews that may create the appearance of genuine consumer experiences where none exists;

  • Personalized and algorithmically optimized advertising designed to identify and exploit individual preferences, vulnerabilities or behavioral patterns;

  • AI systems that optimize content for engagement or conversion, including techniques that may encourage compulsive use or impulsive purchasing;

  • Synthetic or manipulated images, video, audio and other media used in advertising or promotional campaigns;

  • Chatbots and AI assistants used for marketing and sales, including situations in which consumers may not understand that they are interacting with a system designed or compensated to promote a product or service;

  • Undisclosed commercial relationships involving AI generated content, influencers, and creators;

  • Dark patterns and other manipulative interfaces enhanced by AI, including systems that dynamically adapt their presentation based on an individual's behavior;

  • AI driven targeting of children and other potentially vulnerable audiences;

  • Deceptive claims about products or services made or amplified through generative AI; and

  • The use of consumer data to train, personalize or optimize systems that influence purchasing and other consumer decisions.

Social Media, Influencers & Addictive Design

Deinfluence also focuses on the intersection of social media, advertising and behavioral manipulation. Social media platforms can combine advertising, algorithmic recommendation systems, influencer marketing and engagement maximizing design in ways that make it difficult for users to understand who is attempting to influence them and why.

Potential areas for cy pres supported work include:

  • Social media addiction and compulsive engagement;

  • Addictive or manipulative platform design;

  • Algorithms designed to maximize engagement at the expense of users' interests;

  • Deceptive influencer advertising and undisclosed sponsorships;

  • Advertising disguised as ordinary social media content;

  • Marketing directed at children and young people;

  • Dark patterns that interfere with informed consumer choice;

  • Deceptive or misleading claims made through social media;

  • Targeted advertising based on behavioral or personal data;

  • Subscription, cancellation, and purchasing practices promoted through social platforms;

  • Manipulation of consumers through personalized content or recommendations;

  • The use of technology to exploit attention, behavioral tendencies or other vulnerabilities; and

  • Violations of consumer protection laws by platforms, advertisers, influencers and other digital actors.

How Cy Pres Funding Can Make a Difference

A cy pres award to Deinfluence can turn otherwise undistributed settlement funds into continued work addressing the underlying conduct that affected the class. Depending on the subject of the case, funding may support:

  • Investigation and research into emerging digital practices;

  • Public education and consumer resources;

  • Advocacy before government agencies and policymakers;

  • Development of legal and policy strategies;

  • Investigation of potentially unlawful conduct;

  • Litigation and enforcement actions;

  • Research concerning social media addiction, manipulation, advertising and AI; and

  • Efforts to prevent similar harms from affecting consumers in the future.

If you are considering a cy pres recipient for a class action settlement or judgment involving social media, digital advertising, influencers, artificial intelligence, addictive design, consumer deception or related issues, please contact us.