Rens Lieman
Rens Lieman (1988) is an investigative journalist, writer, and speaker. Since 2010, he has written for NRC, Vrij Nederland, Het Parool, Noordhollands Dagblad, Esquire, and other outlets about the impact of technology on our everyday lives and society.
Fake news and disinformation — aided by AI and algorithmically personalized social media — have a major impact on society. Rens first experienced this in 2016 while living in New York, closely following the presidential elections. He witnessed — up close, as a feature writer — a campaign full of falsehoods, smears, and conspiracies that American media simply couldn’t fact-check fast enough.
Back in the Netherlands, Rens saw that the “post-truth era” had also arrived here. During the COVID-19 crisis, for instance, fake news, conspiracy theories, and disinformation increasingly took hold. For Rens, as a journalist, the fact that truth seems to matter less and trust in journalism is declining is both an uncomfortable and instructive development — one that affects his work as well as his personal life.
In his research, Rens discovered why people — all of us — are susceptible to fake news and disinformation. It has to do with human psychology, algorithmic personalization on social media, and the rise of generative and agentic AI. As a result, we are constantly confirmed in our own beliefs — and society becomes polarized.
Lectures and workshops on fake news and disinformation
In his lectures and workshops, Rens explores with his audience how we can deal with these challenges.
Drawing on scientific literature, vivid stories, and personal anecdotes, Rens addresses these questions.
Previously, Rens gave lectures about the platform economy (Uber, Deliveroo) and how work changes when an app is the boss. As an expert on this topic, he has been interviewed by Nieuwsuur, EenVandaag, NRC, Het Parool, and Radio 1, and was invited to speak in the Dutch House of Representatives. He wrote his first book on the subject, Uber voor alles (“Uber for Everything”). A second book, De bus uit Mostar (“The Bus from Mostar”), followed in 2022.
Rens Lieman at De Balie, March 2018
Rens Lieman on Radio 1 Langs de Lijn, April 2018