Marco Camisani-Calzolari is an expert in digital communications and digital transformations. He is a well-known television personality on Italian television most notably for hosting the digital section of news show Striscia la Notizia. Camisani-Calzolari has also presented on the Italian public television network RA1 in a number of roles covering communications and technology related affairs.
Camisani-Calzolari has held many academic roles including: Adjunct Professor and chair of course in Digital Communication at the European University of Rome (2017-2023), Member of the advisory board at Imperial College London (2018-2022), Lecturer on Fake News at the London School of Economics (2018), Adjunct Professor and chair of course in business Digital Communication at the University of Pavia (2016–present)
His research focuses on digital strategy and is found in numerous written publications including: The Fake News Bible (2018), First Digital Aid for Business (2015), The Digital World (2013), Escape from Facebook (2012), Enterprise 4.0 (2008). In the private sector, Camisani-Calzolari has worked as Digital Communication or Digital Transformation advisor for large companies including Henkel, Mondelez, Roche, Atlantia, Danieli. In 2012, Camisani-Calzolari gained attention due to his studies on Twitter and distinguishing human followers from automated 'bots'. Following his study's publication, Italian comedian and politician Beppe Grillo fell into controversy for claims of fake followers. In June 2022, Camisani Calzolari was awarded the "Freedom of the City of London" honouring life-time achievement.
Television Work
Camisani-Calzolari is a well-known public figure in Italian television. His most notable role is leading the digital segment for Striscia la Notizia, an Italian satirical television program on the Mediaset-controlled Canale 5.
On the Italian public news network RAI 1, Camisani-Calzolari is a regular contributor covering digital affairs. He has presented on weekly segments that include: RAI 1 - Digital First Aid (TV Program - 2014 to 2017) aired every Saturday in the program "Uno Mattina" as a digital expert; RTL 102.5 - Technology Space (Radio Program - 2012 to 2017) every Thursday in the morning news program as a digital expert (100 episodes from 2012 to 2017); DIGITALK Talkshow (2004) as host of Digitalk, the first Italian talk show on Digital technologies, broadcast daily at 11pm on "SKY channel 817", on the website, and on UMTS TIM mobile phones; Misterweb (TV Program - 2001 to 2002), he presented the TV program “MisterWeb”, an entertainment show about the Internet, funny videos, and digital culture, broadcast every Saturday at 7:30 pm on "LA7".
Academic career
Camisani-Calzolari began his academic career at the Università Statale di Milano in 2006 where he gave courses on “Marketing dei progetti innovativi” inside the main course on “Sistemi per la progettazione assistita da calcolatore”; Master IDTV and “Interactive Digital Communication”. In 2015 he was appointed Adjunct Professor and chair of the course Business Digital Communication at the Università degli Studi di Foggia. Camisani-Calzolari is now the Scientific Director of the course in Digital Transformation at the European University of Rome.
Research
Camisani-Calzolari is best for known for his work in improving accessibility to digital and tech solutions for everyday business and personal use as well as developing a computer algorithm that claims to distinguish genuine from computer-generated twitter followers. His work in disseminating advice on digital and communications threads has been included in several written and digital publications including: The Fake News Bible (2018), First Digital Aid for Business (2015), The Digital World (2013), Escape from Facebook (2012), Enterprise 4.0.
Twitter Fake Followers Study
In 2012, Camisani-Calzolari's research came into the focus of the public eye following the publication of his findings in a study analysing the followers of certain public figures and corporations.
Camisani-Calzolari developed a computer algorithm claiming to be able to distinguish real followers from computer-generated "bots". The algorithm compiled data correlative of human activity such as having a name, image, physical address, using punctuation and cross-account activity. Genuine Twitter users were considered to have written at least 50 posts and possessed over 30 followers themselves.