University of Kwazulu-Natal

Disinformation And Democracy Springerlink

Bonisiwe Shabane
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disinformation and democracy springerlink

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Social Networks ((LNSN)) Across time and cultures, how information is conveyed and the degree to which it is manipulated can have an impact on a healthy democracy. Disinformation is one form of speech that makes up illiberal speech. The various forms of illiberal speech can be synergistic in degrading democratic underpinnings. Disinformation undercuts the structural integrity and inhibits the process of a liberal democracy. The corpus of literature points to the importance of maintaining a degree of popular trust in institutions for liberal democratic stability.

Researchers have generally agreed that disinformation on social media has weakened such trust. Russian-driven social media disinformation is a significant danger to bedrock democratic principles. One of the adverse outcomes has been a degradation of the U.S. government’s ability to be seen as reliable domestically and abroad. In addition to hostile nation-states, other actors are capable of and have used disinformation to weaken America. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis.

The great point is to bring them the real facts. Abraham Lincoln (“Lincoln Archives,” accessed June 6, 2021, https://lincolnarchives.com/LincolnQuotes.php) How do experts consider disinformation relevant to the structural integrity and process of liberal democracy? In this chapter, I start shaping the impact of disinformation in degrading trust in the liberal democratic tradition. The corpus of literature points to the importance of maintaining a degree of popular trust in institutions for liberal democratic stability. I explore what researchers have to say about how disinformation carried out on social media has weakened such trust.

In addition to hostile nation-states, I enter in the fact that other types of actors have used disinformation and will continue to do so to weaken America. I return to the concept that disinformation, along with polarizing and populist rhetoric, are all components of illiberal speech. The various forms of illiberal speech can act synergistically to undermine trust in democratic institutions. Ullrich Ecker is a professor at the School of Psychological Science and a fellow at the Public Policy Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. Jon Roozenbeek is assistant professor in psychology and security at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London, UK. Sander van der Linden is a professor of social psychology in society at the University of Cambridge, UK.

Li Qian Tay is a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Medicine and Psychology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. John Cook is a senior research fellow at the Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change at the University of Melbourne, Australia. In an increasingly interconnected world, the spread of disinformation and misinformation poses a growing threat to the very foundations of democracy. On September 23, 2024, the Center for Human Rights hosted a crucial discussion on this critical issue, marking the launch of the book "Disinformation, Misinformation & Democracy." The event, titled "The Challenges of Disinformation... The panel featured Professor Bertoni, the Center’s Director and a contributor to the book, alongside Ronald Krotoszynski from the University of Alabama School of Law, Bernát Török from the Institute of the Information Society... The panelists began by outlining the insidious ways in which disinformation and misinformation erode democratic processes.

They highlighted the corrosive effect of false narratives on public trust, emphasizing how easily manipulated information can skew public perception and undermine faith in institutions. This erosion of trust, they argued, creates fertile ground for political polarization and social division, making it increasingly difficult to engage in constructive dialogue and reach consensus on critical issues. The discussion also emphasized the particular vulnerability of elections and policy-making to disinformation campaigns, noting how bad actors can exploit the information ecosystem to manipulate public opinion and influence electoral outcomes. Examples were provided of recent elections globally where disinformation played a significant role in shaping public discourse and potentially swaying results. Beyond the immediate impact on elections, the panelists explored the long-term consequences of disinformation for democratic self-governance. They argued that the constant barrage of false and misleading information can lead to a state of "information overload," where citizens become overwhelmed and disengaged, making it difficult to discern truth from falsehood.

This, in turn, can lead to apathy and cynicism, undermining civic participation and weakening the foundations of democratic societies. The panelists underscored the need for robust civic education programs that equip citizens with critical thinking skills to navigate the complex information landscape and identify manipulative tactics. They emphasized the importance of empowering individuals to become informed consumers of information, capable of evaluating the credibility of sources and distinguishing fact from fiction. The conversation then shifted to exploring actionable strategies for mitigating the threat of disinformation while simultaneously upholding fundamental rights, particularly freedom of expression. The panelists recognized the inherent tension between combating disinformation and protecting free speech, acknowledging that any solution must strike a delicate balance. They discussed a range of potential approaches, from regulatory frameworks that address the spread of disinformation online to public awareness campaigns that promote media literacy and critical thinking.

The discussion explored the potential role of social media platforms in combating disinformation and the need for greater transparency and accountability from these powerful actors. The panelists also touched upon the potential of using fact-checking organizations and other independent bodies to verify information and debunk false narratives. The event fostered a dynamic exchange of ideas among the panelists and the audience, highlighting the complexities involved in addressing this pressing challenge. Participants engaged in lively discussions about the ethical considerations surrounding content moderation, the role of government in regulating online platforms, and the importance of international cooperation in combating disinformation campaigns that transcend national borders. The panelists stressed the urgency of this issue, emphasizing that effective solutions require a multi-pronged approach involving governments, technology companies, civil society organizations, and individuals. They called for greater collaboration and information sharing between these stakeholders to develop comprehensive strategies that can effectively counter the spread of disinformation and safeguard democratic values.

The buildup of digital technology has led to the building up of false information, which has become an issue, particularly in the democratic process of elections and voting. The dissemination of misinformation and disinformation has been carried out to a significant degree through the use of social media. New developments in the field of generative artificial intelligence have significantly sped up the production and dissemination of false information, particularly by political actors for the purpose of manipulating public opinion, influencing voter behavior... The transformation of social media from a beneficial uniting force to a polarizing instrument is the topic of discussion in this chapter. Additionally, the impact of artificial intelligence on the dissemination of false information and its ill effects on democratic processes is also discussed, as is the function of artificial intelligence in the increase in the... At the same time that it can be used to protect democracy through the automated detection of false information, artificial intelligence can also be a threat to democracy through its use for mass surveillance,...

This chapter examines how artificial intelligence can be a double-edged sword. The text examines a number of scenarios that have occurred all over the world in which social media and artificial intelligence have been utilized for the purpose of manipulating public opinion, resulting in the... Additionally, some of the difficulties encountered throughout the process of constructing artificial intelligence models that have a high level of accuracy and a decreased level of bias are explored. The article presents a survey of the impact of social media and artificial intelligence technologies on democracy and discusses various solutions surveyed and challenges in implementation of the solutions. This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access. Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Kaplan, A. (2012). If you love something, let it go mobile: Mobile marketing and mobile social media 4x4. Business Horizons, 55(2), 129–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2011.10.009 Kaplan, A., & Haenlein, M.

(2011). The early bird catches the news: Nine things you should know about microblogging. Business Horizons, 54(2), 105–113.

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