Article published in TheHill.com, written by Baybars Orsek
With elections in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Taiwan, the European Parliament, and more than a dozen other European, Asian, and African democracies set to take place in 2024, a large percentage of the global population will vote next year.
But this stream of political activity comes at a time of an explosion of online misinformation, as well as growing concerns about the potential impact of a wave of content created by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Recent advances in generative AI offer the promise of massive benefits for society, from major advances in healthcare and scientific research to education and other fields. But at the same time, the continued maturation of this technology has the potential to amplify existing challenges related to misinformation and disinformation and create new ones. Even the CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has admitted to being “a little scared” about this threat.
And with so much political activity happening globally next year, the risks and challenges couldn't be higher.
Most citizens seem to agree. New research by Logically Facts of over 6,000 online users in the United States, the United Kingdom and India found that almost three-quarters (72 percent) agree that society and politics are being undermined by inaccurate and false information circulating in the media and across social networks and media channels.
This concern touches every sphere of public life: the climate crisis and environmental issues; public and personal safety during emergencies; and healthcare choices. But the concern among online users is greatest when it comes to elections and the circulation of false information online.
Lack of trust
These concerns about the negative effects of misinformation and disinformation on public life appear to stem from a broader erosion of trust. The same research found a worrying lack of trust among most people – not just in mainstream media and social media platforms, but in some cases in their ability to sift fact from fiction.
Mainstream media, including newspapers and public service broadcasters, account for just 13 percent, while only 9 percent of online users find platforms like Facebook trustworthy. In fact, almost a quarter of people (22 percent) said they don’t trust any sources when presented with more than 10 social media platforms. This lack of trust seems to be fueling self-doubt, with around one in six people saying they don’t trust their ability to separate fact from fiction online.
Fighting disinformation
The internet has greatly expanded access to information and social media platforms have made it easier to share. These are undeniably positive developments. But separating truth from falsehood is a real challenge, to the point where almost a quarter of us don't trust anyone and almost as many don't trust ourselves.
Countermeasures have evolved, especially when it comes to changes at the platform level, whether that’s through algorithmic adjustments or legal frameworks. There has also been maturity in other measures such as fact-checking on platforms, which is not about suppressing or censoring opinions, but rather the methodical process of determining the truth of public statements, images, and news circulating online.
Our research shows that most people want and expect social media companies to do more to tackle misinformation. Six in ten people (61 percent) believe that more can be done by social media companies and media organizations, especially when it comes to fact-checking and fact-checking. Only one in ten believe that these companies should not fact-check anything. In fact, a majority (55 percent) of internet users are more likely to trust a social media platform that uses fact-checking.
However, while much progress has been made in this area, the rise in generative AI means the threat landscape continues to evolve and scale. So what more can be done before 2024?
The case for greater media education
One measure lies in promoting greater media literacy, or empowering and equipping people themselves to become more critical consumers of online content.
Improving media literacy is not about telling people what to think, but about empowering them by equipping them with the tools and skills to think critically. It means asking questions like “Where did this information come from?” and “Why was this piece of content created?” This is vital, because no matter how successful the media and social media platforms are in filtering out misinformation, online users will still see and consume content, and they need to have the skills and knowledge to engage critically with it.
For most online users, they are confident in their media literacy. In the same study, over four in five (84 percent) of online users are confident in their ability to sort fact from fiction online. Despite this, there is a gap – consumers are still more likely to search the internet (47 percent) to look up or verify information if they were unsure of the facts, rather than trusting their own judgment and even discussing it with friends (28 percent), indicating a reluctance to rely solely on their own judgment, skills and knowledge.
While progress has been made in literacy programs, there is still more work to be done to provide users with the tools they need and to overcome the perception in some circles that such programs are about teaching people what to think, rather than how to think.
It is important to remember that media education and other measures to combat misinformation and disinformation are not a silver bullet. But, taken together, they can not only strengthen those shaky levels of trust, but can actually lead to a healthier, more vibrant, and stronger level of public discourse. This is certainly desirable and worthy of our aspiration. I can think of no more important issue for the health of democracy in the coming year and beyond.