In: Society
Media Manipulation
One of the most dangerous trends of our time: Harnessing the vast new possibilities of the digital age, including misuse of both mainstream and social media, malicious actors find it easier than ever to disseminate lies and conspiracy theories. With minimal effort and resources they can destabilize whole societies and even influence elections. Read these summaries and learn how they operate by distorting the messages the public receives, what damage they inflict, and how free and open societies can defend against them.
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Summaries
Building Trust at the Origin
Project Origin aims to create a measure of accountability through provenance: By certifying the source of the content like a watermark, we can safeguard against manipulation.
Microsoft, 2021
The Supply of Disinformation Soon Will Be Infinite
Disinformation campaigns used to require a lot of human effort, but artificial intelligence will take them to a whole new level.
The Atlantic, 2020
The Enduring Lure of Conspiracies
Conspiracy theories seem to meet psychological needs and can be almost impossible to eradicate. One remedy: Keep them from taking root in the first place.
Niemanlab.org, 2021
Forget TikTok. China’s Powerhouse App Is WeChat, and Its Power Is Sweeping.
A vital connection for the Chinese diaspora, the app has also become a global conduit of Chinese state propaganda, surveillance and intimidation. The United States has proposed banning it.
The New York Times, 2020
Bad Advice
Or Why Celebrities, Politicians, and Activists Aren’t Your Best Source of Health Information
Columbia UP, 2018
The Cambridge Analytica Files
‘I made Steve Bannon’s psychological warfare tool’: meet the data war whistleblower
The Observer, 2018
