The Rise of Disinformation as the Primary Threat to Global Stability
Today’s world is faced with significant challenges, as seen in headlines covering global terror, inflation, and extreme weather events.
According to the World Economic Forum, the most pressing global risk in the coming years is the propagation of misinformation and disinformation aimed at widening societal and political divides.
This threat has been present for the past five years, but advancements in technology and geopolitical dynamics have elevated the stakes.
AI-generated content, bots, algorithmic manipulation, and other tools are now being used to suppress dissent, manipulate elections, and promote false narratives, as highlighted by Avril Haines, the US director of National Intelligence, who recently addressed the issue of shaping false narratives and inciting hatred towards Israel and Western nations.
In 2024, half of the world’s population is participating in elections in countries like the United States, Mexico, India, Britain, Taiwan, France, and Iran. Misinformation spread by malicious actors has the potential to strengthen dictators and support terror organizations more than ever before.
“Misinformation” refers to false information that can cause harm even if unintentionally spread, while “disinformation” involves intentional falsehoods to deceive people.
Throughout history, lies have been used by autocrats and dictators to gain power and marginalize adversaries. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union spread disinformation about Israel and the US, based on antisemitic tropes, portraying Zionism as fascist, imperialist, and racist.
Today, state-backed propagandists have increased their effectiveness by exploiting social media platforms to rapidly disseminate malicious content and leveraging AI technology to make falsehoods appear authentic. Russian social media accounts, disguised as legitimate ones, are spreading anti-US propaganda ahead of the US presidential elections, as reported by Microsoft.
The World Economic Forum highlighted in 2022 that deep fakes created by AI can sow discord and create chaos in society and markets.
Apart from more visible threats like hurricanes and terror attacks, AI-generated disinformation poses a more insidious danger as it is designed to appear authentic.
TikTok, for example, promotes itself as a platform for personal connections among its users but is suspected of suppressing content critical of the Chinese government.
Reports from the Network Contagion Research Institute revealed TikTok’s bias in squashing discussions on China’s treatment of the Uyghurs and protests in Hong Kong while amplifying content that undermines the US and its allies.
Recent investigations found that TikTok showed highly polarized content to users, including pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel content, raising concerns about the platform’s influence on shaping opinions.
Following the October 7 attacks on Israel, thousands of fake social media accounts suddenly began posting pro-Hamas messages, spreading misinformation about the conflict.
These fake profiles pushed narratives of Hamas’ “humanity and compassion” towards Israeli captives, despite the barbaric conditions reported by former hostages.
A significant percentage of profiles engaged in conversations regarding the Hamas-Israel conflict were found to be fake, demonstrating the effectiveness of disinformation campaigns in shaping public opinions.
The Director of National Intelligence has raised concerns about Iran inciting discord against Israel on social media platforms to undermine confidence in democratic institutions, highlighting the importance of combating disinformation.
Government agencies, social media platforms, and individuals all have a role to play in combating disinformation by educating themselves, verifying information, seeking reliable sources, and applying critical thinking before sharing content.
