INFODEMIA IN WORLD POLITICS: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

ABSTRACT

The article examines the phenomenon of infodemia in global politics, where social media play a key role in disseminating an excessive flow of information containing both reliable and false data. The aim of the study is to identify the mechanisms by which social media contribute to the development of infodemia, including the influence of platform algorithms, as well as the activity of bots and trolls that increase information chaos. Special attention is paid to the analysis of approaches to regulating the information space, undertaken by both platforms themselves and state institutions.

АННОТАЦИЯ

В статье рассматривается феномен инфодемии в мировой политике, где социальные медиа играют ключевую роль в распространении избыточного потока информации, содержащего как достоверные, так и ложные данные. Цель исследования – выявить механизмы, посредством которых социальные медиа способствуют развитию инфодемии, включая влияние алгоритмов платформ, а также активность ботов и троллей, усиливающих информационный хаос. Особое внимание уделено анализу подходов к регулированию информационного пространства, предпринимаемых как самими платформами, так и государственными институтами.

Keywords: infodemia, social media, world politics, artificial intelligence, disinformation, presidential election

Ключевые слова: инфодемия, социальные медиа, мировая политика, искусственный интеллект, дезинформация, президентские выборы

Introduction

Social media have transformed mass communication, changing the traditional forms of interaction in world politics. However, along with their obvious advantages, their use has become one of the reasons for the growth of infodemia, a phenomenon associated with the rapid dissemination of inaccurate or false information. This phenomenon undermines trust in official sources, provokes social conflicts and threatens social stability. In times of crisis, when it is especially important to have access to verified data, the impact of infodemics becomes highly destructive. Key issues include the role of social media platforms' algorithms in spreading misinformation, the impact of various factors on the intensification of information chaos, and measures to regulate the digital information space.

Social media as a catalyst for infodemia

These days, social media is an essential component of the information ecology. They are used in every aspect of life, including politics, economics, health care, and private conversations. Social media has become a key medium for the propagation of infodemics, despite its benefits, which include immediate knowledge distribution and public accessibility. This problem is the widespread and frequently rapid spread of false or skewed information that has the potential to seriously impair society.

Social media's capacity to swiftly disseminate information to a worldwide audience is one of the main characteristics that makes it an effective medium for infodemics. A news article or remark posted on social media can instantaneously reach millions of users. "Instantaneousness" refers to the ability of the social internet to redistribute information that has traveled through one location to thousands or even millions of other locations [1]. False information, such rumors about safety or health, consequently travels over great distances in a couple of minutes.

On social media, every user can become a content source, in contrast to traditional media, which has editorial standards and processes for confirming material. Text, photos, videos, and music can all be created and published on platforms like Facebook*, Instagram*, TikTok, and Twitter* without undergoing any sort of vetting or authentication. This implies that anyone can disseminate information that isn't always checked for truth, regardless of their background or goals.

Psychological processes known as "echo chambers" and "information bubbles" contribute to the infodemic effect on social media [2]. These ideas clarify how people tend to ignore opposing viewpoints in favor of content that supports their own, based on their personal preferences and opinions. Social media algorithms that analyze user activity frequently choose and display content that confirms or validates users' preexisting opinions.

Mechanisms of infodemic transmission

It is possible to see the mechanics of infodemic propagation via social media as a multifaceted process that incorporates human factors, algorithms, and technology. Social media's influence is mostly determined by the way information is shared, who disseminates it, and how the audience interprets it.

Use of bots and trolls is one of the most important and covert ways that infodemia is transmitted. By giving the appearance of widespread support for particular beliefs or viewpoints, these automated or fraudulent accounts have the potential to greatly speed up the dissemination of misleading information.

Programs known as "bots" are capable of publishing, commenting, and sharing content automatically without the need for human participation [3]. By disseminating information quickly and frequently, they contribute significantly to the visibility of manipulation and incorrect information.

Users that intentionally disseminate inaccurate or skewed content in an effort to sway public opinion, stir up controversy, or deepen polarization are known as trolls. Trolls can be controlled by automated methods or by hand.

The psychological aspects of how people perceive content on social media are crucial to the development of infodemia. People are more likely to believe and spread information that supports their personal opinions. Confirmation bias is the term used to describe people's propensity to overlook or reject information that contradicts their preexisting ideas while actively seeking out, interpreting, and remembering information that supports them.

This effect is made worse on social media by information bubbles and echo chambers. An echo chamber is a setting where individuals only hear and discuss information that supports their perspective. Because of their algorithms, social media sites like Facebook* and Twitter* frequently cause users to become isolated in "bubbles" where they only see content that supports their beliefs or worldview.

One of the most effective techniques for producing phony audio and video that is difficult to tell apart from the genuine thing is deepfake, a modern technology. These technologies modify sound, movement, and visuals using artificial intelligence to produce convincing fakes that have the power to incite fear and change public opinion.

Deepfake can be used to produce fake videos that, for instance, purport to show a public figure or politician making a shocking statement that was never said [4]. These videos proliferated on social media, eroding confidence in the actual videos and creating mistrust of information sources.

A further instance of the exploitation of false information for political ends was the 2024 U.S. presidential election. This procedure showed how social media may exacerbate societal differences and have a significant impact on public opinion.

Social media platforms like Telegram and X (previously Twitter) were heavily utilized to disseminate misleading information during the pre-election period. The focus was specifically on X: researchers claim that algorithms were designed to favor postings with a certain political bent. This resulted in reworded and frequently manipulative posts that amplified popular narratives.

For the first time, artificial intelligence (AI) tools were being actively employed to produce fakes, such as texts and pictures that disparaged politicians. For instance, a phony film purporting to show an alleged immigrant casting several ballots went viral [5].

To foster mistrust, fabricated claims of "voter fraud" and voting machine issues were aggressively spread. Although the U.S. security agencies itself reported that the electoral infrastructure was more safeguarded than in prior years, this had an impact on opinions regarding the election's legality.

Regulation of infodemia in social media

In order to fight infodemia, contemporary social media is aggressively implementing technological techniques. Among these methods are:

1. Content filtering algorithms. Text, graphic, and video content are analyzed by programs that look for signs of disinformation, such as emotionally driven headlines, dubious sources, or facts that deviate from confirmed data.
2. Artificial Intelligence. Large volumes of data are used to train AI to identify and flag false information and to evaluate sources according to their reliability.
3. User alerts that are automated. Based on information from partner fact-checking organizations, social media platforms like Facebook* and Instagram* start to notify users when a post contains content that is controversial or inaccurate.

Even highly advanced algorithms, however, frequently have drawbacks. For example, they may mistakenly label or block accurate information (false positives). Also, alerts are not always interpreted by users as a cue to double-check information. Additionally, disseminators of false information swiftly adjust by producing content that gets past filters.

Fact-checking is becoming a crucial component of any counter-infodemic effort. Organizations devoted to verifying information published online include PolitiFact and Snopes. Among their techniques are:

• examining information from its original sources.
• contrasting claims with official data or professional judgment.
• dissecting and publishing arguments against manipulatives.

States seek to implement legal mechanisms to combat disinformation:

• Germany. The Net Protection Act (NetzDG) requires social platforms to promptly remove unlawful content, including misinformation, and provides for significant fines for non-compliance [6].
• Singapore. The Protection Against Fake News and Online Manipulation Act (POFMA) allows the government to require the correction or removal of false information [7].
• Kazakhstan. In recent years, Kazakhstan has also strengthened measures to regulate misinformation on the Internet. Article 274 has been added to the country's Criminal Code to penalize the dissemination of knowingly false information that may harm public order or security [8].

User education is becoming a long-term strategy in the fight against infodemia. Main areas of focus:

• Training in critical thinking. Courses and training help people to recognize manipulative techniques, analyze information sources and check their reliability.
• Programs for youth. Schools and universities introduce digital literacy modules that teach informed content consumption.
• International initiatives. For example, UNESCO promotes Media and Information Literacy (MIL) programs, and the EU is developing platforms to educate citizens on the basics of information security [9].

The results of educational programs are slow to emerge, but they produce sustainable results, helping to build societal resilience to misinformation and manipulation.

Conclusion

Social media has become a powerful tool for disseminating information, but its use comes with serious risks. Infodemia undermines trust in institutions, increases social polarization and creates security threats. Effective counteraction to infodemia requires a comprehensive approach that includes technological, legislative and educational measures. Only the joint efforts of government agencies, social platforms and society will make it possible to minimize the consequences of this phenomenon.

In order to improve critical thinking and the capacity to withstand deception, particular focus should be given to raising media literacy among the populace. The growth of international collaboration in controlling information flows and exchanging best practices is a crucial first step. The only way to overcome the obstacles presented by infodemia is to promote a global culture of responsibility in the digital sphere, where upholding a sustainable information environment and defending citizens' rights are given top priority.

* a social network banned on the territory of the Russian Federation, as a product of the Meta organization, recognized as extremist - ed.

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