Disinformation, social media, bots, and astroturfing: the fourth wave of digital democracy

 

Profesional de la Información, Vol. 30 Núm. 6 (2021): Democracia https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2021.nov.03

Autor: García- Orosa, Berta; Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Facultad de Ciencias de la Comunicación, España; berta.garcia@usc.es; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6126-7401

Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Astroturfing, Automation, Bots, Covid-19, Big data, Democracy, Algorithms, Disinformation, Election campaigns, Political communication, Hoaxes, Fake news.

Abstract: This article reflects on the conceptualization and the salient features of the ecology of e-democracy. The authors identify four distinct waves marked by technological innovations and studied under the control-participation dichotomy. In the first wave, during the 1990s, political actors begin to establish their online presence but without any other notable changes in communication. The second wave takes place from 2004 to 2008 and features the consolidation of social networks and the increasing commodification of audience engagement. The third wave begins to take shape during Obama´s 2008 election campaign, which featured micro-segmentation and the use of big data. The fourth wave, starting in 2016 with the Brexit campaign and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, has been defined by the front and center use of Artificial Intelligence. Some recent phenomena that challenge or buttress the make-up of critical public opinion are the following: a) digital platforms as political actors; b) the marked use of Artificial Intelligence and big data; c) the use of falsehoods as a political strategy, as well as other fake news and deep fake phenomena; d) the combination of hyperlocal and supranational issues; e) technological determinism; f) the search for audience engagement and co-production processes; and g) trends that threaten democracy, to wit, the polarization of opinions, astroturfing, echo chambers and bubble filters. Finally, the authors identify several challenges in research, pedagogy and politics that could strengthen democratic values, and conclude that democracy needs to be reimagined both under new research and political action frameworks, as well as through the creation of a social imaginary on democracy.

Idioma: Original Inglés (documento disponible para descarga en español)

Publicación: 28 de octubre del 2021. 

Volumen: Profesional de la Información, Vol. 30 Núm. 6 (2021): Democracia.

Enlace Permanente

Impacto de la Inteligencia Artificial en el Periodismo: transformaciones en la empresa, los productos, los contenidos y el perfil profesional.

Communication & Society, 2021, Vol.34 (1), p.177-193. https://www.doi.org/10.15581/003.34.1.177-193  

Autor: 

1. Túñez-López, José-Miguel; Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, España; miguel.tunez@usc.es; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5036-9143
2. Fieiras-Ceide, César; Universidad de Santiago de Compostela; cesar.fieiras@rai.usc.es; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5606-3236
3. Vaz-Álvarez, Martín; Universidad de Santiago de Compostela; martin.vaz.alvarez@usc.es; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4848-9795

Keywords: Automation, journalism, artificial intelligence, professional profile, public Media, fake news. 

Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most promising innovation frameworks with the potential to transform our relationship with technology. Particularly in journalism, AI is beginning to make its way transversally into the news production process and into the structure and functioning of the media. This article aims to anticipate how AI will impact on the Spanish media ecosystem and explain the medium-term transformations that are already being felt. The research approach is of an exploratory and descriptive nature, with a qualitative methodology based on Delphi-like in-depth interviews, encompassing an intentional sample of academic representatives, relevant associations and leading companies in the field of technology and communication. The results point out that AI will allow the extension of the current automated text news to audio and video on demand, it will favour that news can have a non-linear unstructured consumption, it will promote changes in the business model through new ways of relating with the audience and distribution of the product. Also, variations in the professional profile with a less operative journalist who will avoid routines –even of personal nature– that can be imitated by the machine and increase its cognitive contribution to the news production.

Idioma: Inglés. 

Publicación: 12 de enero 2021.

Volumen: Communication & Society, Vol 34 No 1.  

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