South Africa: How to Rapidly Combat Digital Harms and Cybersecurity Threats
This week we look at speed as a factor of combating disinformation. We then look at disinformation as an issue of cybersecurity.
Week 40: Acting on disinformation peddlers
Disinformation spreads incredibly fast, and much faster than truth. It destroys democracy and causes public harm - and does so super speedily and efficiently. There are a number of evolving strategies, many of which we have written about previously, to help combat disinformation. These range from counter narratives and disseminating quality, accurate content to shutting down services, removing accounts and downgrading posts so fewer people see them.
An issue we haven't really dealt with is speed.
Addressing issues at speed generally runs counter to quality, accuracy, justice and fairness. Each of those aspects require time for consideration, context and listening, but social media platforms depend on the now. Go off them for a few hours and you can never catch up, nor will you have an inkling of all the content you've missed.
People go to social media for the latest news and information. If you are making it up, it doesn't really matter. All you need is to poke and stoke normally negative emotions, mix with a few grains of truth,...
Gloss