Key Points
From New York to Texas, the pro-Palestinian protests sweeping U.S. colleges have become a flashpoint for viral disinformation, from falsely attributed “Jewish genocide” chants to debunked claims of Hamas presence. With the tenor of allegations reaching a fever pitch, it offers a stark reminder of how disinformation thrives at the intersection of fierce emotions and polarized politics, threatening to drown out nuance, facts, and good-faith dialogue when they are needed most.
The Urgency of Tackling Disinformation
Disinformation has long played a role in global events. Technological change and increasingly global communications have made the deliberate spread of inaccurate information faster and more impactful. With the birth of AI, disinformation has entered a new era, rendering it critical to teach students how to question sources, spot fakes and be discerning consumers of news, social media, and information.
The Impact of AI on Disinformation
AI has dramatically complicated the information landscape by rapidly generating and amplifying deceptive narratives, deepfakes, and AI-generated visuals, drawing concern from global leaders as a major emerging challenge. The World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risks Report, which surveyed experts from academia, business, government, the international community, and civil society, named misinformation and disinformation from AI as the top global risk over the next two years–ahead of climate change and war.
How and Where Disinformation Can Take Place
Disinformation can show up anywhere, but it thrives on stories that appeal to emotions. Election issues and partisan politics are a prime example. During the pandemic, COVID-19 disinformation narratives, spanning the bizarre claims that the disease is spread by 5G and other conspiracies, spread faster than the virus itself–thanks to digital technology.
Engaging with Disinformation and AI as Teachable Moments
Disinformation can be rectified through fact checking, but in many cases, a false story has already done its damage before it is corrected. Another strategy is ‘prebunking,’ a technique gaining momentum that helps to build preemptive resilience to misinformation.
Bringing the Study of Disinformation to the Classroom
What we know about the world ultimately informs how we approach disinformation and deception. Today’s students need a cross-disciplinary approach that starts early, so the foundations of critical thinking and information literacy are instilled at a young age and stick with them as they grow and mature.
Conclusion
There is no denying the impact of disinformation and the stronghold it is having on political processes around the world. We will doubtless see the use of disinformation throughout 2024 U.S. presidential election battle, but a concerted effort on developing greater critical thinking can help alleviate the impact. By becoming more knowledgeable about what disinformation is, as well as different countries, cultures, and subjects, we can better navigate the array of disinformation scenarios in the digital world and foster a questioning mindset.
FAQs
Q: What is disinformation?
A: Disinformation is the intentional spread of false or misleading information, often for political or financial gain.
Q: How does AI contribute to disinformation?
A: AI has dramatically complicated the information landscape by rapidly generating and amplifying deceptive narratives, deepfakes, and AI-generated visuals.
Q: Why is it important to teach students about disinformation?
A: It is critical to teach students how to question sources, spot fakes and be discerning consumers of news, social media, and information, as they will be increasingly exposed to disinformation in their daily lives.
Q: How can we combat the spread of disinformation?
A: We can combat the spread of disinformation by encouraging and teaching more critical thinking, especially about AI, algorithms, and deception, and the value of greater subject matter knowledge.
