Populism, Disinformation, and Extremism
Populism, Disinformation, and Extremism
Populism, Disinformation, and Extremism
The issue of populism, disinformation, and extremism is a complicated one. Although unique in many ways, the three topics are interconnected by one crucial factor- that all have become more influential and more of a threat to global security as a result of the internet.
Disinformation is deepening party divisions and endangering the fundamental foundations of democracies all over the world such as faith in institutions, a free media, civil society, and trust in free and fair elections. Disinformation also erodes public trust in scientific knowledge and public health institutions, both of which are critical components in addressing public health threats.
Populism jeopardizes democratic processes, economic globalization, and international institutions, undermining the post-Cold War liberal international order. Populist leadership and political disputes are becoming more common, propelled by nationalistic attitudes, regional values and ideals, and economic upheaval, which poses a clear threat to international security.
Extremism, fueled by social media, is one of the most pressing concerns in the world today. It has become less expensive, simpler, faster, and more effective for extremist individuals or groups to recruit, train and communicate with their supporters and donors via social media platforms.
Disinformation
Online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, and YouTube are now widely used to spread news and information. Yet misinformation and disinformation pose a growing danger to the legitimacy of these services, blurring the lines between fact and fiction, threatening to undermine their credibility. Internet fact-checking and other rules and regulations are lacking, and public trust in these organizations is fast eroding. Spreading false or misleading information has become less costly, faster, and more impactful thanks to the internet; but it has also made it more difficult to regulate and measure. Thus, global stability and security are at risk due to the spread of false or misleading information and the ensuing distrust.
Both misinformation and disinformation are dangerous, however it is important to distinguish between the two concepts. The term "misinformation" refers to incorrect or misleading information that is thought to be accurate. Disinformation is defined as the purposeful dissemination of misleading information in order to promote a particular agenda. Disinformation is quickly and dangerously becoming a common strategy for achieving political aims.
According to the Organization for World Peace, disinformation has been present in almost every major election conducted in the past few years. In addition, several governments have been accused of spreading false information in order to exploit societal tensions and sow instability in other nations. Because disinformation frequently goes unnoticed and unreported, several internet platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, have enacted tougher regulations to prevent it, but the dispute between censorship vs free speech complicates these efforts.
The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) has reported that the establishment of media pages supporting or opposing specific politicians, as well as those masquerading as real news organizations, are common techniques employed by parties attempting to propagate disinformation. Most people aren't aware that the information they're being fed is significantly skewed, inaccurate, and designed to sway political results. This means that, as reported by the American Security Project, individuals and institutions may be influenced by disinformation to perform acts that benefit their adversaries while jeopardizing their own and their allies' security. Disinformation may also deceive the public, leading to actions that are harmful to public health and safety, or even actions against the government. A misled public can also put pressure on policymakers to make choices based on inaccurate data. Disinformation is so successful in part because it can be transmitted through any means of media and communication. As a result, disinformation comes in a variety of forms and is frequently difficult to spot.
Populism
Populism is harmful because it exacerbates political division, making democratic processes difficult to run smoothly. Tolerance for abuses of power and the compromise of democratic values increases as countries become more divided. In other words, the division that populism fosters raises the likelihood of the deterioration of democracy. In addition, populism incites xenophobic enmity. As far as the economy is concerned, populism poses a problem because populists are generally opposed to economic globalization and devalue economic interdependence. Populists frequently show little regard for international institutions, which impedes international cooperation and collective action.
Experts have argued that the economic consequences of globalization have exacerbated the nationalistic attitudes shown by the current trends in populism. In addition, political discontent with the status quo has contributed to the success of populism as people feel themselves being underrepresented. Political communication in a populist manner leads to increased animosity and anxiety inside a nation and toward foreign nations. In both political and economic terms, populists represent a challenge to existing international institutions as populist leaders tend to mistrust international institutions and often employ tactics to undermine these instutitions.
International institutions will be unable to function as an arbitrator between nations if their relevance continues to diminish as a result of populist pressure. Due to the increased potential of kinetic conflict if hostile countries face each other directly, global security is put at risk. As reported in the Open Journal of Political Science, without multilateralism, the populist-favored bilateral negotiations would be more power-based than rule-based, benefitting the major countries disproportionately. Therefore, economically disadvantaged parts of the country stand to lose enormously. This might lead to nationalism, resentment and perhaps even extremism. In summary, populism undermines international organizations' core functions, such as supporting human rights and combatting climate change. These organizations' demise would impede their attempts to guarantee peace and security for future generations.
Extremism
In the radicalization and mobilizing of extremist individuals and organizations, technological means of communication, social media platforms in particular, play a particularly significant role. According to the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) database, in recent years, the number of individuals relying on social media for the dissemination of extremist content and the facilitation of extremist relationships has grown exponentially. In fact, in 2016 alone, social media played a role in the radicalization processes of nearly 90% of the extremists.
As stated in a report by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, extremists have changed their methods over the past couple of years in response to changing Internet trends in general, and this change of strategy offers potential benefits. While niche websites are still used to attract specific individuals, popular channels such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are more frequently utilized to reach a wider audience. This permits extremist organizations to continue to connect, motivate, and radicalize their traditional supporters, while growing their network of sympathizers. Additionally, extremists are able to engage viewers in real-time.
Extremist communications combine ideological, political, religious, and social narratives that typically transmit one-dimensional views of the world and aim to de-humanize the perceived enemy. The internet aid in this by providing security and anonmity, and now, ideas travel as readily as they change. As a result, extreme beliefs are less susceptible to the physical and geographic constraints that tend to drive movements towards moderation. Extremist views now spread more quickly than ever before. In addition, the internet can essentialy function as a "echo chamber" for radical views; in other words, the internet more easily reinforces existing views than real-life interactions.
Concerning global security, violence and instability will continue to be driven by extremist narratives. The use of the Internet to further extremist agendas disregards national borders, amplifying the potential impact on victims. Extremism is thus a transnational problem, requiring an integrated response across borders and among nations. The United Nations and other international agencies have recognized need for combating extremism, especially online, as a crucial element of a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy. Governments throughout the world must work together to mitigate the use of the internet as a tool for terrorist recruiting, distributing information and resources, and spreading propaganda.
