Combating misinformation

The federal government’s proposed laws to curb rampant mis- and disinformation on social media need to have clearer definitions – and include the growing menace of mass produced, AI generated lies.

No anarchy in the UK

A combination of better AI generated images, complicit social media platforms, hostile state actors and ‘post-truth’ politics threatens democracies around the world, but had little influence on Britain’s recent election.

Tackling Pacific misinformation

There needs to be stronger communications between governments and media across the Pacific to reduce the spread of misinformation.

Set a thief to catch a thief

Large language models are notorious for their ability to pump out nonsense, and are already being used by hostile states to generate poisonous propaganda, but the solution to the problems caused by AI could be more AI as well.

Can AI speak up for science?

AI tools are already being widely used in science. But can they, and the science they help produce, be trusted?

Navigating the minefield of misinformation

We’re bombarded with misinformation by criminal scammers, foreign governments and ideological zealots, but we can make it easier to identify and avoid by being aware of our own biases and emotions.

Don’t blame the west for Russia’s war

Russian propagandists and anti-western agitators will blame anyone and anything except the greed and brutality of Vladimir Putin for Russia’s disastrous invasion of Ukraine.

Talking together

The fight against misinformation and disinformation must be combined with rebuilding trust in public institutions, parliaments, governments, the courts, the media and the police and create a more cohesive and less polarised society.

Countering the conspiracy mongers

Trying to shut down conspiracy theories with laws and regulation isn’t working so it may be time to try something different.

Cutting through the noise

Education must play a role in helping the population of democratic nations like Australia sort through the noise on social media and find proper sources of reliable information online.

Trumping truth with lies

Conspiratorial content spread on social media platforms during the first Republican presidential debate garnered more than three million views according to QUT researchers who also found that X (formerly Twitter) is a haven for disinformation, especially in spreading the debunked theory that Donald Trump won the 2020 election.

Tackling misinformation through co-regulation

Australia’s new approach to tackling fake news on digital platforms involves more stick and less carrot than previously.