Digital manipulation
The public forum has been fundamentally changed. That which begins as a Tweet or a post practically leads to violence, and has a direct influence on voting results. A veritable information war has started, one that is dividing our society and throwing into doubt the reliability of our democratic institutions. The issue is voices, not facts. Populists and extremists need a story: with victims and perpetrators, clear-cut enemies and heroes. The echo effect and opinion spaces on the internet function as biotopes for these groups. For almost two years, Ute Schaeffer accessed and operated undercover within these spaces. She describes the players behind the campaigns, analyzes the stories, and describes the way in which the internet’s functionality intensifies the effectiveness of propaganda messages.
- Uncovered: the mechanisms and players behind the fake news that manipulate public meaning
- Fascinating research in the abyss of the digital world
