U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that with more than half the world’s countries holding elections this year, new technologies including social media and artificial intelligence are making disinformation a greater threat than ever.
Speaking at the third Democratic Summit in Seoul on Monday, Blinken added that while these technologies have greatly accelerated an already rapidly changing information environment, they have also “created fuel for disinformation, fueled polarization, and exacerbated There’s a general sense of confusion.” Understand the world around them. “
Blinken said disinformation has prevented millions of people from getting vaccinated during the COVID-19 pandemic, “sometimes with deadly consequences.” He said climate change was another example of disinformation leading to delayed action in a crisis.
As the number of elections held around the world continues to increase, Blinken called 2024 an “unusual election year for every country” but warned that citizens and candidates will be faced with “a deluge of lies that will stifle serious civil debate.”
He said opponents of democracy are using disinformation to sow cynicism and instability and exploit divisions within democracies.
“Piting one group against another. Discrediting our institutions,” Blinken said.
The secretary pointed to a 2023 State Department report saying China has spent billions of dollars on propaganda and suppressing Western news media.
He cited examples of China’s purchase of African television platforms, which excluded international news channels from subscription packages, and its covert purchases of Southeast Asian media companies, which then flooded the country with pro-China news.
He said Russia has used similar tactics to “launder” Russian media content through Latin American channels to undermine global support for Ukraine.
“By discovering and publicizing these influence operations, we enable other governments, the media, civil society to track and stop them,” Blinken said. He said the United States is trying to use diplomacy to promote common principles and align with allies to counteract them. Media manipulation by foreign adversaries.
In his speech, Blinken also emphasized the need for governments to safeguard media freedom and the safety of journalists online and offline, as an independent and empowered media is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy.
The Democracy Summit launched by the United States in 2021 aims to promote democratic values and demonstrate how democracies can better serve their people.
A statement on the website of the U.S. State Department stated that more than 70 countries have signed the Summit’s Declaration of Democracy.
Information for this report was provided in part by The Associated Press, Reuters and AFP.
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