Future Shocks 2023

The democratic information sphere is under threat from strategic and systemic forces, including foreign and domestic anti-democratic actors, technology companies driven by profit, and a struggling media landscape. These forces erode the online public space for debate, promote divisive content, and undermine traditional media, impacting democratic decision-making and fueling political extremism.

(Generated with the help of GPT-4)

Quick Facts
Report location: source
Language: English
Publisher: European Parliamentary Research Service, European Parliament
Authors: Agnieszka Widuto., Alex Wilson, Clément Evroux, Guillaume Ragonnaud, Issam Hallak, Jurgita Lekaviciute, Liselotte Jensen, Marcin Szczepanski, Martin Höflmayr, Tambiama Madiega, Ulrich Jochheim, Virginia Mahieu, Zsolt Pataki, Naja Bentzen
Page count: 235 pages

Methods

Strategic and systemic threats to the democratic information sphere include the spread of misinformation and disinformation, the weaponization of information by authoritarian states, and the erosion of traditional media by profit-driven technology companies. These threats undermine the integrity of democratic debate and decision-making processes, fuel political extremism, and challenge the EU's efforts to maintain a healthy democratic environment.

(Generated with the help of GPT-4)

Key Insights

The democratic information sphere faces strategic and systemic threats from foreign and domestic anti-democratic actors, profit-driven technology companies, and a struggling media landscape. These forces erode the online public space for debate, promote divisive content, and undermine traditional media, impacting democratic decision-making and fueling political extremism. The rise of misinformation, the battle of narratives, and the weaponization of information by authoritarian states exacerbate these threats. The EU's response includes regulatory measures like the Digital Services Act and efforts to promote media literacy and support quality journalism.

(Generated with the help of GPT-4)

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