The year 2024 has emerged as one of the most politically charged in recent memory, marked by a whirlwind of electoral events across the globe. From presidential and parliamentary contests to Senate races and other critical elections, the global political stage is bustling with activity. Amid this electoral frenzy, the spread of misinformation has become an increasingly pressing concern, amplified by both traditional and digital media platforms. Social media giants like Facebook, X, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok have played a significant role in shaping voter perceptions. Millions of users now rely on advanced artificial intelligence tools, raising alarms about their potential to sway election outcomes. These tools influence voter behavior not only during the polling process but also in the trust voters place in information regarding election dates, polling stations, and candidate profiles.
Throughout this year, Misbar team has focused on analyzing the impact of misinformation on election processes worldwide. Their work has highlighted the role of artificial intelligence in shaping election outcomes, emphasizing the crucial impact of social media in amplifying the spread of false and misleading information.
In a related development, the Brookings Institution, a leading U.S. think tank on social sciences, published a report on November 7, 2024, examining the impact of misinformation on U.S. elections. The report specifically addressed false claims about the performance of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden’s administration, particularly on issues like irregular migration and inflation rates. These allegations, despite being proven false, were found to have influenced the election results in favor of Donald Trump.
Think Tank Links U.S. Presidential Election Results to Misinformation’s Influence
The report attributes Donald Trump’s and the Republicans' victories in the presidential and congressional elections to a media strategy that focused on voter concerns about inflation, border security, and cultural issues related to race, gender, and sexuality. It argues that this messaging created a perception that President Joe Biden and the country were heading in the wrong direction.
Moreover, the report emphasizes that voters' harsh judgments on issues like inflation and immigration negatively influenced their views of former presidential candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris, while strengthening support for Trump and his rhetoric.
It highlights the crucial role misinformation has played in shaping voter perceptions of the candidates, influencing their views on leadership performance, and generating widespread media attention.
In the U.S. presidential campaigns, a series of outrageous claims have emerged, further fueling the spread of misinformation. These include bizarre accusations, such as undocumented immigrants allegedly eating cats and dogs, disaster relief funds being redirected to migrants, and fabricated images of Vice President Kamala Harris in a swimsuit allegedly embracing convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein. Another false narrative wrongly connected Harris’s supposed deputy, Tim Walz, to a series of scandals, highlighting the extent to which misinformation has infiltrated political discourse.
Misinformation is not limited to domestic sources alone. The author argues that false and misleading content can also originate from foreign entities. One notable example is a video that circulated showing an individual claiming to be a Haitian man. In the video, he stated that he had just arrived in the U.S. and voted in two Georgia counties, Gwinnett and Fulton. However, it was later revealed that the video was fabricated and filmed in Russia, highlighting the role of foreign actors in spreading false narratives aimed at undermining public trust in the electoral process.
Repeated Dissemination of Misinformation Amplifies Its Impact on Voter Decisions
The Brookings report goes on to explain that these efforts, among others, were successful in shaping the campaign narrative because they spread widely across social media platforms. They were promoted through memes, published by major mainstream media outlets, circulated by influential online figures, and broadcast by leading candidates during rallies, debates, and interviews. This is particularly significant in light of the growing decline in public trust toward news reporters and traditional media, as well as the ease with which new artificial intelligence tools can create and disseminate false images, videos, and narratives across various social media networks.
Survey data underscores the significant influence of false claims on voter perceptions of candidates and their positions on key issues such as the economy, immigration, and crime. Misinformation also shaped how the media covered the campaign, reinforcing misleading narratives.
On the issues of immigration and border security, Donald Trump, former candidate and 2024 presidential winner, continued to amplify claims of "hordes" of migrants overwhelming the southern border. He portrayed these migrants as unfairly consuming limited public resources and posing a growing threat to public safety through an influx of serious criminal activity.
Despite official U.S. Border Administration statistics consistently debunking these false claims, dissenting views on Vice President Kamala Harris's handling of border security remained prevalent. Fact-checkers who investigated these allegations found that the claim of 10 million migrants crossing the border and being released after arrest was both misleading and unfounded. In reality, arrest and release rates have decreased under President Biden's administration, aligning more closely with the rates seen during the Trump era, contradicting the claims circulated by misinformation.
Crime statistics also contradict Trump's narrative. According to the National Institute of Justice, native-born Americans committed crimes at a higher rate than migrants. Native-born individuals committed approximately 1,100 crimes per 100,000 people, compared to 800 crimes by legal immigrants and 400 by undocumented immigrants. Despite these facts, Trump's false claims contributed to the perception that Vice President Kamala Harris was ineffective in addressing crime and immigration issues.
Similarly, when it comes to inflation and the economy, public opinion remained disproportionately negative, despite positive economic indicators. Surveys conducted in 2024 consistently reported grim views of the economy, even though actual inflation, unemployment, and GDP growth figures painted a much more favorable picture. European observers, puzzled by Americans' pessimism, noted in a report by The Economist on the eve of the general election that the U.S. economy was considered the "envy of the world." Nevertheless, this negative sentiment negatively impacted Harris’s approval ratings on economic matters.
Combating Misinformation: Social Media Platforms’ Role
The report advises the public to become more aware in upcoming political battles of how the current "information ecosystem" is rife with numerous promoted lies and distorted facts. These shape misguided perspectives on key societal issues for various voter blocs. This issue is particularly critical, given reports that millions of Americans knowingly spread false information.
The author argues that targeted policies must be developed to combat misleading content on social media platforms. This is especially urgent since many leading sites have become breeding grounds for rumors, misinformation, and outright lies. These falsehoods have spread widely, reaching millions of users. If this trend continues, distinguishing between fact and fiction will become increasingly difficult. Therefore, companies need to take stronger action in moderating and flagging misleading content.
The author warns that many individuals and organizations have financial incentives to spread lies and misinformation. Recent news reports indicate that some websites, newsletters, and digital platforms profit from subscriptions, advertisements, and the sale of goods. As long as spreading falsehoods remains profitable, effectively controlling the flood of misinformation currently plaguing our information ecosystem will be difficult.
Read More
Fake Videos Impersonating FBI Linked to Russian Disinformation Campaign Targeting U.S. Election
Black Voters Face Escalating Disinformation Campaigns Ahead of 2024 Election
