DeepSummary
The podcast episode discusses the issues of misinformation and disinformation, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Maitali Jain, an international human rights lawyer and Legal Director at Avaaz, explains the distinction between misinformation and disinformation, with the latter involving intentional deception and potential for public harm. She discusses the role of coordinated networks and influencers in spreading disinformation on social media platforms, highlighting examples from the US elections and public health issues.
Jain emphasizes the complexity of these networks, which often operate across borders and can be affiliated with political or commercial interests. She also touches on the monetization aspect, where some pages and groups promote products or misinformation for financial gain. The role of algorithms in amplifying and recommending such content is also discussed, with Jain suggesting the need for third-party audits and transparency from platforms.
The conversation also explores the challenges in defining and regulating misinformation and disinformation, considering the tensions with freedom of expression. Jain advocates for a framework that emphasizes the right to form opinions freely based on reliable information, rather than solely focusing on the freedom of speech argument.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Misinformation and disinformation are distinct concepts, with disinformation involving intentional deception and potential for public harm.
- Coordinated networks and influencers play a significant role in spreading disinformation on social media platforms.
- Some disinformation networks monetize their activities by promoting products or misinformation for financial gain.
- Social media algorithms can amplify and recommend disinformation content, contributing to its spread.
- There is a need for third-party audits and transparency from social media platforms to address the issue of misinformation and disinformation.
- Reframing the issue beyond just freedom of speech to emphasize the right to form opinions based on reliable information could lead to a different approach in advocating for change.
- Platforms should redesign their algorithms to prioritize values over metrics, promoting reliable information rather than optimizing for engagement.
- Balancing the need for regulation with the preservation of freedom of expression is a challenge that needs to be addressed.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Because, again, we're seeing, we're seeing a move away from posting right wing influencers, for example, from posting content, to really developing these highly networked kind of ecosystems of influencers.“ by Maitali Jain
- “I think if we were to kind of step back temporally and look at the freedom to kind of even go into that forum internum and to think about how we form, formulate our thoughts, how we formulate our opinions, how we receive information, digest and process information to arrive at those opinions, I think it would take us to a completely different space in terms of advocacy with the platforms.“ by Maitali Jain
- “And, you know, we also need to think about how platforms can redesign their algorithms in a way that actually promotes values over metrics. And those are conversations I think that we have yet to have.“ by Maitali Jain
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Episode Information
Better Human Podcast
Adam Wagner
1/13/21
This week's guest is Meetali Jain, an international human rights lawyer and Legal Director at Avaaz. We discuss what disinformation is, how it spreads and whether it can be stopped.
This podcast is the first in a mini-series co-hosted with Susie Alegre, international human rights barrister, Associate at Doughty Street Chambers and Research Fellow at the University of Roehampton. We are grateful to the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media for a grant through their Spotlight on AI and Freedom of Expression (#SAIFE) project to support this series.
For more resources and show notes go to www.beterhumanpodcast.com