Report by Australian Human Rights Commission: “…finds synthetic media has become a low-cost and highly scalable tool for influencing public debate. It can be used to discredit political candidates, mislead voters and undermine confidence in elections. Its speed and reach make harmful content difficult to identify and stop before damage is done.
When people can no longer trust what they see and hear online, it becomes harder to make informed decisions, participate in public discussions and hold institutions to account.
‘Democracy depends on people having access to reliable information and being able to participate in public life free from manipulation and intimidation,’ Commissioner Finlay said.
‘Synthetic media can distort public debate and erode the shared understanding of facts that democratic decision-making relies on.’
The report also highlights how such content can amplify existing prejudice and discrimination. Women, LGBTIQA+ people, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and others have been targeted through harassment, humiliation and disinformation campaigns.
As synthetic media becomes easier to produce and distribute, its influence is increasingly shaped by online platforms and algorithms that determine what content people see…(More)”.
