The Impact of Algorithms on Public Opinion: Disinformation, Social Media Use and Generative Artificial Intelligence

Dear Colleagues,

Although not a phenomenon exclusive to our time, disinformation has been a focal point in communication research since 2016. Scholars and analysts such as Graves (2016), D'Ancona (2017), McIntyre (2018), and McNair (2018), among others, have concentrated their efforts on understanding the causes, motivations, dissemination processes, and the political, economic, cultural, and social implications of fake news. This Special Issue represents one of the greatest challenges that the media system and society at large must face today, especially during crises, emergencies, or electoral periods (García-Marín et al., 2023).

Simultaneously, social media has radically transformed the way information is distributed and consumed in contemporary society. The ease with which unverified content can be shared on these platforms has led to the spread of erroneous information, which can have serious consequences for public opinion and decision-making.

Moreover, social media algorithms tend to create filter bubbles, where users are primarily exposed to content that reinforces their preexisting beliefs. This can limit access to balanced information and foster social polarization.

This situation has been exacerbated by the popularization of generative AI, a technology capable of significantly impacting disinformation campaigns across four distinct dimensions: (1) the generation of false content, (2) its amplification and viralization, (3) the personalization of disinformative narratives, and (4) the detection and verification of such false information.

This Special Issue aims to gather theoretical or empirical works on the convergence between social media, disinformation, and generative AI in order to reflect on the impact algorithms have on social representations of reality and the formation of public opinion.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Social media, algorithms, and public opinion.
• Use of generative artificial intelligence for the production of false content.
• Potential of artificial intelligence to combat disinformation.
• Automated fact-checking.
• Algorithms, disinformation, and polarization.

References

D'Ancona, M. (2017). Post-Truth. The new war on truth and how to fight back. Ebury Press.

García-Marín, D., Rubio-Jordán, A. V. y Salvat-Martinrey, G. (2023). Chequeando al fact-checker. Prácticas de verificación política y sesgos partidistas en Newtral (España). Revista de Comunicación, 22(2), 207–223. https://doi.org/10.26441/RC22.2-2023-3184.

Graves, L. (2016). Deciding what ́s true. The rise of political fact-checking in American journalism. Columbia University.

Mclntyre, L. (2018). Post-Truth. MIT Press.

McNair, B. (2018). Fake news. Falsehood, fabrication and fantasy in journalism. Routledge.

Prof. Dr. David García-Marín
Guest Editor

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• artificial intelligence
• algorithms
• disinformation
• public opinion
• social media
• generative artificial intelligence
• polarization