In the super election year 2024, with the elections in France, UK, and India behind us, state elections in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg ahead of us as well as the world’s eyes on the US elections: What role do media and technology play? Are we facing massive disinformation, AI-deep fakes, and electoral manipulation? Or do media and technologies offer the opportunity to mobilise more voters and involving them in the democratic process through greater reach? And what is the important role that journalism can play in this? Let’s look behind these dynamics with our MediaTech & Journalism track, presented by Medieninnovationszentrum Babelsberg (MIZ).
We turn to India, where one of the largest elections in recorded history took place in April and May 2024, providing us with a case study on the use of artificial intelligence in politics. The campaigns of the major parties were filled with AI-generated content to reach as many people as possible. Not to mention the mass of fake videos that flooded the channels had the sole purpose of discrediting the candidates, without clarity on who made them.
From AI-generated Bollywood actors criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies without ever having spoken about him in real life, to deep fake videos of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi announcing his resignation and blaming himself for corruption, we saw manipulation attempts from all sides. However, the parties were also able to reach a wider audience by using AI to send personalised video messages to millions of potential voters.
However, in almost all cases, the use of artificial intelligence was not labelled. This prompted India’s Election Commission to warn political parties against using AI to spread misinformation, threatening heavy penalties.
This last election is just one case in the current developments. The US election could be a dubious candidate for the next great case study. In this super election year, with a total of 4.2 billion people eligible to vote, we’ve already seen elections in Russia, local elections in Turkey, and national elections in India, the UK, and France. From April to December, elections will be held in around 19 African countries. And now, we are heading into state elections in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg. We are faced with challenges and consequences, but also the opportunities that information technologies like AI bring with them.
In the face of global disinformation and increasing polarisation, journalism is dealing with a credibility crisis that is challenging the foundations of democracy. How can the use of advanced media technologies strengthen trust in the news and promote critical, well-informed public opinion? What can we expect from political communication around the world – and from the journalism that evaluates and categorises it for us?
The role of technological advancements in media and journalism, especially in the age of AI, is twofold: On one hand, new technologies promise enhanced possibilities for researching, fact-checking, producing, and distributing journalistic content. On the other hand, they challenge business models, trust, and the role of journalism as a gatekeeper of reliable information.
How can new technologies like AI be harnessed for positive change in media and journalism? How can journalists and media professionals benefit from recent technological progress while remaining aware of the risks and potential dangers? What kind of ethical guidelines, transparency standards, and regulatory frameworks are needed to ensure this?
On the first day of #MTHCON24, we have organised two promising sessions in collaboration with the Medieninnovationszentrum Babelsberg, focusing on the challenges of democracy and journalism in the age of MediaTech and the ethical issues of journalism and AI.
The MIZ (Media Innovation Center) Babelsberg is the ‚House of Innovations‘ for media and journalism in Berlin and Brandenburg. As part of the Media Authority of Berlin and Brandenburg (mabb), MIZ funds new solutions at the intersection of media and technology, brings innovations to media houses and publishers, and fosters discussions about the future of journalism.
Join us on the Horizon Stage for these sessions:
Democracy Under Fire: Journalism in the Era of AI
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM | Sep 25 2024 | Horizon Stage
This talk delves into the heart of the trust crisis facing today’s media, exploring how cutting-edge technologies such as AI and blockchain can help improve media literacy and offer promising paths to restoring integrity to journalism. Despite the challenges they pose for media reception and democratic opinion formation, these technologies can be harnessed for positive change. The speakers will unpack the roles of technological platforms in shaping public discourse, the importance of supporting quality journalism, and the urgent need for ethical standards in the era of clicks and engagement. Join us for a forward-looking discussion on harnessing technology and public discourse to navigate the challenges and opportunities for media in the AI age, ensuring that truth and transparency prevail.
Our speakers include:
Charlie Beckett, a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the Department of Media and Communication. He is currently leading the Polis Journalism and AI project. As a director, he was in charge of the LSE’s Truth, Trust and Technology Commission, which reported on the misinformation crisis in 2018. Before joining the LSE in 2006, he was an award-winning journalist for over 20 years at LWT, BBC, and ITN.
Host and journalist Victoria Reichelt has a background in studying communication in Berlin and Mexico, and a traineeship in political communication in Berlin and Brussels. She is currently part of the presenting team for the radio programme „DIE DA OBEN“ and presents on ZDFheute live and reports on politics together with Eva Schulz on Deutschland3000 (funk).
Restoring Trust: The Intersection of Technology, Regulation, and Ethics
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM | Sep 25 2024 | Horizon Stage:
Join us for a pivotal panel discussion where we’ll dissect the dual nature of technological advancements. We’ll explore technology’s capacity to detect and neutralize harmful narratives, such as hate speech and misinformation, while also examining the potential pitfalls, including bias amplification, censorship, and the creation of deepfakes that sow distrust. The conversation will pivot to the delicate balance of innovation and regulation, questioning the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in advancing and overseeing the use of technology.
In the discussion round, next to Charlie Beckett (LSE) and Victoria Reichelt (funk, ZDF), will join:
Henrike Gudat, Media Policy Advisor at Media Authority NRW, who has been working in the field of media regulation for about three years now. Before joining the Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia, she worked as a European affairs consultant at the Joint Management Office of the German Media Authorities. In that role, she has also contributed to the work of the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services (ERGA). Her expertise mainly lies in the area of European media policy, the regulation of online services, and disinformation.
Joscha Jäger, Co-Founder of Open Parliament TV, who is a creative technologist and researcher, working for over ten years in the fields of interactive film and video search engines. With Open Parliament TV – a search engine and interactive video platform for parliamentary debates developed with funding by MIZ Babelsberg – he aims to make decision-making processes in parliaments more transparent, accessible, and understandable. His vision is to connect parliamentary discourse beyond the boundaries of single parliaments, all the way from city councils to the EU parliament.
Join the discussions on “Journalism & MediaTech” and get your ticket for #MTHCON24 here. We are looking forward to seeing you!
